On August 2, 2007, WTMJ-AM in Milwaukee reported that Michael Cudahy was one of several private investors considering purchasing Midwest Airlines.[4]
Career
Along with Warren Cozzens, Cudahy founded Marquette Electronics in 1965 and served as chairman and CEO. The company went public in 1991. After starting with only $15,000 in capital, the company went on to have over $350 million annually in sales.[citation needed] This company created the nation's first central electrocardiographic system at Northwestern University Medical School. The machine became standard in hospitals throughout the United States.[citation needed] The company was also noted for having one of the first on-site daycare centers in the nation.[citation needed]
In 1982, he and Warren bought the failing Patient Monitoring Business Unit from GE (then known as General Electric Medical Systems Division) and combined it with the existing business (primarily diagnostic equipment).[citation needed] In 1998, however, he sold Marquette Electronics (by then known as Marquette Medical Systems) to GE for $810 million.[5] The company exists today as part of the Clinical Systems division of GE Healthcare, a subsidiary of the American conglomerate. After stepping aside at his company, Cudahy focused his energies on philanthropy and serving on the boards of other companies.