FLO-TECH® O & P Systems, Inc. PO Box 462 7325 Halseyville Rd Trumansburg, NY 14886 Mon. - Fri. 8:30AM - 5PM EST 1-800-356-8324(FLO-TECH) Ph: 607-387-3070 F: 607-387-3176 Orders may be placed at FLO-TECH's main fabrication center/warehouse from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM [East Coast time] Monday - Friday at 1-800-FLO-TECH (and until 7:30 PM East Coast time by calling our LasVegas warehouse toll free at 877-465-2944). Email: info@1800FLO-TECH.com Ed White 's Toll Free # 877-465-2944

APOPPS™ (& APOPPS-TF™):
patent # 5,728,165
FLO-TECH-TOR™ (& FLO-TECH-TOR-TF™):
patent # 5,571,209

About FLO-TECH^® O&P Systems, Inc.

Bob Brown Sr., CPO, FAAOP - CEO of FLO-TECH® O&P Systems, Inc. & Designer of the APOPPS™

Bob started in prosthetics and orthotics in 1965 as a 91a10 medical specialist (Army Medic) at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, following a series of events, which prevented him from shipping out with his unit to advanced training (airborne) and on to Vietnam. Seeking other opportunities he applied for an interview and won the only position available in the Brace and Limb School at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), in October 1965. The program was a one-year on-the-job training school. This was a particularly unique time to come into prosthetics and orthotics as our country was heavily involved in the Vietnam conflict (War) and soldiers were transported almost directly from the battlefield to B.A.M.C. The education and training was awesome with hospital rounds and clinics to attend. There were opportunities to measure and fit patients even though fabrication was the main focus of the program.

During his time in this program, Bob accompanied Sgt. Ron Webb, CPO, to a Texas state meeting of prosthetists. Bob met icons of our profession like Bert Titus (who first introduced Bob to Immediate Postoperative prosthetics) and Gerry Levy (a bilateral upper limb amputee who flew his own plane and worked as a speaker and rep for Hosmer Dorrance Corp). Bob knew right then that this profession would be his life’s work. The school required 2 years of service for 1 year training. Upon completion of the school he was assigned to Madigan General Hospital in Tacoma, Washington where he continued to treat soldiers returning from Vietnam, until the end of his tour of duty (February 1968).

While in Washington State, Bob had the good fortune to meet Jim Foorte, CP (c). Jim presented his component systems and expertise in a workshop to Madigan General Hospital. He also introduced a fiberglass or resin glass material, stimulated by chemicals, which was intended to replace plaster bandaging. This material was interesting to work with though the chemicals were volatile. Never the less within a very short time Bob was fitting postoperative prostheses using this new material and attaching a peg or a pylon depending on the soldier’s preference.

The time passed quickly but not nearly as quickly as the next 30 years, it would seem. He left the military and joined the staff at Empire Orthopedic Labs, Inc. working out of their Rochester, NY facility and honing his prosthetic and orthotic skills. During this time he pursued education at NYU. And, because he needed to support his family, took advantage of the now defunct "Short Term" courses. Bob passed his prosthetics exam in 1970, on the first attempt, and not long after (September 1972) opened his own P&O center and successfully completed his Orthotic certification.

His facility was 1 hour away from any city, of significant size, and was located in a town of 10,000 people. Over the next 15 years Bob opened six clinical facilities specializing in providing Orthotic and Prosthetic care to remote areas. Bob and Kathy married in 1977 and began sharing the parenting of 4 children (Jay, Robb, Katherine and Christine) then Tiffany was born in 1980. During this period Ernest M. Burgess, MD interviewed and accepted Bob as the prosthetist for development of the Seattle foot. But, with four teenagers in or about to enter High School, Bob and Kathy decided to continue to build their prosthetics and orthotics practices, in New York State and, thus, reluctantly declined the opportunity. Gradually downsizing to four offices Bob began to spend more time in thought about the future of P&O and in deciding how he could best serve his profession.

Bob is a charter member of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (Academy) and in 1987 he began serving as an officer and president of the New York Chapter of the Academy (NYSAAOP). This was followed closely by nine years as a director and officer of the Academy (AAOP), highlighted by his Presidency in 1998 and culminating in 1999 as immediate past president.

FLO-TECH^® O&P Systems, Inc. (FLO-TECH^®) was founded in 1987 when Kathy realized Bob was constantly using uniquely designed prosthetic and orthotic systems for his patients. Together they created FLO-TECH^® as a division of their clinical practice and by 1993 had produced two (2) products that warranted national attention for the benefit of prosthetic and orthotic patients. By 1995 the APOPPS™ was becoming a nationally known prosthetic system and today it is used in countries around the world.

Kathleen E. Brown (Kathy) is the president of the company, while Bob serves as CEO/Education/Research & Design. The APOPPS™ initially found itself unchallenged in the postoperative management of Transtibial amputations. However, since 1995 approximately 10 other postoperative socket or protective systems have reached the marketplace.

Bob and Kathy have a two-pronged philosophy: 1. "The more people know about the benefits of postoperative prosthetics the better the care of patients sustaining amputation will be." 2. "Our goal is to make postoperative sockets and systems of the highest quality at the most reasonable prices."

Since 1995 FLO-TECH^® has added the: Symes, Transfemoral and pediatric systems and 4 distributors who receive their stock from FLO-TECH^®’s manufacturing and distribution center in Trumansburg, New York.

Despite the rapid growth of postoperative prosthetics in the United States it is estimated that, at best, 10% of all amputees receive protective prosthetic socket (or cast) management. FLO-TECH^® continues to grow at a rate of about 25% per year. This means the benefits of postoperative management of Transtibial and Transfemoral amputations are reaching more and more people every day.

FLO-TECH^® is a small company specializing in the APOPPS™. Bob & Kathy use a family oriented approach and the staff is a close- knit unit: Jay Davis is Director of Production, Pamela Davis heads up the accounts receivable department and works off sight and Tiffany Brown is National Sales Coordinator and general office assistant.

Daughter, Christine maintains a warehouse inventory of sockets, in Las Vegas, which allows orders to continue to go out to customers right up to 8:00pm Eastern (5:00pm pacific) time. Son-in-law, Ed White of Med-West contracts FLO-TECH^® as a Rep to manage our national sales program. Ed can be reached, to set up a presentation or assist in reaching out to the Medical, rehabilitation & O&P community, by calling (877) 465-2944.

Finally, daughter Katherine, of Media Magic, contracts with FLO-TECH^® to produce all our advertising, website and print media.

We thank you for your interest in our company and our socket systems. We hope that if you have sustained an amputation you are given the opportunity to use one of our sockets or systems as early in your prosthetic management as possible. If you are a prosthetist or allied healthcare giver, we hope you will take the opportunity to try our systems or sockets for your patients. Enjoy browsing through our Web site. You will find it informative, easy to understand and fun to research all sections as you seek the information you need.