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A
long and colorful history filled with contributions to the
O&P industry have made CFI and its owners, the Snell family,
widely-recognized and respected. (The practice, originally
named Snell's Limbs and Braces, has operated as CFI Prosthetics
Orthotics since 1982).
In the early 1900’s “Pop” Snell sold medical
books on horseback to pay his way through college, and soon
purchased a portion of the business from his Memphis employers,
a surgical supply company. His artificial limb, brace, and
truss sales company quickly expanded to include nine locations
in Tennessee and Kentucky.
In 1938 son Ralph took the practice over and carried the
torch for the family until 1961 when he passed on his strong
ambition and leadership initiative to his son, Ralph R. (Ronney)
Snell, CPO. During a distinguished career that spanned decades,
Ronney served as president of three major O&P organizations.
He was president of the American Board for Certification in
Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) in 1969. He helped organize
the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and served
as its first president in 1971. He served two terms as president
of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA),
the first in 1974-75 and the second in 1998-1999.
He was honored with AOPA's Lifetime Achievement Award in
2001 and the Academy's Titus-Ferguson Award in 2002.. His
pioneering work in product testing and development of one
of the first juvenile amputee clinics still inspires us. He
served as the president of CFI and its Memphis area locations
until 1986, when the baton was passed to his son, R. Ted Snell,
CP.
Following in his father’s tradition of service, CFI
owner and president/CEO Ted Snell, CP, is a past President
of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, serving
in this capacity in the 2006-2007 term, a past chair of the
AOPA Coding and Billing Committee, a past board member of
the AOPA Marketing and Membership Committee, and a past board
member of the Regional Medicare Reimbursement Committee.
Ted remains president of CFI today, and son Sean Snell joined the company as Vice President of Operations in 2008 after a 10 year stint in working for a large corporation. |
