Rich has been a successful CEO of several medical technology companies, both prior to and after co-founding De Novo in 2000. Following De Novo’s investment in CryoVascular Systems, Rich became CEO, growing the initial 5 person start up team to a company of 20 employees. He was instrumental in developing the clinical and product strategies and hiring the executive team. In 2002, Rich led Paracor Medical, another De Novo portfolio company. He grew the company from 4 to 22 employees, refined the product strategy, raised its Series B financing and hired his replacement CEO. Prior to co-founding De Novo Ventures, he was the co-founder and CEO of CardioThoracic Systems (“CTSIâ€), a company he led to an initial public offering in only 7 months in 1996. CTSI, the market leader in disposable instruments and systems for performing minimally invasive beating heart bypass surgery, was ultimately acquired by Guidant Corporation in November 1999. Before that, Rich was the CEO of Cardiovascular Imaging Systems (“CVISâ€). As CEO, he orchestrated a successful IPO and ultimately sold the company to Boston Scientific Corporation in 1995.
In addition, Rich founded Saratoga Ventures in 1996, a venture capital partnership that has provided seed financing to startup medical technology companies, including Atrionix, Oratec, Enteric Medical, Trivascular, and Endotex. At Saratoga, Rich was Chairman of Oratec, which was sold in 2001 to Smith & Nephew PLC. Mr. Ferrari also co-founded The Medical Technology Group, which spun out Integrated Vascular Systems, an early stage femoral artery closure company which was sold to Abbott and Angiosense, a needle-free, jet injection, local drug delivery company. Early in his career, Rich held the position of Executive Vice President and General Manager of ADAC Laboratories. Rich holds a BS degree from Ashland University and an MBA from the University of South Florida.
Rich sits on the boards of BenVenue, CardioMind, MyoScience, Ovalis, Paracor Medical, Pulmonx, Simpirica, Spinal Kinetics and Spinal Modulation. His prior board involvement includes TriVascular.
