WALTHAM, MA, – Astra Tech Inc. today announced the appointment of Scott A. Root to President and Chief Executive Officer, Astra Tech Inc. – the US subsidiary of Astra Tech AB, a leading developer and manufacturer of dental implants and medical devices for surgery and urology. Mr. Root will also serve on the company’s Board of Directors. Mr. Root brings to this appointment 20 years of management experience, most recently as Senior Vice President, Straumann USA, a medical device company focused in implant dentistry and tissue regeneration. This experience spanned every aspect of management for a major medical device company, including sales and marketing, strategic planning, new business development, training and education, product management, professional relations, customer service and team building.
Mr. Root joins Astra Tech Inc. as the company increases its presence substantially in the US in 2005, starting with the launch of its OsseoSpeed Dental Implant in the first quarter. OsseoSpeed™ is the first dental implant with a bone growth catalyst, an advance that the company expects will generate significant interest and excitement among the dental implant community.
“The OsseoSpeed launch will be an important milestone for Astra Tech in the US,” said Mr. Root, “However, we view that launch as just one step toward the larger goal of establishing the company’s image in the US as a dynamic organization on the cutting edge of technological innovation and client service. We’ve already begun to increase our sales capacity – we’ve nearly tripled our U.S. sales force – and the entire Astra Tech organization is moving forward with a more aggressive sales and marketing philosophy.”
“We are thrilled to have Scott Root join Astra Tech at such an important and exciting time,” said Peter Selley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Astra Tech AB, the Mölndal, Sweden-based parent company of Astra Tech Inc. “Scott brings to this appointment energy and experience that will help Astra Tech assume an even more visible and active role in the US medical device market.”
Mr. Root is a graduate of Babson College in Wellesley, MA (BS, Business Administration, 1985). He lives in Weston, MA, with his wife and two children.