SonoSite Was Sold To FujiFilm For Nearly $1BDave Willis, a director at Ventripoint was Vice President Competitive Strategy and Product Innovation at SonoSite-Fujifilm Ultrasound, where he was responsible for design input, launch and global training
of 4 major product releases.
SonoSite Sold to FujiFilm for Nearly $1B
Portable ultrasound maker SonoSite is being acquired by Japan’s Fujifilm for just under $1 billion. SonoSite will remain based in Bothell, WA, under its current leadership team, the companies said in a joint announcement.
The $995 million price represents a cash offer to purchase all SonoSite (NASDAQ: SONO) shares for $54 each, a 50 percent premium on the average closing stock price for the past three months. The price also includes payments in connection with SonoSite’s convertible debt. The companies’ boards have already approved the deal.
In the announcement, SonoSite President and CEO Kevin Goodwin said joining Fujifilm “will enable us to significantly accelerate our international business and product development efforts, and respond to the fast-evolving needs of physicians around the world.”
SonoSite was itself an acquirer last year, paying $71 million for Toronto-based Visualsonics, whose initial market was in preclinical biology labs. At the time of the deal, SonoSite said the ultrasound market for preclinical research was estimated to be worth $350 million with projected double digit annual growth rates.
Ventripoint Announces New Director and Provides Corporate Update
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON--(Marketwired - Nov. 4, 2015) - Ventripoint Diagnostics Ltd. ("
Ventripoint" or the "
Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:VPT) announces that Dave Willis has joined the Board of Directors of the Corporation. Mr. Willis is an expert in the development and international sales of ultrasound equipment. Until recently, he was Vice President Competitive Strategy and Product Innovation at SonoSite-Fujifilm Ultrasound, where he was responsible for design input, launch and global training of 4 major product releases. He also served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing the Americas for Ultrasonix Medical Corp, where he managed sales forces in Canada, U.S.A, and South America.
Mr. Willis had been with SonoSite Ultrasound previously as Vice President of General Imaging Business Unit, where he helped grow sales to $65 million and as Director of Product Marketing. In the 1990's, he had positions with ATL Ultrasound as Director of Clinical Marketing, Manager of Clinical Investigations, Senior Clinical Specialist, International Sales Specialist and Applications Specialist, where he managed a distribution network in Asia.
Mr. Willis was trained as a sonographer and had clinical appointments at the Health Sciences Center and the Misericordia General Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He completed business training at Wharton Business School.
"It is a pleasure to welcome such a pioneer and innovator to the Board of Ventripoint as we embark on the next phase of changing cardiac ultrasound to provide MRI-grade volumetric assessments for all four chamber of the heart." Stated Treuman Katz, Chairman of the Ventripoint Board of Directors. "His international experience will be particularly important as we expand into Asia and elsewhere."
"I am pleased to join Ventripoint's board and look forward to assisting the company to interface with luminary cardiologists worldwide to bring forth new and needed products to allow cardiac care to be more immediate and effective," said Mr. Willis.