Brian Gustin, CP
President
of the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association
Chief Clinical Officer, Bridgepoint
Medical, Inc.
Suamico, Wisconsin
Brian L. Gustin, CP, was originally in the engineering profession and helped
design coal-fired and nuclear electric generator models. Mr. Gustin became
interested in prosthetics because his father, Raymond, was both a transfemoral
amputee from a childhood trauma and a certified prosthetist. Entering the
O&P profession with Suburban Orthotics and Prosthetics in Des Plaines, Illinois, Mr. Gustin later joined
his father’s company, Wisconsin Orthopedic in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Mr. Gustin took over
the practice when his father retired in 1989, gradually expanding the practice
to six locations along with mobile service in rural areas. Presently, Mr.
Gustin is the Chief Clinical Officer for BridgePoint Medical.Locally,
Mr. Gustin is a past President and a current Board member for the Young Artist
Workshop for Handicapped Children. This organization holds a three-week summer
program in the Arts for children with a variety of special needs.
Mr. Gustin has been a member of AOPA’s Coding Committee since 1998 and served
on the AOPA Board of Directors from 1999-2008. He actively participates in
AOPA’s government relations efforts.
James
Kaiser, CP, LP
President-Elect
of the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association
Chief Executive Officer, Scheck & Siress
Chicago, Illinois
James A. Kaiser, CP, LP is CEO of Scheck & Siress and has over 30 years of
experience in the orthotic and prosthetic industry. He received his Bachelor of
Science Degree in Biology from the University of Illinois and his prosthetic
education from Northwestern University. As an American Board
Certified and Illinois licensed prosthetist, he
has directed the corporate mission and vision of Scheck & Siress since
1983. In the orthotic/prosthetic field, Mr. Kaiser’s leadership abilities and
professional skills have been widely sought over the years. He has served as a
facility surveyor for ABC, as a faculty member of Northwestern University’s Prosthetic Education
Department and is a current clinic team member at Shriner’s Hospital in Chicago. Mr. Kaiser is also the
director of the Orthotic and Prosthetic Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Consortium for Marianjoy, Rush University Medical Center, Loyola and the
University of Illinois/Chicago Physical Medicine Residents.He is president of
the Illinois Society of Orthotists, Prosthetists, and Pedorthists, and has also
served as director of the Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund and was the
Illinois liaison for the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
Midwest Chapter.
Tom
Fise, JD
Executive
Director of the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association
Alexandria, Virginia
Thomas F. Fise is executive director of AOPA. Mr. Fise holds a J.D. degree from
the University of Maryland and a Master of Laws
degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He has extensive
non-profit trade and professional organization management experience. Prior to
AOPA, Mr. Fise was the owner and principal of an association management company
focused on the management of non-profit medical specialty organizations. In
that capacity, he worked simultaneously as executive director of ten different
physician organizations in the fields of cardiovascular surgery, general
surgery and plastic surgery and was the executive director of the American College of Gastroenterology
(ACG).
Thomas V.
Dibello, CO, FAAOP
Vice
President of the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association
Chief Executive Officer, Dynamic Orthotics and Prosthetics, LLC
Houston, Texas
Thomas Vincent DiBello (Tom) is a licensed and board certified orthotist. He is
currently in private practice at Dynamic Orthotics and Prosthetics LLC in Houston, Texas where he is the owner
and chief executive officer. Mr. DiBello holds a Bachelors of Pharmacy Degree
from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and certificates in
Orthotics and Prosthetics from Northwestern University. He completed his
residency training in Orthotics at the University of Oklahoma and has been Board
Certified in Orthotics since 1984. In 2001, Mr. DiBello was named a
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthotists and
Prosthetists. Mr. DiBello has lectured extensively throughout the United States and Mexico as well as Italy, Australia, Chile, Southeast Asia and Africa on the Principles of
Lower Limb Orthotic Management. He currently lectures on this topic at the
Masters programs in Physical Therapy at the Texas Woman’s University and the University of Texas Galveston Medical
Branch, as well as the
Baylor/UT Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Medical Residency program. Mr.
DiBello has served on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Orthotists and
Prosthetists for six years, its Executive Committee for four years and as its
President from 2000 to 2001. Mr. DiBello was appointed to the American
Orthotic and Prosthetic Association’s Coding and Billing Committee in the fall
of 2004; he is currently chairman of its Standards Sub-Committee and has been
chairing the Foot Manufactures Workgroup which has been charged with developing
a new prosthetic foot code set. He was elected to the Board of Directors
of the American Orthotic and Prosthetics Association in 2006 and served an 18
month term. In 2007 he was elected Vice President of AOPA.
Bradley N. Ruhl
AOPA Board of Directors, Immediate Past
President
Otto Bock Health Care
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Bradley Ruhl is vice president of sales and marketing for the technical
orthopedic business for Otto Bock Health Care in the U.S. He has been a member of
the board of directors for AOPA since 2004 and currently serves as Vice President
of the Association and as a member of the Executive Committee. Mr. Ruhl is also
chairperson of the AOPA National Assembly Committee. Mr. Ruhl was a member of
the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) board of directors from 1998 to 2004 and
served as chairperson of the ACA’s public policy and advocacy committee. Mr.
Ruhl was a past vice-president of AOPA Region B from 1996-1998. He was
President of AOPA from 2007-2008. Mr. Ruhl, with over 28 years of sales and marketing
experience, has spent over 20 of those years with Otto Bock.
Mark H.
Emery
Treasurer
of the American Orthotic &
Prosthetic Association
Chief Financial Officer, Ossur Americas
Aliso Viejo, California
Mark H. Emery served as the Chief Financial Officer for the North American operations
of Ossur until January of 2009. Originally starting with FlexFoot in 1996, he remained with the Ossur
organization after it acquired FlexFoot in 2000. Mr. Emery’s first term as AOPA
treasurer began in 2004. Mr. Emery has over thirty years of business
experience. He received his BA degree in Business from Whittier College. After spending five
years with Fluor Corp., a large engineering and construction company, he joined
Ernst &Young, one of the “Big Four” public accounting firms, spending nine
years as a CPA providing auditing services to a wide variety of public and
private companies. Prior to joining the Ossur organization, Mr. Emery was the
Chief Financial Officer for two publicly held companies and also provided
consulting services to companies in the healthcare field. He is currently a consultant to Ossur.
Frank M.
Vero, CPO
Member
of AOPA Board of Directors, Director-at-Large
President, Mid-Florida Prosthetics and Orthotics
Ocala, Florida
Frank M. Vero, CPO, is President of
Mid-Florida Prosthetics and Orthotics. He has held this position since 1986.
Mid-Florida Prosthetics and Orthotics has offices in Gainesville, Ocala and Lake City, Florida. Mr. Vero graduated with
a B.A. from New York University in1982. He is a Florida licensed practitioner
and has been a member of the Amputee Team at the Gainesville-area VA Medical
Center for over 22 years. Currently, Mr. Vero serves on AOPA’s Government
Relations committee.
Lisa M.
Schoonmaker, CPO, FAAOP
Member of
AOPA Board of Directors: Director-at-Large
Owner, Tandem Orthotics & Prosthetics
Sartel, Minnesota
Lisa M Schoonmaker, CPO, FAAOP was born in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in Orlando, Florida. She currently owns her
own clinical facility, Tandem Orthotics & Prosthetics, Inc. established in
1998, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Ms. Schonmaker is an
ABC certified orthotist and prosthetist and graduated in 1990 with a B.S. in
Prosthetics and Orthotics from Florida International University. Her clinical background
includes two years as a prosthetic practitioner at Shriner’s Hospital in South Carolina, four years as a prosthetic
and orthotic practitioner at Orthopedic Services, Inc. of Anderson, South Carolina and two years as
Education/Technical Director at TEC interface Systems.
Additionally, she volunteered her times as an O&P practitioner during the
1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Ms. Schoonmaker is a
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthotists &
Prosthetists. She also participates as a prosthetic examiner for the American
Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics and is a Past
President of the Board of Directors for the O&P Assistance Fund.
Marc N. Karn, CP
Member of AOPA Board of Directors, Director-at-Large
Chief Executive Officer, Main
Artificial Limb & Orthotics
Portland, Maine
Marc N. Karn, CP, is
owner and C.E.O. of Maine Artificial Limb & Orthotics located in Portland, Maine. He lives in Falmouth, Maine with his wife and has
two sons and one daughter. Mr. Karn received his Bachelor of Arts degree from
the University of Utah in 1985 and his
certificate in Prosthetics from Northwestern University in 1987. Mr. Karn has
been active in the State of Maine by initiating and
bringing to successful passage legislation which mandates prosthetic coverage
for amputee patients. He has also been active in Washington, DC by attending and participating
in AOPA Policy Forum events which seek to bring to legislators’ attention the
issues facing the prosthetic and orthotic profession. Mr. Karn has served on
the AOPA board of directors since 2005.
John H. Reynolds, CPO
Member
of AOPA Board of Directors: Director, 1-3 Facilities
President, Reynolds Orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc.
Maryville, Tennessee
John H. Reynolds, CPO, completed his Northwestern
certificate program in Orthotics in 1982 and in prosthetics in 1983. He
graduated from Clayton State in 1983 and was
certified by the American Board of Certification a year later. He has been a
member of the American Academy of Orthotists &
Prosthetists since 1985 and was inducted as a fellow in 2001. Mr. Reynolds
served on the ABC Board of Directors for five years and was the organization’s
president in 2001. He has over 30 years of technical and clinical experience
and he currently owns two full-time facilities in Tennessee.
Anita
Liberman-Lampear, M.A.
Member
of AOPA Board of Directors: Director, 1-3 Facilities
University of Michigan Orthotics and Prosthetics Center
Annapolis, Michigan
Ms. Liberman-Lampear is a Board Member and a member of the Government Relations
Committee for the American Orthotics & Prosthetics
Association (AOPA). She has her B.S. (Wayne State University) in Medical Technology
and an M.A. (Central Michigan University) in Allied Health
Management & Supervision. After 18 years in Pathology (in varying
capacities in supervision and management) at the University of Michigan Health System, Anita became the
Assistant Department Administrator in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at
University of Michigan Medical Center. In 1992 Anita was asked to take
over UM Orthotics and Prosthetics Center and revitalize the
division. As Administrative Director, the division tripled in
size and re-established itself as one of the premier academic sites for
O&P. Having developed a statewide O&P provider network and
becoming active in the O&P field, Anita has begun to consult and teach in
areas of managed care, accreditation, and other health system related
topics. She was on the development team that worked with Eastern Michigan University to develop the Masters
Program in Orthotics and Prosthetics and is an adjunct lecturer teaching an
online course in administration for orthotists and prosthetists. Anita is a board
member and treasurer of the Michigan Orthotics and Prosthetics Association
(MOPA) as well as liaison to Medicaid and a member of the Medical Care
Advisory Council (MCAC) to the Director of Medicaid.
Rick
Fleetwood
Member of
AOPA Board of Directors: Director, 4-10 Facitilites
Chief Executive Officer, Snell Orthotics and Prosthetics Laboratory
Little Rock, Arkansas
Rick Fleetwood, MPA, has been with Snell P&O Laboratory for 32 years, first
as General Manager and currently as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial
Officer and Secretary-Treasurer. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with an MPA degree. He
has received numerous awards of distinction for his service in the
rehabilitation sector, including in 2006, the United Cerebral Palsy Association’s
highest honor—the Roger S. Firestone Award. Mr. Fleetwood has served as
Regional Director, National Vice-Chair and Secretary of the United Cerebral
Palsy Association, and was appointed to the PCOM of Region C for CMS. His active
volunteer support extends to leadership positions with Easter Seals, the
Muscular Dystrophy Association, the American Diabetes Association, the
Arthritis Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Arkansas Board, the Arkansas State
Disability Association, the State Medical Board, CareLink, the CARTI Foundation
Board, and on the Board of Directors for Arkansas Mental Health, Arkansas
Center for Youth and Families, St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation, and more. Mr.
Fleetwood has also earned Arkansas’ VIP award; state, regional
and national Meritorious Service Awards; the Southwest Regional Award for
Service; and the Arkansas State Award from the Rehabilitation Counselors
Association. Additionally, he was among five nominees for Arkansas Business’
Arkansas Executive of the Year in 2008.
Kel M.
Bergmann, CPO
Member
of AOPA Board of Directors: Director, 11-199 Facilities
President, SCOPe Orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc
San Diego, California
In July 1982, Kel M. Bergmann, CPO, along with Loren
Saxton, CPO and Tony DiSanto, CP, founded SCOPe Orthotics
and Prosthetics, Inc. He received his Bachelors of Science in orthotics and
prosthetics from the University of Washington-Seattle in 1980. Mr. Bergmann
went on to complete three years of post-graduate work in San Diego. In 1985, he received
both his orthotics and prosthetics certifications from ABC. As a founding
member of SCOPe, Mr. Bergmann serves as the corporation’s president.
Mr. Bergmann’s service to the orthotics and prosthetics field extends beyond
his work at SCOPe. He has been Vice-President of the California Orthotics and
Prosthetics Association (COPA) since 1996, as well as a member of the Board of
Directors for both COPA and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. As part of
his commitment to education, Mr. Bergman has co-authored “Spinal Orthoses in
the Management of Spinal Trauma,” which has appeared in Spine, by Rothman
and Simeone, and Spine Trauma, by Levine, Eismont, Garfin and Zigler.With
over 20 years in the orthotics and prosthetics field, Mr. Bergmann has become a
specialist in a wide range of adult rehabilitation and trauma orthotics. In
addition to helping patients, he has also been involved with aiding animals.
Working with the San Diego Zoo, he designed and fitted prostheses for a Chinese
Tufted deer, as well as a beak for a stork.
Alfred E.
Kritter, CPO, FAAOP
Member
of AOPA Board of Directors: Director, 200+ Facilities
Vice President of Clinical Services and Chief Compliance Officer, Hanger
Orthopedic Group
Savannah, Georgia
Alfred E. Kritter, Jr., CPO, FAAOP, began his career
with Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc. in 1982 where he has held a
variety of clinical and leadership positions and currently serves as the Vice
President of Clinical Services and Corporate Compliance Officer. He received
his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin and his Prosthetic and
Orthotic education at Northwestern University with certification as a
Prosthetist/Orthotist in 1983. In 2000, he was designated as a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthotists and
Prosthetists (AAOP). Mr. Kritter has been closely involved in the regulatory
and legislative aspect of the industry. He participated in the HCFA workgroup
that addressed O&P policy with the creation of the DMERCs in the1990s and
has been a member of the AOPA Coding Committees since 1994. He has been at
times an expert resource for CMS, the DMERCs and the
SADMERC. Al was nominated to serve on the Program Advisory Oversight Committee
(PAOC) in 2004, providing insight to the Secretary of Health and Human Services
regarding orthotic and prosthetic services. His professional activities also
include serving on the Negotiated Rulemaking Committee for BIPA 427,
participation as a member of The O&P Alliance, and serving on the
Board of Directors of NAAOP. Throughout his career, he has been honored by his
peers as the recipient of AAOP’s Clinical Commitment Award, the Georgia Society
of Orthotists & Prosthetist (GSOP) Distinguished & Devoted Service
Award, GSOP Lifetime Achievement Award, and AOPA’s Ralph R. “Ronney” Snell Legislative
Advocacy Award for his efforts on behalf of the O&P community within the
state of Georgia, on Capitol Hill, with CMS, and other federal
agencies.
Russell
J. Hornfisher
Member of AOPA Board of Direcotrs, Supplier Director
Director of Sales and Marketing, Becker Orthopedic Company
Troy, Michigan
Russell J. Hornfisher is Director of Sales and Marketing for Becker Orthopedic
Company located in Troy, Michigan. Prior to that, Mr.
Hornfisher held positions as District, Regional and National Sales Manager and National
Accounts Manager and Sales Trainer with companies in the medical equipment
industr. He has also served as a Sales Trainer in the Pharmaceutical, Home
Health Care, and Orthotic and Prosthetic Industires. Mr. Hornfisher earned a
Bachelor's of Science Degree, majoring in Biology and Chemistry, from Central Michigan University. He has been an adjunct
instructor for the Marketing Department in the School of Business at the University of Northern Iowa and Eastern Michigan University. Mr. Hornfisher has published
numerous articles on the topics of selling skills, marketing and management. He
has lectured at state, regional and national association meetings on topics
related to sales, marketing and management. Currently, he is Supplier Director
on the Board of Directors of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association
and Chairperson of the National Assembly Committee. He also holds the position
as Chairperson of the Marketing Committee for the American Board of
Certification for Orthotics and Prosthetics.
