ArthroCare Corp. (ArthroCare) announced the resignation of Michael A. Baker as its president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective February 18, 2009. The company also announced the resignations of Michael Moehring, former vice president and general manager of the Spine Business Unit, and Michael Denker, former director of sales development and training from the company, effective February 18, 2009. The company appointed David Fitzgerald as acting president and CEO.
Fitzgerald has been a member of the company’s board of directors since 2003. Fitzgerald, who has resigned as a member of the compensation and audit committees of the board of directors, will remain as a member of the board of directors. Prior to becoming a member of the company’s board member, he spent twenty-five years in management positions at Pfizer, Inc., serving as president and CEO of its Howmedica division during his last 15 years with the company, prior to retiring in 1996. Fitzgerald is principally employed as a consultant in the medical device industry. He also serves on the board of directors of Orthovita, Inc. and on the board of advisors of Sandvik MedTech, a contract manufacturer in the medical devices area. He served on the board of directors of LifeCell Corporation from 2001 until the company was acquired by Kinetic Concepts, Inc. in 2008. He holds a B.S. from American International College and a M.B.A. from New York University. Compensation arrangements with Fitzgerald are pending.