Safko Becomes BOC Executive
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 Former Maryland government official Gregory M. Safko today became president of The Board for Orthotist/Prosthestist Certification, where he will oversee daily operations of a national organization that offers certifications in five allied health fields, plus accredits facilities as suppliers who meet federal/CMS standards. Before accepting the BOC position, Safko served as deputy secretary of Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR), where he was responsible for administration of all licensing, and related regulatory and enforcement activity, for the state, reporting directly to the DLLR secretary and the governor. Earlier, Safko was commissioner of the DLLR’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, where he held regulatory authority over more than 220,000 individuals and businesses in 23 professions and occupations. He also has 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector, serving with the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association, first as member services manager, then education manager, education director and finally seven years in an executive capacity as senior director for member resources. Notably, Safko led the association’s research, development and introduction of a nationally recognized certification program for sales professionals in this highly-technical industry. Safko began his career as a program director and public relations exec for the Somerset County (New Jersey) Regional Library System, where he created a series of public outreach initiatives that engaged thousands of individuals in library programs throughout the metropolitan New York City region. Programs included educational offerings, art exhibits, book discussion series, music programs and other focused efforts to help communities take advantage of library resources. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in communication arts at James Madison University, Safko earned a master’s degree in association management within the public administration department at George Washington University. Safko’s professional development is also reflected in his earning the association industry-respected, Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation awarded by the American Society of Association Executives and held by fewer than 25% of its national membership. BOC, formed in 1984, has certified more than 5,500 individuals who provide services to patients in the fields of orthotics, prosthetics, mastectomy fitting, orthotic fitting and pedorthics. BOC is also one of 10 accreditation institutions nationwide that have deemed status from CMS. As a credentialing institution, BOC assures that practitioners meet national standards in their professions and that they meet continuing education requirements to retain their certifications. Safko was hired after a nearly year-long search for an executive to succeed Dr. Don Fedder, who had served as BOC’s executive director for some 20 years until his retirement in 2006. “Organizations must be dynamic and receptive to change if they expect to survive, grow and succeed,” Safko said in accepting the BOC job. “BOC’s Board of Directors has already acknowledged the importance of being positioned to respond to the public’s need for more practitioners. I’ve learned that organizations need ‘guide posts’ rather than ‘hitching posts’ if they intend to advance the communities they serve. I am looking forward to working with BOC’s Board of Directors to advance our practitioners’ abilities to serve their patients as effectively and efficiently as possible.” As deputy secretary of DLLR, Safko led an intensive legislative and executive branch initiative to migrate licensing programs from “general” funding to establish continuous, non-lapsing “special” funds supported entirely by license origination, renewal and ancillary fees of regulated professions and occupations. The special funding initiative required lobbying among the respective agency boards and commissions, the professional associations, internal staff and the Maryland legislature. The initiative was enacted despite budgetary pressures, and Safko then focused on the human relations aspects that would lead to success: adding staff and training programs to handle licensing, continuing education, complaints from the public about licensees, panels and services reviewers, and communications efforts to promote licensing safeguards for the public and services to licensees. “BOC is very pleased to have engaged Greg’s services on behalf of our certificants,” said BOC chairwoman Teresa Alpert Leibman, BOCO, C.Ped., CO, in announcing Safko’s appointment. “His nearly 19 years of experience in both the public and the private sectors makes him uniquely qualified to step into a field where increased patient needs call for increased numbers of qualified providers. The Board looks forward to working with him. I also invite all of our certificants to stop by our booth at the American Orthotists and Prosthetists Association meeting this September, to say hello and begin to get to know a man who will be working on their behalf.” “The national economy is changing,” Safko noted, “and knowledge and service in the allied health professions will become increasingly important. The demand for specialized employees, with a combination of vocational or post-secondary education plus mentored hands-on experience, will intensify the need for innovative pipelines in the five certifications BOC offers. BOC is committed to providing such pipelines, through progressive education – secondary, community, four-year and graduate school programs – and incumbent training, dislocated working retraining, expansion into cross-credentialed professions, higher recruitment and longer retention before retirement. Orthotists, prosthetists, mastectomy and orthotics fitters, and pedorthists are all going to be more in demand as our society increasingly values mobility at all stages of life. It’s going to be a pleasure to play a role in meeting that demand.” CONTACT: Jim Newberry, BOCPO 1-877-776-2200 www.bocusa.org
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