People & Places

PROFESSIONALS

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TRANSITIONS

David Boone, MPH, PhD, chief executive officer of Orthocare Innovations, has been recognized with a Tibbetts Award from the Small Business Administration for demonstrating significant economic and social David Boone, MPH, PhD impact from research and development funding. Boone is one of only 14 individuals recognized for the award this year, which honors awardees for exceptional successes they achieved through SBA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs.

Boone was recognized because he “revolutionized prosthetics [and] blazed the trail for activity monitoring, and Orthocare Innovation’s StepWatchTM has become a gold standard for activity monitoring,” according to the Tibbetts Award website. “He is a leader in the SBIR/STTR arena through his commitment to mentoring scientists and engineers.”

Jeff Eschenburg, CP, has been named Fillauer Clinic’s lead prosthetist. Eschenburg relocated to Chattanooga after 10 years in Las Vegas, most recently working as lead prosthetist at POP Prosthetics. This follows 15 years of experience Jeff Eschenburg, CP in Michigan where he began his career with Wright & Filippis, later owned his own business, and eventually partnered with Michigan Vascular Mobility Center.

“I’m excited to be part of Fillauer, where I am confident in the company’s holistic approach to clinical care, from the clinic to education, to operations and even product development and manufacturing,” said Eschenburg, who lost his leg above the knee in a farm mishap at the age of 12. “It’s a good fit, and I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

Matthew Waidelich has been appointed vice president of business development at Becker Orthopedic. Waidelich joins Becker with 45 years of experience in the O&P and orthopedic industries, with prior

Matthew Waidelich senior roles at Ottobock Healthcare, Bio Cybernetics International, Össur North America, Royce Medical, and United States Manufacturing Company.

“We are excited to have Matt join our family business and build upon our legacy as a leader in the global orthotic market,” said Becker President Rudolf B. Becker. “We are delighted to welcome Matt to our team.” BUSINESSES

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND TRANSITIONS

The Hanger Foundation has announced the creation of the Hanger Foundation Diversity Scholarship as part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion in the O&P profession. To help address nationwide systemic racism, interrupt bias, and ultimately create a more inclusive profession, Hanger Inc. committed to take tangible actions, including attracting more diverse candidates to O&P graduate programs.

“Research has shown that clinicians of color are underrepresented within the O&P industry,” stated Hanger Foundation Executive Director Gloria Gonzales Dholakia, PhD. “It is our vision to help equip students from more diverse backgrounds with the tools they need to pursue a career in O&P. The Hanger Foundation is committed to this cause, and we look forward to building on the new program for years to come.”

The scholarships will supplement the cost of the two-year MSPO program and will offer a two-year mentorship with the option of pursuing a residency with Hanger Clinic. Beginning this fall, the Hanger Foundation will issue the scholarships directly to a number of universities to help recruit underrepresented students of color into the O&P profession.

“By aligning with the Hanger Foundation on this important initiative, Hanger is committing to help build a more inclusive profession to better serve our patients,” said Hanger President and Chief Executive Officer Vinit Asar.

Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA), a division of VGM & Associates, has unveiled a newly redesigned website at opga.com. The new site has been designed to provide a more user-friendly experience and includes a membersonly portal. “At OPGA, we strive to provide savings and solutions to our members to help their businesses thrive,” said Todd Eagen, president of OPGA. “With the new website, we’re making it even easier for members to find the valuable information they need so that they can spend more time on what truly matters—their patients.”

Thuasne has acquired U.S.-based company Knit-Rite and its Therafirm division. The Thuasne Group’s previous U.S. acquisitions include Townsend Design in 2011 and Quinn Medical in 2016. The transaction closed Dec. 30, 2020. The Knit-Rite acquisition is based on strong and structuring common points between the two companies, according to Thuasne: • Thuasne and Knit-Rite themselves design the devices they develop and put on the market. • The two companies have had an integrated industrial strategy, allowing them to master all stages of manufacturing and to align all the expertise in their specialty.

• Their capacity for innovation has resulted in a large number of patents filed each year. • Thuasne and Knit-Rite are both specialized in medical compression in the treatment of venous disease and of lymphedema.

With this acquisition, Thuasne opens up to a new market: devices for orthopedic prostheses (postamputation prosthetic socks and prosthetic textile interfaces).

Elizabeth Ducottet, Thuasne Group chairman and chief executive officer, stated, “This acquisition confirms the ambition for the Thuasne Group to have a global presence in both the phlebology and lymphology treatment categories, with compliance in each geographic specification. Thuasne’s expertise in French and German standards … complimented by Knit-Rite’s knowledge in the U.S. standards, gives us the capacity to provide solutions for patients globally.”

“With this acquisition, we are optimizing our resources, our visibility and our managerial organization in the United States,” said Delphine Hanton, Thuasne Group chief financial officer. “We salute the work accomplished by Mark Smith and the Knit-Rite management team over the last 15 years. which will engage the Thuasne Group in developing projects with the same spirit of excellence. As a family-owned French mid-sized company, we will rely on the local management teams and on their expertise to reinvest and develop the bases that were integrated by this acquisition.”

Mark Smith, CP, Knit-Rite majority selling shareholder, stated, “I am so proud that Knit-Rite and Therafirm have served patients, practitioners, and our profession with excellence for over 98 years, three generations, and in 50 countries. It has been a tremendous blessing to be part of my whole life. In this light, I am extremely pleased we have the opportunity to pass the torch to Thuasne as a sixth-generation patient-driven company, which likewise serves both the O&P and compression markets.”

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