CARMEL, Calif.--After years of challenging HME audiences to think big, be bold and take risks, industry icon Marilyn Hamilton is herself doing just that.
Hamilton, who has been described as the "face and the force" behind Quickie wheelchairs, has retired from Sunrise Medical, through which the groundbreaking wheelchair is marketed, to start her own business consulting company.
"For 28 years, I've been in a wheelchair," said Hamilton, who was paralyzed in a hang-gliding accident nearly three decades ago. After reflection, she said, "I thought, 'What am I going to do for the next third of my life?' Maybe it's time for me to take the next step."
Hamilton's roots in the HME industry go back to her 1978 accident, which left her a paraplegic. Dismayed at trying to get through life in an unwieldy 60-pound wheelchair, she worked on designing an ultra-lightweight chair.
Along with two friends, Jim Okamoto and Don Helman, Hamilton started Motion Designs, which turned out the first Quickie in 1979. The chair was revolutionary--it had a modular frame, was totally adjustable and seemed to reflect a sense of fun.
"Fun--that's what I've always tried to make the industry. Bring that excitement to it, break the barriers," said Hamilton, who has long been known for her lively speeches that push listeners to take risks and try new things. "When we started Quickie, the idea was commonality of parts, total adjustability and customization. That had never been done before in a streamlined base."
In 1986, Hamilton and her partners sold the company to Longmont, Colo.-based Sunrise Medical. She continued with Sunrise, serving in roles ranging from marketing and public relations to advocacy and corporate responsibility. She retired from the company as vice president of global strategic planning, focusing on education, consumer programs and issues affecting the wheelchair industry.
Hamilton's new company, Envision, builds on the knowledge she has honed in several areas, she said. It will focus on start-up businesses, marketing and business development and universal design for homes. She will also continue as a motivational speaker.
"I have some really fun experiences to draw on that can help shape other people's businesses in some dynamic ways," Hamilton said, noting that she is working with companies both within and outside the HME industry.
Hamilton, who has been recognized with several state and national awards for her work, said she is not leaving the industry. "My experience with Quickie and Sunrise Medical has been an amazing ride that has taught me so much, and it's not over--it's just changing direction," she said, adding that she will continue consulting work for Sunrise.
"My heart is here," she said, "but I know I need to stretch myself. And that's what I am trying to do."