At CurvaFix, we are a dedicated group of health professionals, committed to improving patients’ quality of life with leading-edge treatment technologies.
Company
CurvaFix began with a vision held by Dr. Robert Meek, the former Founder and Division Head of Orthopaedic Trauma at Vancouver General Hospital and a Clinical Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia (Canada), that there must be a better way to repair fractures of curved bones of the pelvis.
Management
Mark Foster, President and CEO
- Former president and CEO of Trice Medical
- Experienced C-Suite executive with broad experience in healthcare, medical device pharmaceutical industries
Mark Foster joined CurvaFix in July 2023 as president and CEO, bringing with him over 24 years of experience in the healthcare, medical device, and pharmaceutical industries with a focus on orthopedics. Mark has led multiple businesses, delivering value to customers, stakeholders and investors. Most recently, he served as president and CEO of Trice Medical, a leader in the field of minimally invasive orthopedic procedures. Formerly, he was vice president of the U.S. Sports Medicine Business for Smith and Nephew. He has also held multiple leadership roles at Boston Scientific, and earlier, he worked in senior management positions for Covidien and GlaxoSmithKline Poland. Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond.
Bart Balkman, Chief Commercial Officer
- Vice President of Sales and Marketing at 6 MedTech start-ups
- Global commercial expertise launching innovative medical technologies and devices
Bart Balkman joined CurvaFix in the fall of 2020, bringing 30 years of global market development, sales and marketing experience for both large and emerging companies. He previously served as chief commercial officer at Shape Memory Medical, Inc. Prior to that, he served as a corporate vice president at NuVasive, a position he’d assumed upon the $410M acquisition of Ellipse Technologies, where he was global vice president of sales and marketing, leading the commercialization of a groundbreaking technology to treat complex skeletal deformities. He gained foundational sales experience with Medtronic, Edwards Laboratories, and Johnson & Johnson. Bart holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Oklahoma State University and completed the postgraduate Sales Management Executive Program at Columbia University.
Jeffrey Poole, Chief Financial Officer
- 15+ years, former CFO, Medtronic Spine and Biologics
With broad finance functional and operational expertise, Jeffrey Poole joined CurvaFix in the fall of 2021 as chief financial officer. He brings 15 years of global orthopedics expertise, having led multifunctional teams for both multinational and startup companies. He previously served as chief financial officer for Medtronic’s multi-billion dollar Spine and Biologics global business unit. Earlier in his career, he held numerous financial management positions of increasing responsibility in Japan, Singapore, Australia and the United States. He has experience in M&A activities and portfolio planning initiatives. Jeffrey holds a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Clemson University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina.
Nicole Carleo, Vice President, Marketing
- 20+ years of marketing, education and sales experience
Nicole Carleo joined CurvaFix as vice president of marketing in the fall of 2022, bringing over 20 years of experience in marketing, education and sales in the medical device industry. Previously, she was the senior director of marketing for Miach Orthopedics, where she designed and executed the company’s marketing and training strategy, commercial launch, and education for the BEAR Implant. Prior to this, she was the director of global training and education at Smith & Nephew, where she led a team of trainers to design and execute the training for the global ENT franchise and Sports Medicine sales representatives in the Americas. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational and Technical Studies and a Marketing Minor from Old Dominion University.
Vijayendran (V.J.) P. Somasegaran, Vice President, Commercial Development
- 20+ years of medical device sales and commercialization experience
V.J. Somasegaran joined CurvaFix in the summer of 2021 as director of sales and was promoted to vice president of commercial development in November 2022. Previously, V.J. served as the national director of business development for Zimmer Biomet Thoracic, where he led the commercial strategy for its thoracic products and offerings and participated in the $250M acquisition and integration of A&E Medical. Prior to joining Zimmer Biomet, he served as the central U.S. regional sales manager for Ellipse Technologies, which was acquired by NuVasive. V.J. has also held sales and management positions at Stryker Orthopedics and Biomet Orthopedics. V.J. holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Sciences from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Carly Thaler, Vice President, Research and Development
- 20+ years of mechanical engineering product development, BSE, MSE, PE
Carly Thaler joined CurvaFix in early 2017, bringing more than 20 years of experience in mechanical engineering product development. Carly leads research and development and is credited with leading the development of the CurvaFix® IM Implant technology. Prior to joining CurvaFix, Carly led a team at Cardiac Dimensions, Inc. overseeing successful projects from concept through clinical trials. Earlier in her career, she spent several years working on design and development of a variety of orthopedic implants. Carly holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Harvey Mudd College, a Master of Science in Bioengineering from the University of California, San Diego, and a Professional Engineer designation in mechanical engineering from the state of California.
Board of Directors
Eric Fritz, MVM, Board Member
Mark Foster, CEO, CurvaFix
David Hovda, President, MedTech Advisors; former CEO, Simplify Medical
Jack Tanaka, MVM, Board Member
Marc-André Marcotte, Partner, Sectoral Asset Management
Trevor Moody, Partner, M.H. Carnegie & Company
Michael Sjöström, Senior Partner, Sectoral Asset Management
Surgeon Advisory Board
Robert Meek, MD, Inventor, Chair, Surgeon Advisory Board, Clinical Professor Emeritus, UBC; Former Division Head of Orthopaedic Trauma, Vancouver General, Senior Trustee AO Foundation
Amir Matityahu, MD, Chief of Orthopaedics, Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Regional Medical Center of San Jose, Director of Pelvis and Acetabular Trauma Reconstruction at San Francisco General Hospital, Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of California, San Francisco
Samir Mehta, MD, Chief of the Division of Orthopaedic Trauma and Fracture Care at the University of Pennsylvania, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
Milton “Chip” Routt, MD, Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
G. Karl Van Osten, III, MD, Director, Orthopaedic Trauma Service, North Mississippi Medical Center
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Pol Maria Rommens, Retired Head of the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at the University Medical Center of the Johanns Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Germany