Sue Swenson is President and CEO of Sage North America, part of the Sage Group plc. She has over 20 years’ experience in both the fixed line and wireless telecommunications industry and almost 10 years in start-up companies where she managed periods of rapid growth and industry change. She spent part of her career with Pacific Telesis (Pacific Bell) where she held a number of senior management positions in all parts of the business and was the President and Chief Operating Officer of PacTel Cellular (which became AirTouch Communications). She subsequently became President & CEO of Cellular One, the mobile telephone joint venture with Vodafone AirTouch and AT&T Wireless, followed by positions as Chief Operating Officer with Leap Wireless International and T-Mobile (Deutsche Telecom). She was most recently Chief Operating Officer of New Motion, Inc. (now Atrinsic, Inc.), one of the largest digital media entertainment content providers.

Michael A. Mussallem is chairman and chief executive officer of Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Edwards leverages its research, design, development and marketing expertise to address specific cardiovascular opportunities, including heart valve disease, vascular disease and critical care technologies.

Mussallem has headed Edwards Lifesciences since it was spun off from Baxter International Inc. and began operating as an independent, publicly traded company (NYSE:EW) in April 2000.  Previously, he was responsible for the worldwide operations of both Baxter’s CardioVascular business, which he had headed since 1995, and its Biopharmaceuticals business, which he had been appointed to lead in 1998.

Mussallem joined Baxter in 1979 and progressed through a variety of increasingly responsible positions in manufacturing, engineering and product development.  He was named president of Baxter’s Critical Care Division in 1993, and group vice president of Baxter’s Surgical Group in 1994.  From 1996 through 1998, he chaired Baxter’s Asia-Pacific Board, which coordinated all of Baxter’s regional initiatives.  Previously, he worked for Union Carbide.

Mussallem is chairman of the board of directors of the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed).  He is also on the boards and executive committees of the California Healthcare Institute and OCTANe, and is a trustee of the University of California, Irvine Foundation.  He received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and an honorary doctorate from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Business attire is required. Please arrive early to ensure parking and arrival time.