Invacare 2007 Annual Report Download - page 35

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
In the ordinary course of its business, Invacare is a defendant in a number of lawsuits, primarily product
liability actions in which various plaintiffs seek damages for injuries allegedly caused by defective products. All
of the product liability lawsuits have been referred to the company’s insurance carriers and generally are
contested vigorously. The coverage territory of the company’s insurance is worldwide with the exception of
those countries with respect to which, at the time the product is sold for use or at the time a claim is made, the
U.S. government has suspended or prohibited diplomatic or trade relations. Management does not believe that the
outcome of any of these actions will have a material adverse effect upon the company’s business or financial
condition.
The company received a subpoena in 2006 from the U.S. Department of Justice seeking documents relating
to three long-standing and well-known promotional and rebate programs maintained by the company. The
company believes that the programs described in the subpoena are in compliance with all applicable laws and the
company has cooperated fully with the government investigation. The company has had no communication with
the U.S, Department of Justice concerning this matter in over a year.
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
During the fourth quarter of 2007, no matter was submitted to a vote of the company’s security holders.
Executive Officers of the Registrant.*
The following table sets forth the names of the executive officers of Invacare, each of whom serves at the
pleasure of the Board of Directors, as well as certain other information.
Name Age Position
A. Malachi Mixon, III ............ 67 Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer
Gerald B. Blouch ............... 61 President, Chief Operating Officer and Director**
Gregory C. Thompson ........... 52 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer**
Dale C. LaPorte ................. 66 Senior Vice President—Business Development, General Counsel
and Secretary
Joseph B. Richey, II ............. 71 President—Invacare Technologies, Senior Vice President—
Electronics and Design Engineering and Director
Louis F.J. Slangen ............... 60 Senior Vice President—Global Market Development
Joseph S. Usaj .................. 56 Senior Vice President—Human Resources
* The description of executive officers is included pursuant to Instruction 3 to Section (b) of Item 401 of
Regulation S-K.
** As previously announced, Mr. Thompson has resigned from his employment with the company, effective as
of March 1, 2008, for another opportunity. Effective March 1, 2008, Mr. Blouch will assume the additional
responsibilities of acting Chief Financial Officer.
A. Malachi Mixon, III has been a director since 1979. Mr. Mixon has been Chief Executive Officer since
1979 and Chairman of the Board since 1983 and also served as President until 1996, when Gerald B. Blouch,
Chief Operating Officer, was elected President. Mr. Mixon serves as a director of The Sherwin-Williams
Company (NYSE), Cleveland, Ohio, a manufacturer and distributor of coatings and related products. Mr. Mixon
also serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, one of
the world’s leading academic medical centers.
Gerald B. Blouch has been President and a director of Invacare since November 1996. Mr. Blouch has been
Chief Operating Officer since December 1994 and Chairman—Invacare International since December 1993.
Previously, Mr. Blouch was President—Homecare Division from March 1994 to December 1994 and Senior
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