Founded by Tim Nieman, ZIEN is comprised of a highly experienced team and extends to a broader organization of external members and partners that can be leveraged depending on the needs of the customer. With experts in engineering, quality, regulatory affairs, and business development we have participated in development of a wide variety of products spanning interventional radiology, cardiac surgery, neuro-surgery, gynecological, gastrointestinal, acute care, and general surgery. Our broad experience and staff allows us the flexibility to apply the right resources at the right time to maintain project pace without the extraneous spending associated with traditional startups who hire full time staff.

Tim Nieman, President

Tim Nieman has extensive experience as a medical device professional and entrepreneur. In addition to his track record of leading and growing businesses he has specialized experience in medical device development, manufacturing, regulatory, and design control. His experience spans numerous medical specialties but specifically includes development of technologies for cardiac and vascular surgery, stent and catheter based therapies, LVADs, and laser and radiofrequency tissue ablation. Through various capacities from engineer to entrepreneur he has directed and conducted numerous product development efforts.

Adam Howell, VP QA/RA

Adam Howell joined the ZIEN team in March 2014 and has provided direction to the company’s quality operations in aspects of design control and production of medical devices as well as the maintenance of the Quality Management System in accordance with regulatory requirements. He has been responsible for the implementation of updates to the quality system for changes to ISO 13485:2016, as well as the implementation of contract manufacturing procedures for multiple customers at two manufacturing facilities. 

Josh Lund, Engineering Manager

Josh Lund has 8 years experience in medical device development and has been involved in the production of a wide range of technologies from design through to market, including devices for intravenous peripheral and cardiovascular surgery, gynecological surgery, and general/emergency surgery. His expertise include design, prototyping, manufacturing and process development, and design control.

Ryan Boekholder, Operations Manager

Ryan has a Master of Business Administration and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Utah. His training is as a biomedical engineer with a focus on design transfer, process implementation, and improving manufacturability. He has been with ZIEN Medical since 2019 and is responsible for managing all production related activities including assembly, testing, and sterilization of medical devices. He has managed the production of devices for many customers and applications and has developed systems to ensure timely delivery of products while maintaining quality standards.

Kent Beck, VP Durables Engineering

Kent has been a mechanical design engineer dedicated to developing medical devices for 43 years. He was formerly the president and co-founder of Eclipse Product Development, established in 1999. He has developed and been a significant contributor to the successful launch of over 100 medical devices for companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. He has helped each of those companies develop a meaningful intellectual property portfolio as he is named on 60 US and 79 international patents associated with those products. With the success of two of these products, he received a National Medical Design Excellence Award.

James Malmstrom, VP Electrical Engineering

James leads the electrical and software engineering teams at Zien Medical. His 27+ years of medical device development experience includes all aspects of electrical and software design, as well as demonstrating compliance with industry-recognized electrical safety and software development standards. He and his team have contributed to the development of a variety of medical products ranging from enteral feeding pumps, implantable blood pumps, electrosurgical instruments, lasers, motility tracking systems, and electro-stimulators, among others. When he’s not striving to bring the next innovation in medical device technology to market, he loves to be in the classroom inspiring the next generation or trekking to the top of a mountain seeking a little inspiration of his own.