Owlet Baby Care Adds Key Players To Its Leadership Team
Mission Before Money: Startup Attracts Top Talent With a Vision to Revolutionize Infant Care
Mission Before Money: Startup Attracts Top Talent With a Vision to Revolutionize Infant Care
PROVO, Utah, Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Owlet Baby Care announced today that three executives have joined the company in newly created leadership positions. Tom Bishop has joined as vice president of operations, Danny Villarreal as vice president of business development and Chris Stroud as vice president of marketing. These esteemed hires are the most recent for Owlet, which has successfully attracted key talent with its mission-driven approach.
In his new role, Tom Bishop is responsible for designing and implementing infrastructure for growth and expansion, bringing his experience in product development, commercialization, manufacturing and organizational development. He joined Owlet from Skullcandy, where he most recently served as vice president of product and manufacturing. Bishop brings extensive experience in product design, development and manufacturing systems with a deep understanding of contract manufacturing, after spending 11 years living and working in China. Prior to Skullcandy, he worked in product development and manufacturing at Burton Snowboards.
"It's rare that a person is fortunate enough to have an opportunity to be a part of something that really is going to change the world," said Tom Bishop, a new parent himself. "As soon as I learned about the company's work and vision and heard some of the moving parent testimonials, I just had to be a part of it and as a new parent our mission resonates with me particularly deeply. I am incredibly honored to join this organization and look forward to working with the entire team here to make a meaningful impact on the way we care for our infants."
Danny Villarreal joins as vice president of business development. He will oversee strategic planning and development of sales opportunities and key retail and partner relationships. In his new role, Villarreal will head up the company's mission-critical physician outreach and engagement program. Villarreal is a successful entrepreneur, having founded Zarbee's Inc. and Wink Naturals, where he was integral in the product development, marketing and distribution of children's health products in the natural consumer packaged goods space.
In his new role as vice president of marketing, Chris Stroud will oversee the management and implementation of all marketing initiatives across the business. He joins Owlet from FiveCentShine, a strategic marketing consultancy where he served as CEO.
"We couldn't be more excited to have these accomplished executives on board," said Kurt Workman, CEO and co-founder of Owlet Baby Care. "Not only do they have deep experience and proven track records in their respective fields, but they share our passion for making a difference in infant care and our unwavering focus on innovation and advancement in this space."
The Owlet Baby Monitor leverages pulse oximetry, the same technology used in hospitals, and is designed to monitor heart rate and oxygen saturation, and alert parents if their baby stops breathing. The reception among parents to the Owlet Monitor has been incredible, with five families having been alerted by their monitor that their baby stopped breathing, allowing them to intervene.
Owlet Baby Care plans to submit for FDA clearance to create a medical version of the monitor that can be used in hospitals and for diagnostic purposes. Additionally, Owlet is working with researchers and clinicians to develop a device with medical applications. The company was recently awarded a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for further development and research. Owlet raised a $6 million Series A last summer, bringing its total raised to nearly $10 million.
About Owlet Baby Care
Owlet Baby Care, Inc. was founded in 2013 by a team of passionate parents who wanted to bring themselves—and other parents around the globe—peace of mind and assurance by developing a monitor that tracks a baby's breathing and heart rate. Using pulse oximetry, the same technology used in hospitals, the Owlet Smart Sock is designed to send alerts to the base station and via WiFi to a smartphone, if a baby were to stop breathing while sleeping. See the device in action by watching this video or visiting OwletCare.com.
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SOURCE Owlet Baby Care
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