Cover Story

On the surface it seems she should be. She is Vice President and General Counsel of Boston Scientific’s cardiovascular division, and as such works inside the pulsating heart of a $5.6 billion publicly traded corporation (NYSE: BSX). Boston Scientific has 16,000 employees worldwide—with a hearty 3,000 in Plymouth and Maple Grove, Minn., including Lance, helping manufacture, develop and market lifesaving medical devices.

Primarily, she serves as an in-house attorney. The medical device she personally helped launch in 2004, the complicated sounding TAXUS® Express2™ Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System, has been offering genuine hope for millions of Americans with blocked heart arteries. Earlier this year, Boston Scientific announced the millionth sale and implantation of that particular stent, nearly doubling the corporation’s revenue.

“Mamma always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get,” drawled Forrest Gump in the movie bearing his name. If so, life has been a box of chocolates for Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic senior partner Dr. R. Wynn Kearney, Jr.

For one, not all his surgeries are alike. Some especially require his crystal-clear vision—like the wrist operation at right—to check detail. Others need his vise-like grip for handling an orthopedic saw. Wynn Kearney can perform any number of orthopedic surgeries.

Columnist George Will turns to Wade Hensel and asks about Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s recent job performance and Wade is so nervous his knees start knocking Morse code. Wade offers his opinion. He is front and center in bright-lights Nashville readying to address 6,000 peers in 2003 as Chairman of $20 billion in assets Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), a private organization owned by 800 rural electric cooperatives. George Will, Wade’s keynote speaker, is nervous too yet later coolly delivers his spiel on world events, politics and those lovable Addison Street losers, the Chicago Cubs.

North Mankatoan Wade Hensel is acting precocious, again.

“Atwood” likely is the most “seen” surname in all southern Minnesota.

In fact, so many Century 21 Atwood Realty signs have bedecked our region’s lawns over the years that at times the signposts have looked like corn. They grow tall, align in neat rows and have hanging fruit: SOLD.

In 2003, the company was involved in sales of $78 million, accounting for an eye-arresting 25 percent of the Greater Mankato total. Its closest competitor (Re/Max) had 15 percent.