Julie Allen is founder and managing partner of Allen Executive Search (Oconomowoc, Wisconsin), whose focus is on recruiting for early-stage, venture-backed and small-to-medium-sized companies in the med-tech field. Earlier in her career, she was a director at global advertising firm Foote, Cone & Belding and also held leadership posts at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Parks.

The MedTech Investing Conference held each May in Minneapolis is one of the more interesting investor-focused gatherings on the calendar. It always earns accolades from attendees as representing one of the best opportunities to bring together venture capitalists, entrepreneur/innovators and corporate development types, the latter of whom are always happy to spread the message that they’re open for business. Held for the 12th year earlier this month, the conference offered quite the reminder of the range of emotions being felt these days by those involved with or interested in med-tech. During his welcoming comments, conference co-chairman Kevin Wasserstein, founder and principal...