Brad Slaker
Founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board
Slaker brings over 20 years in the for-profit medical device industry, including extensive experience in all aspects of medical device product development from concept generation, product development and refinement, regulatory submissions, quality system requirements, manufacturing development, surgeon/physician relationships, project management and the management of engineering staff and cross-functional project teams. He also holds seven patents for various medical devices. Slaker has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota and his MBA from the University of St. Thomas.
Jodi Raus, MBA, RAC
Vice Chair and Treasurer
Raus is the director of regulatory affairs at AGA Medical Corporation. At AGA Medical, she provides leadership in development of domestic and international regulatory strategies for submissions and market release of medical products. Raus has over 20 years of experience working with U.S. and international regulatory agencies for product registrations and internally with R&D, QA, Marketing and Clinical departments throughout the product development process. Jodi holds an MBA from Bethel University.
Liann M. Johnson
Secretary
Johnson is the president and CEO of Surpass and has 25 years of medical device industry experience in research & development, including urological, cardiovascular, neurological, gynecology and peripheral applications. Her diverse professional background includes engineering, business development, and executive management roles in product development and operations. Her engineering and management experience has yielded multiple patents in the areas of self-expanding metal stents and delivery systems. In her career as a global leader, she developed and commercialized more than 50 new products on-time and cost-effectively. Prior to joining Surpass, Johnson held the positions of Division Director of Charles River Laboratories Interventional and Surgical Services, Wisconsin Division; General Manager and Director of New Business Development at Catheter and Disposables Technology, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota; Director for Custom In-Depth Research for Teltech Resource Network Corporation; and Product Development Manager and Senior Development Engineer for Schneider (USA) Inc. Ms. Johnson has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota and an Associates of Science degree from Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Alec Johnson
Dr. Alec Johnson is a tenured Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University Of St. Thomas Opus College Of Business in St. Paul Minnesota. Dr. Johnson has a Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Masters degree in International Business and a PhD in Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has 15 years teaching in a University setting, 8 with the University of Saint Thomas. He has expertise in business development process, strategy, and financing of early stage companies. Dr. Johnson’s has experience of deep vertical consulting with development stage companies, ranging from music academies to medical devices to software to basic retail. His research includes financial behavior in small business, performance/industry linkages in small business and small business bootstrapping. Dr. Johnson has been published numerous times on these and other topics. He is involved in community relationships such as Junior Achievement and the Minneapolis Urban League and is the owner of AC Johnson Photography.
