JE Hanger Company

Prosthetist / Management trainee:

Shortly before graduation I accepted a job site unseen in Philadelphia, PA. As I walked up to the old two story building next to the city morgue I was asking myself what have I gotten myself into. The second floor had a dip in the middle and gave a little under your weight as you walked. Being the only other person then the manager on salary, and not punching a time clock did not fit well with the older employees. When asking for help the senior prosthetist would say - you’re the college kid.

Moss Rehabilitation Hospital and Krusen Research Center

Research Orthotist Prosthetist:

As part of a team we used a gait lab to do a biomechanical analysis of the functions of newly developed “plastic” orthoses. I was laughed at by the local orthotists because they all knew that orthoses were made using leather and metal not plastic. The team assembled for this project on orthotics were two occupational therapists and a prosthetist.

A second research project was a multi axial above elbow prosthesis that used pattern recognition from ten muscles to simultaneously operate all axes.

Bardach-Schone second time

Under new ownership:

While at Moss I received a phone call from Harold Schoene asking me to come back to Chicago to help him manage the company he had inherited from his uncle.

The Winkley Company

These were my years of growth.

Otto Bock Orthopedic Industries

These were the most exciting years in my career where I relished going to work, and the company focus was very much on customer service. In later years things started falling apart with the patent expiring on the ball and pyramid design. - The heart of the endoskeletal system, which gave the company a lock on the market and made it a cash rich company. Adding to this secretly setting up a nation wide warehouse system to replace the distributors. A secret that was discovered by one of the distributors accidentally during an unrelated cocktail party. This action alienated many customers leading to a company consolidation, closing of the warehouses, and staff layoffs as market share disappeared.

Department of Veterans Affairs

These have been the most rewarding, invigorating, and interesting years. It was a new and different corporate culture for me as well. - Once again serving my country helping my fellow veterans, and active duty service men and women.

Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom changed the VA With the introduction of the new VA Amputation System of Care program, and is leading the country in the delivery new prosthetics technology to amputees.