SOMERSET, Pa.—DeVilbiss Healthcare today announced a new senior management team.  

Alan Panzer is president and CEO; Joseph Howard is vice president of marketing; Erika Laskey is vice president of sales, North America; Michael Panian is vice president/general counsel; Michael Blatzer is vice president of logistics; and Alan Doty is vice president of manufacturing.

“We’ve done a lot of reorganizing at the company, and we’re looking to accelerate the growth of our product line,” said company spokesperson Stephanie Murray, noting last year’s introduction of DeVilbiss’ IntelliPAP sleep therapy line and the upcoming introduction of a new ambulatory oxygen concentrator.

Panzer has more than 20 years of experience in the health care industry, most recently as president of United States Surgical/Valleylab Co. for Covidien (formerly Tyco Healthcare).  Before that, he was president of Tyco Healthcare Vascular Therapy.

Howard joined DeVilbiss in February, having previously worked for 14 years in various capacities for Covidien, including as vice president of marketing.  Laskey, who worked for more than eight years at Tyco, joined DeVilbiss in March as vice president of global business development, and in June, moved into her new position as vice president of sales, North America.


Panian was formerly vice president of intellectual property for Covidien; Blatzer was vice president of logistics for Tyco Healthcare Retail Group/Tyco International; and Doty was global vice president of manufacturing for Covidien prior to joining DeVilbiss.

The new team joins long-time CFO Larry Price and newly promoted Director of Research & Development Allan Jones.

Murray said DeVilbiss previously did not have some of the positions represented on the management team, such as the logistics, manufacturing or marketing positions. The sales and marketing jobs had been combined, she said, but “now we have divided sales and marketing to be more efficient in those aspects. We are really gearing up to make some great strides in our product line.”