MINNEAPOLIS --(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 14, 2013-- Piper Jaffray (NYSE: PJC), a leading investment bank and asset management firm, announced that its annual Heartland Summit event is underway, drawing a select group of 175 top executives, investors and physicians from across the healthcare spectrum. Featuring a unique panel-only format, industry leaders gather for two days for candid discussions on major areas of growth, opportunity and controversy in medical technology, therapeutics and healthcare services & information technology.

The Piper Jaffray Heartland Summit kicked off today in Minneapolis with a “State of the Industry” CEO Panel featuring leaders from some of the world’s largest healthcare organizations. Neal Patterson of Cerner Corporation , Alex Gorsky of Johnson & Johnson , George Halverson of Kaiser Permanente , Omar Ishrak of Medtronic, Inc. and Steve Hemsley of UnitedHealth Group shared their views on innovation, market opportunities, controversies, acquisition strategies and regulatory challenges impacting their businesses.

The CEO panel was followed by a keynote address from Mike Leavitt , former Governor of Utah and the 20th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services . Leavitt shared his inside perspective on the role of government in the healthcare sector, and spoke about his current efforts implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Afternoon panels featured topics in healthcare information technology and biotechnology, showcasing leaders from Array Biopharma Inc. , Cerner Corporation , Endocyte, Inc. , GNS Healthcare, Inc. , Infinity Pharmaceuticals and Optum .

A Chief Medical Officer Panel concluded the day’s presentations with CMOs from Covidien , St. Jude Medical Inc. and UnitedHealth Group discussing economic and clinical hurdles, market product strategies and evolving global regulatory environments.

“This event brings together some of the industry’s most influential leaders and organizations in a very intimate format where important themes are addressed and valuable ideas are formed,” commented Piper Jaffray senior healthcare research analyst Brooks West . “With Minnesota being a hub for the medical community, we are uniquely positioned to host such an event.”

Day two of the Piper Jaffray Heartland Summit will consist of panel discussions on major therapeutic opportunities for device therapies in peripheral disease. The Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) Panel and Hypertension Panel will combine healthcare executives and physicians from across the U.S. to discuss opportunities in these markets. Panel participants will include executives from Boston Scientific Corporation , Covidien , C. R. Bard , Endologix Inc. , Medtronic, Inc. , St. Jude Medical Inc. , The Spectranetics Corporation , UnitedHealth Group and Volcano Corporation .

About Piper Jaffray

Piper Jaffray is a leading investment bank and asset management firm serving clients in the U.S. and internationally. Our proven advisory teams combine deep industry, product and sector expertise with ready access to capital. Founded in 1895, the firm is headquartered in Minneapolis and has offices across the United States and in London and Zurich . www.piperjaffray.com

Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE. © 2013 Piper Jaffray Companies , 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/multimedia/home/20130814006295/en/

Source: Piper Jaffray

Piper Jaffray
Pamela Steensland, 612-303-8184
pamela.k.steensland@pjc.com