3 minute read
RHODE ISLAND VETERAN-OWNED MALL BUSINESS
MARK TOROK, THE OWNER OF Anchor Physical Therapy in Wakefield, began his healthcare career as a US Navy Fleet Marine Force Corpsman, serving for six years before beginning his higher education journey and ultimately earning his Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Master of Science in Physical Therapy, Master of Business Administration, and Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
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A former baseball player, Mark is particularly interested in the rehabilitation of the athlete, ACL reconstruction rehabilitation, biomechanics, joint replacement and reconstruction rehabilitation, and sport-specific physical therapy. He practiced physical therapy for a decade before starting Anchor Physical Therapy (Anchor PT). In order to do so, however, Mark – like many startups -- needed additional capital, and the US Small Business Administration (SBA) was there to help. Working with BankNewport, an SBA lending partner, Mark obtained an SBA-guaranteed loan that, along with his own capital, allowed him to start and build out Anchor PT.
Anchor PT opened in May of 2017, and the business grew steadily over the years. Mark had decided, before COVID arrived, to expand Anchor PT and build-out almost twice the existing space to better serve his patients. To that end, he signed a new lease in January 2020 but, by the very next month, COVID was rapidly spreading throughout New England. What did Mark do? He pivoted the business in a way that allowed him to retain his staff while working tirelessly to see patients through telehealth visits including, at a time of tremendous uncertainty and fear, pro bono visits with first responders, grocery workers, and frontline healthcare workers.
When businesses started to reopen and vaccines began to be available, another challenge arose: building materials and construction labor were difficult to get. Mark knew that, if he were going to expand into the new space, he would have to do the demolition and build out himself. And so he did. With the help of some close friends, he took down and reframed walls, hung drywall, built a new waiting room, laid flooring, and more – all while seeing patients and running the business during the day.
Mark’s perseverance has borne fruit. Every year since its start in 2017, Anchor PT has steadily grown in a handful of significant measures: it had 1000 patients in 2017 and over 3000 patients in 2021; its revenue and net profit have grown each year between 11% and 23%; it almost tripled its space from 800 square feet when it opened (with a single treatment room that also doubled as Mark’s office) to the current 2,300 square-foot facility; and it started with one physical therapist (Mark) and a part-time administrative person, and today it employs three physical therapists (including Mark) and three administrative support staff – and Mark hopes to add two more physical therapists this year.
Anchor PT has given back to the community and supported a number of charitable causes over the years, including sponsoring the annual Broad Rock Middle School Crazy Coyote Race/5K, South County Hospital Golf Tournament, The Taste of Southern Rhode Island, and various youth sports teams in southern Rhode Island. In addition, Anchor PT serves as an Integrated Clinical Education Site for URI, providing student physical therapists with the mentorship and hands-on education they need to complete their formal education to become healthcare professionals.
“In recognition of Mark’s service to our country as a veteran, his grit and perseverance, and his entrepreneurial and community spirit, the SBA is pleased to name Anchor Physical Therapy the 2022 Rhode Island Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year,” said Mark S. Hayward, SBA’s Rhode Island District Director.
Physical rehabilitation is not easy, but it helps when the treatment provider knows what true perseverance is and channels that knowledge into motivating people to become the best version of themselves. But isn’t that what a veteran is? Someone who serves to the best of his ability. Well, that’s Mark Torok, an asset to the South County community.
MARK A. TOROK
Founder and Owner, Anchor Physical Therapy, LLC
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