Small Bone Innovations, Inc. (SBi), an orthopedic devices company, announced that Steve D. Ward, in addition to being the company’s chief financial officer (CFO) since March of 2006, has been promoted to the chief operating officer (COO) role. He replaces Robert W. Churinetz, who was retired as company’s COO.

After successfully leading SBi’s effort to transition from a manufacturing to a supply-chain focus by divesting US and French manufacturing operations and installing a multi-tiered manufacturing vendor management system, Churinetz will be joining Musculoskeletal Clinical Regulatory Advisers, LLC (MCRA) to help build their manufacturing, quality assurance and international regulatory practice serving orthopedic companies throughout the world. Through this affiliation, he will continue to help SBi and focus his energy on transferring manufacturing of the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (S.T.A.R.) Ankle from Waldemar Link GmbH in Hamburg, Germany to a new manufacturing location.

Anthony G. Viscogliosi, chairman & CEO of SBi, said: “SBi has benefited greatly from Bob’s operational know-how and extensive SB&J experience since he joined the company in July of 2006. We wish Bob well on his new endeavors and believe that his background is highly additive to the team that is already in place at MCRA. We are also grateful to have an executive of Steve’s caliber, whose background includes operational experience having overseen logistics, customer service and facilities operations at his prior firm, to step in to ensure a seamless transition.”

SBi is also announcing that it has formed an executive management committee, which consists of Anthony G. Viscogliosi (chairman & CEO), Thomas Crowley (President), Florian Kemmerich (President, SBi International) and Steve Ward (CFO/COO). Mr. Kemmerich’s addition to SBi was described in a press release issued on February 17th, 2009. Based upon the Board of Director’s agreed upon corporate goals, as developed by the CEO, this team of executive management determines the company’s objectives, business strategies and oversees the execution of these plans to achieve the goals.

Additionally, SBi has formed the operating committee which manages the day-to-day operating activities of the company. The operating committee is led by Steve Ward and also includes Thomas B. Loring (Senior vice president worldwide product & technology development), James T. Hook (senior vice president, North American Sales), Jean-Jacques Martin (senior vice president, SBi International), Scott Ludecker (vice president, worldwide diabetes and limb preservation systems) and james l. o’connor (vice president, worldwide regulatory, quality and clinical affairs, surgeons ethics & compliance).

SBi’s senior management has been expanded with the appointment of Thomas A. Crowley, as president of the company as well as the appointment of James T. Hook as senior vice president, North American Sales last year.

Crowley joined SBi with senior-level orthopedic experience following his position as President of Aircast, LLC. During his tenure at Aircast, he managed nearly 400 employees and led the company to generate annual revenues of approximately $100 million. He was responsible for the expansion of Aircast’s lower limb global franchise, establishing a leading position with Foot and Ankle surgeons and their medical societies. Tom oversees the company on a day-to-day basis and leads our domestic sales organization in launching new products and expanding our presence in the SB&J market.

Hook is responsible for managing and overseeing the company’s sales network in the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Hook has extensive SB&J experience having worked at Tornier and at Wright Medical Group (and its predecessor) for over 20 years. At Tornier, he managed the company’s independent distribution network, drove impressive gains in their U.S. shoulder business, established its elbow franchise and built its ankle business.

Viscogliosi said: “With these additions to the executive management team and the formation of the Executive and Operating Committees, SBi has an extraordinarily deep pool of managerial talent which positions us to capitalize on the vast opportunity in the rapidly emerging SB&J market. Furthermore, our team has particular expertise in the lower limb anatomy, which is a perfect fit with our S.T.A.R. total ankle joint replacement system.”