Arrow International (Reading, Pennsylvania) reported the promotion of several executives to positions of new responsibility and the retirement of Philip Fleck, president and chief operating officer, effective Dec. 31. Fleck has a total of 33 years of service to Arrow and its predecessor company. Frederick Hirt has been promoted to senior vice president of finance and CFO. Hirt joined Arrow in August 1998 as vice president of finance, CFO and treasurer. Carl Staples has been promoted to senior vice president of human resources. He joined Arrow in September 2002 as head of human resources. Philip Croxford has been promoted to group vice president-critical care and cardiac assist. Croxford joined Arrow in August 2003 as vice president, sales and global marketing, critical care and most recently served as vice president and general manager. James Hatlan has been promoted to senior vice president-strategic planning. Hatlan joined Arrow in September 2003 and served as vice president-strategic planning. Arrow International manufactures a broad range of disposable catheters and related products for critical and cardiac care.

Bioheart (Weston, Florida) recently more than tripled the size of its R&D facility and reported several additions to its research staff. Richard Spencer has joined the company as vice president, clinical affairs and physician relations. He previously served as global product director, drug-eluting stent marketing for Cordis Cardiology. Sergio Pinski, MD, has been named medical director. Pinksi is currently chief of cardiac pacing and electrophysiology at Cleveland Clinic Florida. Kristin Comella has been named cell process development and R&D lab manager. Before joining Bioheart, she was supervisor of the cGMP laboratory expanding stem cells for clinical trials at Tulane University. Bioheart is focused on regenerating damaged heart muscle with its MyoCell myogenic cell composition, which is catheter delivered.

CryoLife (Kennesaw, Georgia) has promoted D. Ashley Lee from vice president of finance, treasurer and CFO to executive vice president, treasurer and CFO. Lee joined the company as controller in 1994. CryoLife processes and distributes implantable living human tissues for use in cardiovascular and vascular surgeries.