ATLANTA, April 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CryoLife, Inc. (NYSE: CRY), a leading medical device and tissue processing company focused on cardiac and vascular surgery, announced today the appointment of William Matthews to the newly created position of Senior Vice President, Operations, Quality, and Regulatory, effective May 1, 2015. Mr. Matthews will report directly to Pat Mackin, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer.

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Mr. Mackin commented, "Bill is a seasoned industry executive with over 30 years of experience, with 10 years spent at Fortune 500 Companies, including Fresenius and Cardinal Health groups, leading quality, regulatory, and operations functions. Bill's operational management, integration, new technology startup, and FDA experience, coupled with the knowledge of our business he obtained through a recent engagement with our Company, will help us execute on our growth initiatives while driving efficient and compliant manufacturing operations. We look forward to his contribution to CryoLife during this transformative time for the business."

Before joining CryoLife, Mr. Matthews was Managing Partner at BioDevice Solutions, a Medical device consultancy firm, where he served as an advisor and Senior Consultant to numerous medical device companies. Mr. Matthews is recognized for his extensive experience in FDA compliance matters, manufacturing operations, new technology startups, product approvals and clearances, as well as numerous successful domestic and international submissions. Prior to that, Mr. Matthews served as Vice President of Government Affairs and Quality Systems for Cardinal Health's Viasys Healthcare; Executive Vice President of Operations, Regulatory Affairs, and Quality Systems at Xylum Corporation, where he was responsible for the Company's product development, manufacturing, engineering and regulatory affairs; and the Corporate Director of Regulatory, Quality, Manufacturing, and Engineering at Fresenius Medical Care (formerly Grace National Medical Care division) where he was responsible for all domestic and international manufacturing facilities.

Mr. Matthews obtained a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from St. Peter's University and also attended the Business Administration Programs at Rutgers University and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

About CryoLife, Inc.

Headquartered in suburban Atlanta, Georgia, CryoLife is a leader in the manufacturing, processing, and distribution of implantable living tissues and medical devices used in cardiac and vascular surgical procedures. CryoLife markets and sells products in more than 75 countries worldwide. For additional information about CryoLife, visit our website, www.cryolife.com.

Contacts:



    CryoLife                 The Ruth Group

    D. Ashley Lee            Nick Laudico / Zack Kubow

    Executive Vice
     President, Chief
     Financial Officer and
     Chief Operating Officer                           646-536-7030 / 7020
                             nlaudico@theruthgroup.com

    Phone: 770-419-3355      zkubow@theruthgroup.com

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SOURCE CryoLife, Inc.