Dom L. Gatto
His professional experience includes many different areas in the medical industry. He has been involved in areas ranging from product management to executive management. He acquired his knowledge of the medical device industry over the last twenty years from a hands on perspective. He started out as a product manager for one of the world’s largest producers of medical textile products – CoNco Medical Corporation. Upon departing this large multi-national medical concern, he assumed the position “jack of all trades” in guiding a small, developing medical device company (Merocel Corporation) into becoming a world leader in its field of synthetic biocompatible polymers for use in microsurgical. After enjoying considerable success as the head of marketing and product development, his efforts turned to business development. He conducted a feasibility study to determine the viability of a new business division for minimally invasive medical instruments. When he found that such a venture was worthwhile and could be developed, FessCo, Inc. was formed to design, develop, manufacture, and market minimally invasive endoscopic devices. FessCo, a Delaware Corporation wholly owned by Warburg-Pincus, was financially successful within in its first 6 months of sales, exceeding over $2 million in revenues. He had successfully developed and launched a line of innovative minimally invasive handheld cutting instruments and a self-irrigating powered tissue removal system, the first of its kind, for the ENT market. Within its third year of operation, FessCo, along with Merocel Corporation, were folded into Xomed Surgical Products and the operations eventually acquired by Medtronic. His proven track record allowed him to obtain the necessary support to form a start-up entity, Medtrek Corporation, to design, develop, and market minimally invasive ENT devices.
In 2000, after establishing the innovative product line and worldwide distribution rights for the products with Olympus, he divested his interest in Medtrek and joined the breast cancer start-up company Acueity, Inc. as Executive Vice President of Operations. He skillfully guided Acueity’s product development, sales, marketing and production. Under his leadership, Acueity was featured in Time magazine as one of the top five medical technologies for breast cancer detection and treatment. Since departing Acueity in 2005, he has been an executive advisor to startup entities; Acclarent, Inc. (recently acquired by Johnson & Johnson) and Vibrynt, Inc. In addition, he served on the board of directors of Solos Endoscopy. He is a co-founder of Colibri Healthcare and Acceptent Corporation, both early stage diagnostic companies.
Over his career he has developed, launched and successfully managed over 75 medical devices ranging from polymer based disposables to integrated imaging systems. He holds 5 patents and is co-inventor on three patent pending medical devices. Mr. Gatto graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS degree in Marketing from Quinnipiac University and attended the Executive Management program at the John E. Anderson School of Business – UCLA. He is currently an advisor and mentor at Notre Dame University’s Mendoza School of Business for entrepreneurial studies.
