By Denise Napoli

Ronald “Ted” Snell, CP, is not your stereotypical businessman. Soft-spoken, with a deep, melodic Tennessee twang, long hair, and cowboy boots, he looks and sounds more like a rancher than AOPA’s next president.

And yet, in conversation, Snell seems like the perfect fit for the job. People who know Snell note that though he says little, what he does say is well thought out and heartfelt. After contemplating that characterization for a minute, Snell says that sounds about right.

“I don’t think I need to be the loudest voice,” he says. “I don’t think I have to be the one that’s heard all the time. As long as the right message is being carried forward, it doesn’t matter whose mouth it’s coming out of.”

That, of course, isn’t entirely true. It certainly helps that the right message be conveyed by someone articulate, passionate and widely-recognized, and Snell is all those things.

In fact, his last name is so ubiquitous, you might already know the following facts about him: Snell is a fourth-generation practitioner. His father, Ronney Snell, who passed away in 2003, was known throughout the industry as a friend and mentor to many. Snell’s business, C.F.I. Prosthetics & Orthotics, has patient care facilities in Memphis, Tenn. and Southhaven, Miss., with another administrative outpost besides, and is “doing well,” according to Snell.

Even if you didn’t know those facts, here’s what you should know about Ted Snell, and why you should care about what he says. Whether or not you’re an AOPA member, if you’re a practitioner, manufacturer, distributor or anyone else with a stake in the prosperity of O&P, listen up: Snell is O&P’s Uncle Sam, and he wants you. He is calling on you to be a volunteer, to be a leader and to raise the profile of O&P in the public eye.

Snell is speaking up. Will you listen?

It starts with service
For Snell, holding the presidency isn’t so much an opportunity as a fulfillment of an obligation.

“My father was president of all three organizations [AAOP, ABC and AOPA] and his philosophy was that you need to give back. He pushed that point pretty hard. I guess I wasn’t that involved until ten or 12 years ago. At that time real changes were taking place at AOPA. They said, ‘Are you willing to serve?’ and my comment was, ‘If I feel like I have something to offer, then I will serve.’”

It’s that idea of having “something to offer,” of being obligated to share skills or knowledge that could benefit the group, that shapes Snell’s outlook on his presidency. As president, Snell plans to focus his attentions on identifying, recruiting and enabling the most capable people in the profession to solve the industry’s problems and accomplish AOPA’s goals.

Initiatives like those developed at Sunriver, Snell says, rely on the service of AOPA’s members to thrive. (The Sunriver initiatives, which take their name from Sunriver, Ore. where they were created, include Long-Term Goals Concerning Evidence-Based Care, Business Optimization Processes and Tools, Developing a Shared Vision and Differentiation in a Crowded Marketplace.)

“A lot of volunteers have been brought in and a lot more are going to be brought in to make these things happen,” he says. “It takes some legwork and some personal attention. The board has stepped up to show that’s what needs to be done by them doing it.”

Snell is under no illusions about his own capabilities. With responsibilities to AOPA, his business, his family and his patients, Snell knows that he needs help to have a successful tenure.

“I don’t believe that one person can be good at everything. That’s the reason you want to make sure that the people you have working with you are good. You try to push them to their fullest potential and make sure they have the right tools.”

Making it happen
But will soft-spoken Ted Snell really be able to muster the volunteer forces necessary for the tasks at hand? And even if he can recruit enough bodies and minds, will he be able to push their ideas into reality?

His friends say “Absolutely.”

Cathie Pruitt, president and CEO of PrimeCare Network, has been a colleague and friend of Snell’s since 1988. “I think that—once convinced of the value of an idea, concept or action—Ted’s ability to move forward, even in the face of controversy…is among his strengths as a leader and mentor, both in his own business and in his service to our field through AOPA,” she said. “Ted’s combination of forward thinking, forthrightness, experience and energy make him an ideal leader to take the reins of AOPA.”

Tom Watson, CP, past president of AOPA and a current member of AOPA’s government relations committee, agrees. Watson has known AOPA’s new president since Snell was in high school.

“I’ve watched Ted grow in the field and become a very bright business owner and a leader in our association,” he said. “Ted believes in what he says. He’s a hard worker. He is very diligent. He speaks his mind. He gives credit to the name of Snell.”

And John Reynolds, CPO, FAAOP, currently a member of the AOPA board of directors and a past president of ABC, says, “The president pretty much drives the bus and keeps everything on track as far as what we have on our plates. It’s a very important job. Obviously he has a lot of experience to draw on.”

No matter how you say it—“forthright;” “speaks his mind;” “drives the bus”—those descriptions reveal Ted Snell as a motivator who can make things happen. Those who know him obviously believe Snell knows how to have talented people come together to create good ideas, and how to change them from good ideas into realities.

What’s at stake
But why should Snell care about the future? His business is a success. His children are grown and none have (so far) chosen a career in O&P. What’s the reason for him—or anyone—to serve? For Snell, it really does come down to ensuring that patients continue to receive the best possible care long after he’s retired.

“He makes sure the patient comes first. He was taught by his father that if you take care of the patient, all the other things fall into place,” says Watson.

Reynolds agrees. “He’s going to put the AOPA member first but not sell short the fact that the patients are why we’re there. That’s Ted’s heart—that’s where it is.”

Snell himself is not shy about saying that, ultimately, a practitioner who isn’t concerned about the welfare of his patients is in the wrong business.

“Fighting for reimbursement is fighting for the patient. That was the philosophy I was raised under. If we can help business owners with the business side, they’re able to operate more efficiently and remain focused on the patient. And if you’re in this field, that’s why you should be in it, for the patient,” says Snell.

On his plate
Snell’s name is renowned in the industry, but he sees himself as a servant, performing a necessary presidential duty. And he expects nothing less from his professional peers, whether they are AOPA members or not.

Snell plans to focus his presidency on a number of issues, including enhancing AOPA member services in the area of reimbursement. He values the cooperation that has been achieved by the Orthotic & Prosthetic Alliance and wants to continue to develop that relationship. He stresses the importance of outcomes research and developing business practice education tools. He believes that the long-term goals set forth at Sunriver are viable, and will work to make them come true. And Snell has no intention of doing it alone.

“With all of the things we have to do, it can’t all take place in Virginia [at AOPA headquarters]. It’s got to take place through volunteers. The secret is to get the people that are the best in there, give them the tools they need and the direction that they need to go in.”

And Snell, with a few carefully chosen words, will be pushing them right along.

Denise Napoli is the staff writer for the O&P Almanac.

Quick Questions for Ted Snell What are his hobbies? “My horses, they keep me busy. Between O&P and taking care of 15 horses, I’ve got a lot on my plate.” How important is the proposed ABC/BCP integration? “I don’t think it’s going to affect our membership.” How about Linkia LLC’s deal with CIGNA Healthcare? “That doesn’t fall under a trade association headline. We’re in a changing future and AOPA is trying to help these practices out there be ready to adapt, and give them the best tools to adapt.” What does he wish the public knew about O&P? “I wish they understood the value of what we’re producing, the quality of life we’re able to return to these people. We’re an easy target—small, expensive. So we get hit sometimes without getting that message out there.” What about finding a new executive director for AOPA? “I feel very comfortable with the group that we have picked to do that search. We’ve tried to look very closely at where AOPA is and what kind of needs the new executive will have to meet.” Will there be a fifth generation of Snells in O&P? “I have four grown kids. One daughter is a registered nurse, and she works with us [at C.F.I. Prosthetics and Orthotics]. But the rest of them have gone different ways.”

Answering the Call Maybe you, too, feel that you have something to offer O&P. AOPA wants to take advantage of your knowledge and abilities. Here’s who to contact: • If you’d like to volunteer, 2004-2005 AOPA President Mike Hamontree would like to know about it. Call him at (949) 863-1951 or e-mail him at mhamontree@orpro.com. • AOPA’s various working committees commit themselves to identifying goals and advancing them in areas like coding, reimbursement and government relations. To find out more about the committees, e-mail Kathy Dodson, senior director of government affairs, at kdodson@AOPAnet.org. • Become an authorized member of the O&P Political Action Committee (O&P PAC). We cannot tell you about the PAC’s work without your authorization. Find out more here. • Visit the Amputee Coalition of America’s Web site to learn more about what you can do at the grassroots level to achieve orthotic and prosthetic parity in your state. • One way to make change happen is to tell others what you think. Contact the O&P Almanac with story ideas, letters to the editor, or responses to articles. E-mail Malissa Bennett, acting editor-in-chief of the Almanac, tell others what you think at mbennett@AOPAnet.org.