Medical device inventor Spencer Jones joins Fayetteville-based Lapovations

Spencer Jones, founder and chief technology officer of Fayetteville-based medical device company Lineus Medical joined Lapovationsanother Fayetteville medical device company.

Lapovations announced Tuesday (October 18) that Jones has joined the company, which creates products to improve laparoscopy. He has been hired as Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Sales and will lead product innovation and sales and distribution of the company’s flagship product, AbGrab.

2015 founded by Jones Lineus Medical, and as its Chief Technology Officer, led the company’s innovation and clinical efforts. During this time, Lineus Medical took the SafeBreak Vascular medical device from concept to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and secured multiple US and international patents. Jones said Aug. 31 was his last day at Lineus Medical.

“I’ve been a big supporter of Lapovations since the early days of the company and have always been impressed with their success,” said Jones. “I am incredibly excited to join such a stellar team of operators and look forward to building on the momentum they have already created.”

As of 2020, Jones has been a part-time consultant for Lapovations and served as the company’s director of research and development, supporting product development and assisting with marketing, sales and distribution.

“Spencer has been a key, if informal, advisor to me since day one,” said Jared Greer, founder and CEO of Lapovations. “We’ve been fortunate to work with him more formally as a part-time consultant for several years, and we couldn’t be happier about the opportunity to add him to our executive team full-time. If I could pick one medical device CEO in Northwest Arkansas to partner with, it would be Spencer. He has shown managerial spirit and is a true leader behind whom employees and other key stakeholders can stand. I have worked with Spencer on several projects over the years and witnessed his range and depth of expertise. He is experienced, has great instincts and has what it takes to grow Lapovations into the company we know it can be.”

In the past few months, Lapovations has secured seven distribution partnerships, with 22 representatives selling AbGrab in 11 countries. AbGrab was registered with the FDA and became available for sale in the United States in January 2021. Lapovations has five employees.

“We’ve made a lot of progress so far, but we’re just getting started,” Jones said. “Over the next year, we plan to onboard dozens of additional sales representatives, focusing on those with strong surgical connections in target-rich environments. Onboarding, supporting and training distributor representatives was a critical part of working with my previous employer and something I excelled at and enjoyed. Jared is an exceptional entrepreneur who has achieved true excellence in sales throughout his career, and I am grateful for the trust he has placed in me to lead sales and distribution for Lapovations.”

According to a press release, AbGrab is a surgical assistive device that allows surgeons to more reliably and less invasively lift the abdominal wall at the start of laparoscopy or minimally invasive abdominal surgery. Although it is often the shortest part of the laparoscopic procedure, laparoscopic abdominal entry accounts for approximately half of the serious laparoscopic complications and litigation associated with laparoscopy.

Asked about his involvement in Lineus Medical’s development of devices he invented, including the Bifurcated Venous Access Device (BVAD) that has yet to receive FDA approval, Jones said, “I will not be involved in BVAD development moving forward, but given to my interest in seeing the product gain FDA approval, I am absolutely willing to assist in further development in any way I can.”

Lineus Medical’s first medical device, SafeBreak Vascular, received FDA approval in May 2021.

“Lineus Medical has tripled in size in the last year since the FDA approved our flagship product, SafeBreak Vascular,” said Vance Clement, CEO of Lineus Medical. “Our growth has provided us with the opportunity to strategically hire and round out our team with the key personnel needed to continue to develop innovative technologies and grow the organization.”

Asked if Jones’ move to another company would affect Lineus Medical, Clement said the company has had the same CEO for more than four years. “The company, together with the strong leadership team that has been put in place, will continue to execute the strategic plan of the organization,” he added.

Clement said the company, which has eight employees, has no plans to replace the chief technology officer position that Jones left.

“Spencer has an entrepreneurial spirit and founded Lineus Medical as a 24-year-old nurse and raised his first round of funding necessary to get the company off the ground,” said Clement. “Lineus Medical would not exist without this initial product idea and his efforts to start the company. Spencer is a tireless, hard-working individual who brings tremendous energy to the organization. He will do great things in his new role at Lapovations.”

In 2016, Lapovations was founded as part of a graduate-level venture development course taught by Carol Reeves and Sarah Goforth with the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Arkansas. According to the company’s website, Lapovations became the most successful startup competition team in UA history, winning seven state, regional and national business plan competitions, placing second in two others and earning more than $305,000 in cash and investment awards. The website shows the company has received more than $2.5 million in funding.