Nancy Lee: February 39 Years of Service!

Little did Nancy know that when she took a part time job as a typist at Dankmeyer she would still be employed 39 years later as the System Administrator! 

When Nancy started, Dankmeyer’s main office was located in a small building at 2010 Maryland Avenue in Downtown Baltimore. Working at Dankmeyer provided many opportunities over the years, and Nancy took advantage of them, progressing through roles such as Patient Services Representative, Patient Services Coordinator, Billing, and Executive Assistant. Nancy particularly enjoyed working in our remote offices with Mr. Charles Dankmeyer, CPO in Frederick and Easton and assumed the role of Patient Services Representative/Coordinator when our Sinai Hospital Campus location opened. 

That Maryland Avenue office provided some fun times.  Nancy fondly remembers Subway lunch runs, choir practice, holiday celebrations held IN the office, firing up the grill on the city sidewalk for hotdogs prior to Orioles games, and working in very close quarters with her lifelong friend, Eileen.  It was while Dankmeyer was still at the 2010 Maryland Avenue location that she fell into her role in the IT Department. Not long after Dankmeyer made their first computer purchase to use word processing, she needed to become the expert, and she laughs at the memory of her first computer class.  When told to “boot up your computer”, she had to ask a classmate “What does that mean?”

One of her favorite memories at Dankmeyer is the office move from 2010 Maryland Avenue to the current main office location at 825D Hammonds Ferry Road in 1994. Packing up the entire office was daunting, but the new location was exciting and she was able to expand her responsibilities with additional hands on in IT, as new equipment needs and networking users was part of the relocation effort.  Nancy went on to earn a certificate in Unix System Administration at a local community college and not long after assumed her current position as System Administrator.

From that first “boot”, she has always enjoyed the challenge new software provides and enjoys creating and utilizing all the opportunities a computer provides.   She loves to explore new software and trains every new “user” (team member!) that comes on board. She has been honing her skills every day keeping Dankmeyer up and running in a virtual environment.

Nancy takes every opportunity to create material for the electronic display board in the waiting area, badges, flyers, website, newsletter and social media material. She has been the primary organizer of many winter holiday celebrations, with their invitations and decor. When she designed the Dankmeyer Holiday Card in 2021, you could see her creativity and sense of humor shine when she chose a very current version of a Zoom meeting featuring all staff members in a holiday setting. 

Although Nancy misses direct contact with you, our patients, she feels confident she is exactly where she’s supposed to be, helping those who help you.

 

 

Congratulations for 42 Years! Joseph DeLorenzo!

Dankmeyer started a tradition several years ago that we dubbed First Friday. On that first Friday, we recognize those with birthdays and work anniversaries that month. We mark their accomplishments, we celebrate their friendship and we respect their focus and dedication to our patients and clinical partners. We also have cupcakes, or cookies or something for fun!

Joseph DeLorenzo’s work anniversary with Dankmeyer is in January and 2022 is a very special milestone. As the longest serving employee at Dankmeyer, Joe has been with Dankmeyer for 42 years. Yes, you read that correctly. Originally from Long Island, New York, he came to Baltimore as a young man and recalls working many summers at Dankmeyer scrubbing and sweeping floors - doing what many young adults who are part of an O&P family do - cleaning! He liked working with his hands, and became a technician, eventually deciding to become a prosthetist. As the Production Manager for a number of years, he oversaw all aspects of device fabrication, eventually giving that position up to assume joint ownership of the company with Mark Hopkins in 2012.

Joe has seen the company grow to multiple offices and the staff to support that work, and supervised many changes in technology and fabrication of prostheses and orthoses. He splits his time between running the company, checking in on some long time patients, and working in the lab - both hands on and training others. O&P combines his love of teaching, carpentry and hand skills, and helping people overcome their physical challenges. We are glad he is here and congratulate him on his remarkable journey at both Dankmeyer and in O&P.

Joe participated in our #DiscoverDankmeyer video challenge. We thought you might enjoy seeing that here.

Jeremy Halteman, CPO Dankmeyer High Tech Specialist

Jeremy Halteman, CPO, joined Dankmeyer in 2019 as a high tech clinical specialist. Since his start two years ago, he has been instrumental in integrating and expanding Dankmeyer’s use of 3D scanning technologies. You may have seen him (as well as other clinicians) with his iPad and attached scanner scanning residual limbs in order to facilitate digital modifications. Software can then be used to create the ultimate in custom prosthetic test sockets in house, or to make test fittings for prosthetic arms, as well as other parts used in house.

Jeremy was one of the winners of our in house Dankmeyer video challenge #DiscoverDankmeyer. Along with Dankmeyer Prosthetic and Orthotic Resident Danny Weiser, Jeremy’s video displays the use of another high tech casting technique, HiFi. Take a look at that Dankmeyer award winning video here. If you want to know more about this casting process, click here.

Jeremy attended St. Petersburg College of Orthotics and Prosthetics in Florida, later moving to Baltimore to complete his residency and become a CPO, and has been in Maryland ever since. He enjoys problem solving unique and challenging cases as well as exploring emerging socket technologies. He has extensive experience fitting subischial sockets of various designs, as well as vacuum suspension and custom liners. He continues to work with our research and development team to put new and groundbreaking concepts into practice. He gets really excited about new O&P technology and the future of the industry!

Maryland State Senator Pays a Visit!

Wednesday morning, November 17, 2021, the Dankmeyer team welcomed Charles Dankmeyer, CPO (retired) who brought along some friends for this particular visit. Charles, while retired from practice, continues to be very active in advocacy efforts - for both patients and professionals in orthotics and prosthetics (O&P). His mission on this day was to introduce Maryland State Senator Ed Reilly and members of his staff to our very busy example of an O&P practice! Senator Reilly was joined by educators from Anne Arundel Community College for the tour of the Baltimore Washington office. The Baltimore Washington office is Dankmeyer’s main location, and features a state-of-the-art fabrication department where our skilled technicians hand craft the majority of the devices we deliver. We also provide the final touches to devices that are manufactured outside of Dankmeyer.

The office-wide tour included a close look at the equipment used in fabrication, as well as fabrication demonstrations of several devices. Jeremy Halteman, CPO, who specializes in digital fabrication, demonstrated 3D scanning followed by the process of 3D printing using scanning software files. Members of Dankmeyer’s Fabrication Department were also happy to show other fabrication techniques including a drape and blister molding model, and the process of laminating a prosthesis.

Other Dankmeyer team members were available to answer questions about all the things that happen as part of the process of providing prostheses and orthoses to patients. Fabrication is one part of a series of steps that result in that delivery and the path to well being and mobility for the patient. While the focus on this day was fabrication methods and skills, everyone was engaged in the discussions about all the information being gathered.

Education and advocacy are a part of Dankmeyer’s mission. We love the opportunity to teach others about what we do, and all the resources required in O&P to make those services available to patients in an effective and efficient manner. We thank Senator Reilly and the staff from Anne Arundel Community College for the opportunity to do that.

Farewell, Michelle Forbus!

Today Dankmeyer said goodbye to Michelle Forbus, CPO. Michelle joined us a few years ago after completing her residency to run our Eastern Shore office. Michelle has loved her time there, but decided to move out of state to be closer to family. She will be associated with a children’s hospital in her new position.

We will miss Michelle and wish her all health and happiness and safe travels!