Thomas Trotter has been appointed CEO of AngioScore (Alameda, California), effective immediately. He succeeds Ephraim Heller, founder, chairman and CEO, who is retiring from the company. Trotter has more than 28 years of experience in the medical device industry, most recently as president and CEO of Orthologic. AngioScore is seeking approval from the FDA for its AngioSculpt line of coronary and peripheral scoring balloon angioplasty catheters. The company has begun marketing its products in Europe after receiving the CE mark for both coronary and peripheral applications.

Linda Laak has been named vice president of regulatory, clinical and quality affairs for Atritech (Plymouth, Minnesota). Laak most recently was executive director at PPD medical device firm following the sale of Eminent Research Systems and Clinsights to PPD, where she was chief operating officer and vice president. Atritech has developed the Watchman left atrial appendage system, a device-based solution to isolate the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation who require blood thinning medications.

Charles Slaton, president and chief operating officer of MedCath (Charlotte, North Carolina), has been selected by the company board to become CEO, effective Oct. 1. John Casey, who has served as CEO since September 2003, will remain as chairman, and the board said it would immediately begin the search for a new chief operating officer. Before joining MedCath, Slaton served as senior vice president of Tenet, with financial and operational responsibilities for 15 acute and rehabilitation hospitals located throughout Texas. MedCath owns and operates 12 hospitals with a total of 727 licensed beds, in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas. MedCath also provides cardiovascular care services in diagnostic and therapeutic facilities through mobile cardiac catheterization laboratories.

Michelle Boston has been named vice president, information services, at Partners Imaging (Dallas). Boston joins Partners Imaging from her post as information technology director, transition management office at Affiliated Computer Services. Partners Imaging provides turnkey computed tomography solutions for cardiovascular imaging to healthcare providers.

• PrognostiX (Cleveland), a start-up company established by The Cleveland Clinic, has named Mark Willig CEO. Willig most recently was senior vice president of sales and marketing for Specialty Labs. He joins PrognostiX shortly after the company received approval from the FDA to begin selling a diagnostic test capable of identifying patients in imminent danger of heart attack or death. PrognostiX specializes in the development of technologies used in the diagnosis of inflammatory diseases.

Cynthia Lucchese has joined Thoratec (Pleasanton, California) as senior vice president and CFO. Previously, Lucchese was corporate vice president and treasurer for Guidant. Thoratec’s product line includes the Thoratec Ventricular Assist Device and HeartMate Left Ventricular Assist System.