Dr. Smalling, MD, PhD, FACC, is a Co-Founder and CEO of Windmill Cardiovascular Systems and Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Medicine, at UTHealth McGovern Medical School and the Memorial Hermann Heart and Vascular Institute-Texas Medical Center. He has been a pioneer in the development of optimal treatment of myocardial infarction and repair of structural heart defects. Additionally, he has over 40 years of experience in research and development of left ventricular assist devices including the original basic and clinical studies with the Hemopump. He has played a significant role in the development of the TORVAD which started from a simple two-piston pumping concept and evolved to an intelligent, physiologically responsive, LVAD with outstanding hemocompatibility.

Mr. Kurusz worked as a clinical perfusionist for 40 years, and is an expert in cardiopulmonary bypass, intra-aortic balloon pumps, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and ventricular assist devices. He brings a clinical perspective to the development of the TORVAD and oversees day to day operations.

Mr. James has managed the business and financial affairs for Windmill since 2022.  He is also the founder and senior partner of KCI Partners, Inc., a consultancy focused on the med-tech sector. He has been engaged as an employee and consultant in numerous cardiovascular device companies for over 35 years, with experience including interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, and cardiac valvular disease. Specialties of Mr. James are strategic finance and complex market, business, and financial modeling. Also, he has served in contract roles as CFO,  VP-Administration, and Strategic Planning Director for several med-tech, pharmaceutical, and hospital corporations.  He was also a director in Johnson & Johnson’s Cordis cardiovascular division for 14 years.

Sam provides strategic advisory services to Windmill.  He is a retired global executive with 36+ years of experience in the medical device, clinical service and payer arena, retiring in 2020 as the President of Hanger Clinic .  He recently joined Revival Healthcare Capital, as an Operating Partner, is an independent director of Health Plus Management, and an advisor to the Dell Medical School, University of Texas Health Catalyst program.  Prior to Hanger, he served as SVP, Bayer Healthcare, Head of Radiology and Interventional, CEO of MEDRAD, Inc. and CEO of Vascular Therapies.  Sam spent 24 foundational years at Cordis and J&J where he ran their Cardiology Stent franchise as well as Cordis Endovascular and Cordis Neurovascular.  Of note, he led the development and commercialization of Cypher, the world's first drug-eluting stent and one of J&J’s fastest ever billion dollar brands.   Educationally, Sam holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Duke University and an MBA from Kellogg, Northwestern University.