IndustrynEWs
ABC Names Curt A. Bertram, CO, FAAOP President
Effective December 1, 2013, Curt A.
Bertram, CO, FAAOP assumed the
role of president of the ABC Board of
Directors. As part of ABC’s annual
leadership transition, Bertram takes
over the presidency from Timothy
E. Miller, CPO of Bettendorf, Iowa.
Miller will continue to serve as
immediate past president.
“I look forward to Curt’s presidency,”
said Miller. “He will lead the next
level of strategic planning and has
already been actively involved in
making sure that we are prepared.
The great thing about Curt is that
once he has ownership of a topic or
a project he puts all his effort into it.
As president, he is sure to continue
this tenacity and will wholeheartedly
work to accomplish all of the goals
set before him and the board.”
Bertram began volunteering with
Gout Runs
Strongly in
Families,
Suggests LargeScale Study
Medical News Today/www.
medicalnewstoday.com – December 3,
2013
Researchers from the UK’s University of
Nottingham and colleagues conducted a
new study of the population of Taiwan,
where there is a high rate of gout, and
found that the condition clusters in
families. The risk of developing gout was
largely linked to shared modifiable
48
Pedorthic Footcare Association www.pedorthics.org
ABC as both an orthotics examiner
and exam team member. Since then,
Bertram has been an integral part
of ABC serving on the Executive,
Finance and Marketing Committees
as well as the O&P Alliance. He has
also been an active participant in the
certification exam process, having
served on the Orthotic Exam Team
and as an Orthotic CPM Examiner
and Site Coordinator. Since joining
the ABC board in December 2009,
Bertram has played a role in creating
many of ABC’s current policies and
brings with him nearly 23 years of
experience working in the orthotic
and prosthetic profession. “Curt’s
long history of volunteerism and
involvement in our programs makes
him a natural leader for ABC,” said
Catherine Carter, ABC’s Executive
Director. “I look forward to working
with him as he helps us move the
board’s agenda forward.”
factors, such as lifestyle and diet, while
having close relatives with the disease
also appeared to increase the risk, but to a
lesser extent.
They write about their findings in a recent
online issue of Annals of the Rheumatic
Diseases.
Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis,
characterized by acute pain that happens
with no warning, and swelling in the
affected joint - most commonly in the
big toe. It is often accompanied by lumps
around the joint and can lead to disability
and loss of joint function.
There is also evidence that gout is linked
with heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.
The disease is caused by deposits of
Bertram notes that he was drawn to
the profession right away. “Once I
discovered that I could use both my
mind and my hands to better lives,
I was sold.” Bertram also attributes
his passion for the profession to
having had the opportunity to work
with a handful of really talented and
passionate people at his very first
O and P job. Bertram received his
Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering
from Northern Arizona University
in 1988 and attended Northwestern
University for his orthotic education
and the Newington Certificate
Program for his prosthetics
education. He earned his Certified
Orthotist credential in 1994. Bertram
currently works for Hanger Clinic as
their National Orthotics Specialist
and has served as vice president
for the United Cerebral Palsy of
Southeastern Wisconsin (UCPSEW)
Board of Directors.
monosodium urate crystals, due to there
being too much uric acid in the blood and
further support already exists that shows
gout clusters in families, which points to
a genetic cause. But this is queried by a
classic twin study where researchers found
there was a strong hereditary link to high
uric acid but no evidence that the disease
itself is inherited.
Taiwan has the highest rate و