Mike Mallaro, CEO of VGM Group Inc, presents Kirsten Davin, OTD, OTR/L, ATP, SMS, with the 2016 HME Woman of the Year award. Davin received the award during a special presentation held during the Medtrade Home Medical Equipment Conference in Atlanta.
VGM Group Inc presented its inaugural HME Woman of the Year award to Kirsten Davin, OTD, OTR/L, ATP, SMS, during a special award ceremony held at the Medtrade Home Medical Equipment Conference and Expo in Atlanta.
From the four finalists invited to attend the conference and the awards presentation, Davin was selected as the winner.
“It is a great honor that someone like me is recognized,” says Davin, founder, co-owner and president of Precision Seating Solutions, in a media release from VGM Group Inc. “A younger woman, 37 years old from a small town, via a grassroots method built a company that now has global distribution. The fact that we’re recognized for that is amazing.”
“On behalf of VGM, I am proud to present the HME Woman of the Year award to Kirsten,” states Mike Mallaro, CEO of Waterloo, Iowa-based business solutions provider VGM Group Inc. “Women have always been central to the fabric of the health care system including in our field – medical equipment, assistive technology and services which allow the frail, the elderly, the disabled and others the dignity to stay in their home and the freedom to live an active, quality life. Thank you, Dr Davin, for being a trailblazer in our industry.”
VGM Group Inc created the HME Woman of the Year award for all women who work in the HME industry. During the 3-month nomination period, 37 women in the field were nominated who met such criteria as paving new ways of innovation and new business processes, leadership that has secured legislative wins, improving the lives of patients, and making lifelong impressions on her community, per the release.
Davin, a 15-year veteran in the home health care field, is an occupational therapist, certified assistive technology professional, and seating specialist. Her company, Precision Seating Solutions, manufactures the PS 256 pressure mapping system.
In addition, she is an author and internationally known speaker on wheelchair seating and positioning (see “Using Pressure Mapping for Seating & Positioning”), and a professor at Lincoln Land Community College, where she teaches several medical-related courses. Davin also is associate professor in the occupational therapy/physical therapy doctorate program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
For the past 16 years, she has also served as a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and medical training officer for the Pleasant Plains Fire Department in her hometown of Pleasant Plains, Illinois. She is currently captain of the 24-member department, and will become deputy chief in 2017, the release notes.
“Dr Davin is a born leader, who inspires those around her to be better, to work harder, achieve goals, and create the outcomes they strive for,” wrote Robert Schafer, fire chief of Pleasant Plains Fire Department, in his nomination for Davin, per the release.
“She uses her platform to help those less fortunate, to encourage those who are just starting out and to educate therapists, caregivers, equipment providers and individuals from all walks of life to be the best they can be in every arena.”
“What an unbelievable day! This is just amazing! In just the last few hours, the platform the Woman of the Year Award has given me has been incredible,” shares Davin, shortly after receiving the award.
“I’ve spoken with so many people just this morning about the importance of patient advocacy, equipment obtainment, and other critical current topics. I look forward to using this platform over the next year to bring focus to rehabilitation industry issues,” she adds.
[Source: VGM Group Inc]
