6431 Mahoning Avenue Austintown, OH 44515
One day, while working in a large machine shop, my world seemed to instantly crumble. A 3,000-pound piece of steel fell on my foot. Suddenly, a baseball tryout didn’t seem to matter much.
I was now fighting to save my leg. For the next three years, I experienced 6 surgeries and an amazing amount of pain in what would be a vain attempt at what I considered at the time, to remain whole. My right leg was amputated in 1978 at the age of 24.
Within a few months after my amputation, I was playing baseball again. In fact, I discovered that my life was going on. I had to make a choice either to live my life normally or to be looked upon as a handicapped individual who needed help and expected pity from the rest of the world. I chose to live as if nothing ever happened.
I went to school for Accounting. I very quickly decided that wasn’t for me and switched my major to Architecture. During my studies, I was often asked to speak to both individuals and groups about how I dealt with the injury and eventual amputation. It was at this point I was asked to consider a career in Prosthetics. I said no for the next 5 years thinking there was something else that was perfectly suited for me. I still continued to speak about life with a prosthesis and felt good whenever I helped someone who was about to go through what I experienced. Finally, after 5 years of talking with individuals and speaking to groups, I decided it was time to make this a career, and the trip eventually led to the founding of Western Reserve O&P.
Richard L. Grope — LPO
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New York University Postgraduate Medical School · Shelby State Prosthetics School in Memphis, Tennessee
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Licensed In the State Of Ohio
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Certified In the States Of Pennsylvania & West Virginia By the American Board for Certification For Prosthetics & Orthotic Care
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American Board Of Certification (ABC)
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Member Of the National & State Bodies Of the American Academy Of Orthotics & Prosthetics
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Board Of Orthotic Certification (BOC)
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Certified In Ohio, Pennsylvania & West Virginia
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Owner & President, Western Reserve Orthotics & Prosthetics Inc.
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Licensed & Certified Prosthetist & Orthotist
Owner Richard Grope’s Story
Kim Grope
Public Relations, Customer Service
Financing for Care Credit

ITT Technical School, Youngstown OH
Accounting & Computer Science
Vice President, Western Reserve Orthotics & Prosthetics I
Sean Kratzer
Licensed Orthotist (LO)

Certified in Cranial products from Orthoamerica.
Bachelor degree from Youngstown State University for Pre Med with minors in Sports Medicine, Chemistry and Psychology.
Ron Tucker
Practitioner, [COF] Certified Orthotic Fitter

Trulife Institute of Applied Technology — Certified Orthotics Fitter
West Virginia Northern Community College — General Studies
COF ABC Certified Orthotic Fitter
Orthopedic Fittings Certified
Fabrication / Custom Orthotics / Prosthetics
Stephen J. Pollak
CPO/LPO

BS, Orthotics-Prosthetics, University of Texas.
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
BS, Engineering, US Naval Academy of Annapolis, Maryland
Commander, US Navy (retired)
FAA Certificated Pilot
American Board of Certification (ABC)
Licensed & Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist
Robert D. Paul
LPED/CPOA

Robert M. Palmer School of Biomechanics in Elwood, Indiana
American Board of Certification (ABC)
Licensed Pedorthist, Certified Prosthetist Orthotist Assistant, O&P Technician