MINNEAPOLIS, Feb 17, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced today that Rebecca Bergman, vice president of new therapies and diagnostics in the Cardiac Rhythm Disease Management (CRDM) business, was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The NAE now has 2,267 peer-elected members in the United States and an additional 196 foreign associates. They provide the leadership and expertise for numerous projects focused on relationships between engineering, technology and quality of life.

"We are extremely proud of Becky's election to the National Academy of Engineering. Her years of success in engineering, research, and the science of developing the next great innovations in medical device technology make her an excellent choice to serve the Academy," said Bill Hawkins, chairman and chief executive officer at Medtronic.

In addition to Bergman, Medtronic's co-founder Earl Bakken, and retired vice president of technology policy and academic relations, Paul Citron, are members of the NAE.

Bergman joined Medtronic in 1987 as a senior biomedical engineer and has held various roles in science and engineering at the company. She served as vice president of science and technology responsible for leveraging technology collaboration among Medtronic's seven business units. Bergman was named vice president of new therapies and diagnostics for the company's CRDM business in 2009. In this role she is responsible for driving research, technology and new market initiatives critical to CRDM's vision and strategy and develops innovations that result in improved healthcare outcomes.

In addition to her role at Medtronic, Bergman was elected a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) in 2001 and is a current member of the National Advisory Council of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), an Institute within the National Institutes of Health. She currently serves on the board of directors of Sigma Aldrich Corporation, and also serves on the board of trustees at both St. Catherine University, Saint Paul; and Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minn.

Bergman, 53, is originally from Allentown, Pa. She received her bachelor's of science degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University in 1978. After moving to Minneapolis in 1978, she completed graduate level coursework in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Minnesota.

The procedures for nomination and election of candidates involve a search in all fields of engineering by present members of the NAE for outstanding accomplishments to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature," and to the "pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."

Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. The NAE operates under the same congressional act of incorporation that established the National Academy of Sciences, signed in 1863 by President Lincoln. Under this charter the NAE is directed "whenever called upon by any department or agency of the government, to investigate, examine, experiment, and report upon any subject of science or art."

About Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology - alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world.

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SOURCE: Medtronic, Inc.

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