BOC Celebrates Open House

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (October 30, 2017)—The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) staff and Board of Directors showcased an expanded new office location to business partners and honored guests at a celebratory open house on October 6, 2017. Attendees travelled from across the United States for special dedications honoring BOC founder, Dr. Donald O. Fedder, PH, MPH, BSP, FAPhA; BOC leader, James “Jim” Newberry Jr., BOCP, BOCO, BOCPD; and BOC staff member Debbie Stem Smith. All three honorees made significant contributions to BOC since its inception.

After founding the organization, Dr. Fedder served as BOC’s first CEO from 1984 through 2006. A few months before his passing in 2010, BOC dedicated a prior office expansion to Dr. Fedder in recognition of his many contributions. At the Open House, BOC dedicated another Dr. Donald Fedder Suite in its new location—a unique space with a focus on team collaboration.

The Jim Newberry Award for Extraordinary Service is named after longtime practitioner, BOC board member and leader James Newberry, Jr., BOCP, BOCO, BOCPD, who passed away in 2016. The Newberry Award recognizes individuals who provide exemplary service to BOC, the community of stakeholders BOC serves and those who embody the superior example modeled by Newberry during his more than four decades in the field of orthotics and prosthetics. BOC’s new location now includes a dedicated area honoring Newberry, with a special plaque showcasing award recipients, featuring inaugural recipient Harry “JR” Brandt, BOCO, CO, LO, who was honored during the opening general session of at the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) 2017 World Congress this September.

Debbie Smith was a beloved BOC staff member who passed away in September 2016 after a lengthy battle with cancer. Staff members formed a committee to determine how best to honor and preserve her BOC spirit, and a decided that dedicating their new office lobby to her would be a fitting tribute. Visitors are now greeted by a memorial and her favorite flowers—sunflowers.

In addition to the beautiful dedications, guests enjoyed a beer and wine bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres and stunning sunflower cupcakes. A caricature artist, Mike Hosson from About Faces, drew entertaining works of art for attendees to take home. The theme of the event, “Here We Grow,” highlighted BOC’s success and bright future in their new location.

“We appreciate everyone who visited BOC’s new location to celebrate our continued growth,” says BOC Board Chair L. Bradley “Brad” Watson, BOCO, BOCP, LPO. “When we expanded our space, it was important to our entire team to reflect the heart of BOC in the organization’s new setting—its people. The special dedications for Dr. Fedder, Jim Newberry and Debbie Smith set the tone for BOC’s continued collaborative success moving forward.”

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