SOUTH JORDAN, Utah, May 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI), a leading
manufacturer and marketer of proprietary disposable devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures,
particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology, critical care and endoscopy, today announced that Bernard Birkett has resigned as
Chief Financial Officer to pursue other business opportunities. It is Merit’s understanding that Mr. Birkett’s departure is
not attributable to any disagreement with Merit’s accounting principles or practices or financial statement disclosures.
"We appreciate the contributions Bernard has made over the years in Europe and over the past few years on a
company-wide basis and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Fred P. Lampropoulos, Merit’s Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer.
Raul Parra, CPA, a Merit veteran of more than eight years, has been appointed as Merit’s interim Chief Financial
Officer. Parra worked in various audit positions for Deloitte & Touche prior to joining Merit. During his tenure at
Merit he has served in various roles, most recently as Corporate Controller and Vice President of Accounting.
“Raul has built a very effective team over the past several years and has a great working relationship with the
entire management team,” Lampropoulos said. “We are fortunate to have an experienced leader during this transition. Our
efforts will continue to focus on our broad global infrastructure while meeting our objectives for the business.”
ABOUT MERIT
Founded in 1987, Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is engaged in the development, manufacture and distribution of proprietary disposable
medical devices used in interventional, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, particularly in cardiology, radiology, oncology,
critical care and endoscopy. Merit serves client hospitals worldwide with a domestic and international sales force totaling
approximately 290 individuals. Merit employs approximately 5,000 people worldwide with facilities in South Jordan, Utah;
Pearland, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Malvern, Pennsylvania; Rockland, Massachusetts; San Jose, California; Maastricht and Venlo,
The Netherlands; Paris, France; Galway, Ireland; Beijing, China; Tijuana, Mexico; Joinville, Brazil; Markham, Ontario, Canada;
Melbourne, Australia; Tokyo, Japan; and Singapore.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements contained in this release which are not purely historical, including, without limitation, statements regarding Merit's
forecasted plans, revenues, net income, financial results or anticipated or completed acquisitions, are forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those
described in Merit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and subsequent filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Such risks and uncertainties include risks relating to Merit's potential inability to successfully manage
growth through acquisitions, including the inability to commercialize technology acquired through completed, proposed or future
transactions; expenditures relating to research, development, testing and regulatory approval or clearance of Merit's products and
risks that such products may not be developed successfully or approved for commercial use; governmental scrutiny and regulation of
the medical device industry, including governmental inquiries, investigations and proceedings involving Merit; restrictions on
Merit's liquidity or business operations resulting from its debt agreements; infringement of Merit's technology or the assertion
that Merit's technology infringes the rights of other parties; product recalls and product liability claims; changes in customer
purchasing patterns or the mix of products we sell; the potential of fines, penalties or other adverse consequences if Merit's
employees or agents violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or other laws or regulations; laws and regulations targeting
fraud and abuse in the healthcare industry; potential for significant adverse changes in governing regulations, including reforms
to the procedures for approval or clearance of our products by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration or comparable regulatory
authorities in other jurisdictions; changes in tax laws and regulations in the United States or other countries; increases in the
prices of commodity components; negative changes in economic and industry conditions in the United States or other countries;
termination or interruption of relationships with Merit's suppliers, or failure of such suppliers to perform; fluctuations in
exchange rates; concentration of a substantial portion of Merit's revenues among a few products and procedures; development of new
products and technology that could render Merit's existing products obsolete; market acceptance of new products; volatility in the
market price of Merit's common stock; modification or limitation of governmental or private insurance reimbursement policies;
changes in healthcare policies or markets related to healthcare reform initiatives; failure to comply with applicable environmental
laws; changes in key personnel; work stoppage or transportation risks; introduction of products in a timely fashion; price and
product competition; availability of labor and materials; fluctuations in and obsolescence of inventory; and other factors referred
to in Merit's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other materials filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. All subsequent forward-looking statements attributable to Merit or persons acting on its behalf are expressly
qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Actual results will likely differ, and may differ materially, from
anticipated results. Financial estimates are subject to change and are not intended to be relied upon as predictions of future
operating results, and Merit assumes no obligation to update or disclose revisions to those estimates.
Contact: Anne-Marie Wright, Vice President, Corporate Communications
Phone: (801) 208-4167 e-mail: awright@merit.com Fax: (801) 253-1688
