CARLSBAD, Ca, May 22, (BUSINESS WIRE)--RF Surgical Systems Inc., the market leader in retained surgical object detection, today announced the appointment of Ron Wangerin as CFO. The company also named John Merritt as Director of Manufacturing Operations. The addition of Wangerin and Merritt continues RF Surgical’s commitment to adding key team members to enhance the company’s growing business and further propel it through the next phase of high growth. “Ron’s financial strengths will help guide the company as we continue on our growth trajectory, focusing on emerging opportunities within the patient safety space.” As CFO, Wangerin will report to President and CEO John T. Buhler and be responsible for the company’s overall financial operations. Wangerin has over 25 years of diverse financial experience, including 10 years as CFO of publicly traded telecommunications company ViaSat, Inc.; two years as CFO with wireless data collection provider NexusData, Inc.; three years as CFO with Hughes/Raytheon Training LLC, a subsidiary of Raytheon Company, and nine years with Deloitte & Touche LLP in public accounting.“Ron’s extensive experience directing all financial and business management activities for companies of all sizes, and managing and communicating with Boards of Directors and other stakeholders, make him a valuable addition to our team,” said Buhler. “Ron’s financial strengths will help guide the company as we continue on our growth trajectory, focusing on emerging opportunities within the patient safety space.” Merritt, who will also report to John T. Buhler, will be responsible for Global Manufacturing Operations. Before joining RF Surgical Systems, Merritt was Director of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering with Bard Biopsy Systems, a division of C. R. Bard (formerly SenoRx), for 15 years. Prior to that, he was Director of Manufacturing for startup company TherOx, which is developing Supersaturated Oxygen Solutions (SOS) for cardiac applications. “John’s 32 years of medical device manufacturing and engineering experience will help us enhance our supply chain management capabilities backed by key analytics that fast track our manufacturing operations,” said Buhler. “This is vital as we expand our core adjunct technology business and explore future opportunities in the broader retained surgical object detection market.”<br />About RF Surgical Systems, Inc.<br />RF Surgical Systems, Inc. is the market leader in the detection and prevention of retained surgical items. The RF Assure Detection System™ is the preferred solution in more than 300 U.S. hospitals and surgical centers. A number of US News & World Report “Honor Roll” hospital recipients recently joined the fast-growing list of care providers benefiting from RF Surgical’s detection technology. RF Surgical Systems is based in Carlsbad, California. U.S. patents protect the advanced technologies used in the RF Assure Detection System™. Regulatory clearance to market the system was granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2006. Additional information about RF Surgical Systems, Inc. can be found at www.rfsurg.com.