NEW PRODUCTS

Kips Bay Medical Inc., Plymouth, announced the first U.S. patient was implanted with the eSVS Mesh at the Northeast Georgia Heart Center in Gainesville, Ga. This implant was performed as part of the Kips Bay Medical eMESH I clinical feasibility trial being conducted for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a number of preeminent cardiac surgery centers in both Europe and the United States. The procedure was performed by Dr. J. Alan Wolfe. The eSVS Mesh device is designed to prevent saphenous vein grafts from closing. "I believe that it holds the potential to favorably impact the patient's quality of life and reduce the need for future, costly coronary re-interventions," Wolfe said.

DEBT AND EQUITIES

3M Co., Maplewood, declared a common stock dividend of 63.5 cents per share, an 8 percent increase from the previous dividend, payable March 12 to shareholders of record on Feb. 15. The 3M board of directors also authorized the repurchase of up to $7.5 billion of the company's outstanding common stock, replacing the company's existing repurchase program. The authorization has no pre-established closing date. As of Dec. 31, 3M had 687.1 million common shares outstanding and 96,719 shareholders of record.

PERSONNEL

U.S. Bank, Minneapolis, has named Elliot Jaffee head of its commercial banking division, overseeing nearly 550 people in offices across 25 states. Jaffee succeeds Kenneth Ladd, who retired at the end of 2012.