PLEASANTON, Calif., Feb. 12, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE:COO) announced today that Steven M. Neil, the Company's chief financial officer, has resigned, effective February 29, 2008, to accept a position with Diamond Foods (Nasdaq:DMND) where he has served as a member of its board of directors since 2005.
Eugene J. Midlock, currently Cooper's vice president of finance, has been named senior vice president and chief financial officer succeeding Neil effective today. Midlock joined Cooper as vice president, taxes in January 2005 and assumed his current role in November 2007. From 1979 to 2002 he was a partner with KPMG, LLP.
Robert S. Weiss, Cooper's chief executive officer, said, "With his extensive finance experience within a wide range of industries, Gene is extremely well suited for his new responsibilities as our chief financial officer. On behalf of our Company, I thank Steve for his service and wish him the best in his future endeavors."
The Cooper Companies, Inc. (www.coopercos.com) manufactures and markets specialty healthcare products through its CooperVision and CooperSurgical units. Corporate offices are in Pleasanton, Calif.
CooperVision (www.coopervision.com) develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of contact lenses for the worldwide vision correction market. Headquartered in Pleasanton, Calif., it manufactures in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico, Norfolk, Va., Rochester, N.Y., Adelaide, Australia, Hamble and Hampshire, England and Madrid, Spain.
CooperSurgical (www.coopersurgical.com) develops, manufactures and markets medical devices, diagnostic products and surgical instruments and accessories used primarily by gynecologists and obstetricians. Its major manufacturing and distribution facilities are in Trumbull, Conn.