OWINGS MILLS, Md. (December 3, 2019)—The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) is pleased to announce John Kenney, MURP, BOCO as the 2019 recipient of the Jim Newberry Award for Extraordinary Service. James “Jim” L. Hewlett, BOCO, past Newberry Award winner and former chair of BOC’s board of directors, nominated Kenney.
Kenney’s history with BOC is longstanding. He was on BOC’s board of directors for eight years, with roles including chair and vice chair, and was a member of BOC’s O&P Alliance team. Kenney dedicated countless hours as a volunteer with the BOC test development cohort that crafted certification exam questions. His volunteerism also included writing continuing education courses for orthotists, orthotic fitters and therapists. He was former chair for Medicare’s Jurisdiction D Advisory Committee for DMEPOS and volunteered on the board for the Center for Orthotics and Prosthetics Learning/Evidence Based Practice (COPL).
Mentorship is the foundation of Kenney’s career. After becoming a BOC Registered Orthotic Fitter in 1995 (and later earning the Certified Orthotic Fitter credential, passing the first exam provided for the certification), he diligently learned from other orthotists and became a BOC-Certified Orthotist in 2005. Kenney holds an undergraduate degree from University of California at Santa Cruz and a master’s degree from University of Hawaii. He is an MBA candidate at University of California at Irvine Health Care, and a PhD candidate at Campbellsville University.
Kenney specializes in the treatment of contractures due to immobility and neurological dysfunction; another special area of expertise is lower extremity bracing that supports gait rehabilitation. His work includes product development as an orthotic designer and inventor, and he is the recipient of seven patents for his orthotic device designs. His patented devices include NeuroFlex and DynaPro Orthotics; these devices have benefited thousands of patients since 1999. He is currently the Vice President of Clinical Development at Ongoing Care Solutions, Inc.
“John is a compassionate, intelligent leader who exemplifies the high level of dedication and support to BOC demonstrated by our dear friend Jim Newberry,” says BOC’s President and CEO Claudia Zacharias, MBA, CAE. “Our board was proud to select him for this honor.”
The Jim Newberry Award for Extraordinary Service is named in honor of longtime BOC practitioner, board member and leader James Newberry, Jr., BOCP, BOCO, BOCPD, who passed away in 2016. The award recognizes outstanding individuals who perform extraordinary service to BOC, the community of stakeholders BOC serves and those who live out the superior example modeled by Newberry during his more than four decades in the field of orthotics and prosthetics.
In addition to an upcoming celebration event, BOC will commemorate Kenney on the Jim Newberry Award web page and on signage to be displayed at BOC headquarters in Owings Mills, Maryland.
For more information, please visit bocusa.org.
