St. Jude Medical Executive Plans Run for Congress

A St. Jude Medical (NYSE: STJ) executive plans to resign from her leadership position to prepare to run for U.S. Congress in Minnesota's Second District in 2016.

Angela Craig, 42, will leave her post as vice president of global human resources for the Little Canada, MN-based company to run as a Democrat against U.S. Rep. John Kline, a Republican in his sixth term. Craig will remain with St. Jude, focusing on diversity, inclusion, veteran hiring, and workforce development with colleges and universities, the company told Qmed.

Craigjoined St. Jude in 2005 and has held the global HR position since 2012. Her responsibilities have also included health policy, investor relations, government relations, reimbursement, public and media relations, and corporate branding.

Craig has helped lead St. Jude through a period of significant growth, as well as the integration of several successful acquisitions, including NeuroTherm, a manufacturer of pain management therapies, and CardioMEMSand its device to help manage heart failure, both in 2014, the company said.

Attorney Paul Bae, deputy general counsel for labor and employment, and chief compliance officer at St. Jude,will take over Craig's position February 16. He previously served as vice president of corporate human resources.

Craig has not yet filed to run against Kline. Women Winning, a Minnesota nonprofit that supports and advises pro-choice candidates for state and federal office, was among those who encouraged Craig to enter the race. Craig has served on Women Winning's board of directors since January 2014, according to executive director Lauren Beecham. Kline, who chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, is anti-abortion.

A Republican, David Gerson, also plans to run against Kline, according to a report in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He has done so unsuccessfully twice before.

Craig grew up in a mobile home in Arkansas with her mother, grandmother and two siblings. Her mother received a college degree at age 27, and expected her children to go to college as well.

"I've been very fortunate with the experiences I've had in my career and I really think my business background and life experiences make me uniquely qualified to advocate for policies that ensure that every family in America has access to good public schools, good jobs and quality and affordable healthcare," Craig said. "I believe that I can advocate for families that have the same level of opportunity that I have, and I feel passionate about jumping in and helping families reach that level of economic security and opportunity."

Nancy Crotti is a contributor to Qmed and MPMN.

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