The Second Time Around

Originally Published MX May/June 2003

COVER STORY

Quinton Cardiology Systems president and COO John Hinson on growing a new company from deep roots.

Interview by Steve Halasey

Quinton Cardiology Systems (Bothell, WA) is no newcomer to the field of medical devices. Established 50 years ago when founder Wayne Quinton invented the first treadmill for cardiac stress testing, Quinton rapidly became a market leader in the emerging field of cardiovascular monitoring. Sold in turn to drug manufacturers A. H. Robins (1984) and American Home Products (1988), however, the company gradually lost its competitive edge and market advantage.

This all changed in 1998, when an investor group led by W. R. Hambrecht & Co. (San Francisco) bought the company. In the years since the buyout, Quinton has taken on a new management team, refocused its business on medical applications, and increased investment in R&D. The payoff has been a reinvigorated company with a will to recapture both technological leadership and market share in its fields of interest.