Former Comerica CFO Re-Emerges – One Day Later – at Medical Device Firm

It didn't take long for Karen Parkhill to re-emerge after her sudden departure from Comerica in Dallas.

Parkhill was announced Wednesday as the new chief financial officer at Medtronic, a medical technology company based in Dublin. She will join the Irish firm on June 20 andl report directly to Chief Executive Omar Ishrak, Medtronic said in a press release Wednesday.

Comerica disclosed a day earlier that Parkhill had resigned as its CFO, naming David Duprey as her successor. Duprey previously served as the $69 billion-asset company's chief auditor.

The reshuffling at Comerica took place days after a testy meeting with shareholders. Several major investors traveled to Dallas last week to publicly express frustrations over the company's lagging performance – and to urge directors to consider a sale.

Comerica's profits have plunged in the past year as it struggles with low interest rates and a growing number of bad oil loans. The company recently hired Boston Consulting Group to explore ways to cut costs and boost shareholder returns.

Parkhill's new role represents a career change for the longtime banker. Before joining Comerica in 2011, she was the CFO for commercial banking at JPMorgan Chase, where she worked for 19 years.

Parkhill was named as one of American Banker's Most Powerful Women in Banking in 2015.

In the release, Medtronic praised Parkhill for her range of experience, including her membership on the board of Methodist Health System in Dallas.

"I look forward to the ideas and perspectives she will bring to our leadership team … during this transformational time at Medtronic and in the healthcare industry," Ishrak said.

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