Defense Alliance of Minnesota Holds "Medical-Defense Roundtable"

St. Paul, MN, 05/24/05 -- The Defense Alliance of Minnesota conducted a "Medical-Defense" Roundtable on May 24th. The event was held at the McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota, and was attended by 100 people, primarily medical researchers and device manufacturers. The event’s 8 sponsors included MedSuds, a state network of medtech, biotech and life science professionals, and Comfort for Courage, the rapidly-expanding student-led non-profit that provides comfort items to service members in the field. 11 exhibitors were also present, as were members of the U.S. military, including the 934th Aeromedical Squadron, the Army National Guard’s 477th Ambulance Company from Duluth and Army Healthcare Recruiting, that brought a HUMVEE to be displayed at the McNamara Center.

Following on the heels of the Alliance’s January Roundtable with Governor Tim Pawlenty, the Medical-Defense Roundtable was intended to raise awareness within the state’s vast medical technology industry about the needs of combat casualty care and rehabilitation for those serving in the military. Defense Alliance founder and President/CEO of Minnesota Wire & Cable Co. Paul Wagner led off the day’s events by calling attention to the "serious business" at hand. "Men and women, including Minnesotans, are being killed in action, and injured in the War on Terror. This hits home for us, and we’re obligated to find ways to better care for those on the front lines."

The morning’s activities included the keynote speaker, Colonel Robert Vandre, director of Combat Casualty Care Research at the U.S. Army’s Medical Research and Materiel Command. His 90-minute presentation highlighted the urgent need for innovative answers to battlefield trauma and after-care. The second morning segment focused on ways for companies to get connected to federal funding mechanisms for medical research and development, or direct entry into the military acquisition process. Pat Dillon of Pat Dillon & Associates, Gary Hansen of Arizant Inc., and Jim Stice of Twin Star Medical provided real-world examples of ways to get "plugged in" to this critical market, from Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, to "congressional plus ups."

The afternoon session of the Medical-Defense Roundtable featured a panel of experts from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the University of Minnesota who discussed the myriad business services available for companies in the state.

The Defense Alliance of Minnesota is planning future events, including smaller meetings that will target segments of the defense industry. More information can be found on the organization’s Website, www.defensealliance.com. The mission of the Defense Alliance of Minnesota is to nurture and expand Minnesota’s defense and homeland security industries, to create and retain high quality jobs, and to further promote the state’s important contributions to our men and women of the armed forces. It was founded in 2004 by Paul J. Wagner, President and CEO of Minnesota Wire & Cable Co.