Device Nation sits down for a most inspiring conversation with two leaders I so respect in our space! 

Independent Distributor Kris Jones "opens the room" for us as we talk about his life, his career as a scrub tech, why he likes to fix all things, the family medical device business, how to run a successful independent shop (should you even do it in the first place) and so much more!

We finish with one of my c-suite heroes, Ashesh Shah, MBA! 

Ashesh Shah is President & CEO of Maxx Orthopedics, a global orthopedic implant company he co-founded in 2006. With operations in 75+ countries including the US, India, Germany, Brazil and China, Mr. Shah built the team that developed commercial value of Maxx’s IP, led M&A activities, secured growth funding, and grew the global distribution and supply chain organizations.

We talk about the new PEEK knee, robotics, the Freedom Knee, gold knees and so much more....so many pearls of wisdom in this episode, you will want to take some notes!

Follow Ashesh Shah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashesh-shah-382241/

Connect with Farzin Khaghani: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farzin-khaghani-b204b32/

Follow Kris Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriswjones/

Maxx Orthopedics: https://maxxortho.com/

Meril Life Sciences: https://www.merillife.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24115515723&gbraid=0AAAAADFUKNCOPaHN70YgOnI7kL5dAVxai&gclid=CjwKCAjw_KjVBhAHEiwAnC0N9GsrL7UyYHFHWuGU7G9Hdj5HcGajtTP2IKYUlhYX95l6j9T28H92uhoCjjoQAvD_BwE

Peek: https://maxxortho.com/maxx-orthopedics-in-partnership-with-invibio-biomaterial-solutions-secures-us-ide-approval-for-peek-optima-total-knee-arthroplasty-study/

What an inspiring conversation with an entrepreneurial icon in our industry, Dr. Stephen Gunther!

From an assistant professor at UCSF to founder of Shoulder Innovations, a company that rang the bell on the NYSE in 2025, a 20-year build of a most inspiring story!!

Dr. Gunther saw a gap in shoulder arthroplasty that nobody else was solving (implant loosening, one of the leading causes of failure in the space) and instead of writing a paper about it, he patented the fix.

The inset glenoid. 15 patents. A company that went from one Surgeon's idea to $47M+ in revenue and a public offering.

Device Nation finds no holes in ANY tray as we "Open the Room" with Independent Distributor Mike Nelligan!

We talk LinkedIn, "where have the sales reps gone", 4-pillars consulting, even the therapeutic benefits gained from setting things on fire!

What stuck with me about both of these conversations was the Dartmouth-old-school mindset running through the whole thread — foundational things that work, not chasing change for the sake of change, just execute what we all know works.....and do it every single day.

That's a lesson for Surgeons, Reps and budding entrepreneurs alike!

Dartmouth 3D Scholars: https://www.3d-scholars.org/

Shoulder Innovations: https://shoulderinnovations.com/

 Dr. Stephen Gunther: https://www.sentara.com/find-a-doctor-or-provider/Gunther-Stephen-73361

 Mike Nelligan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikenelligan/

 4 Pillars Consulting: https://www.fourpillarsconsultinggroup.com/

 Energy Bus: https://a.co/d/09VzMyTe

 Can't Autom(AI)te Trust: https://a.co/d/0dRgFKEG

 Surgeon/Rep Townhall Meeting: https://devicenation.com

John Cleese Sales Videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2tiAkWsqz-IkeZHmA_UQ72YEgAG93v8z

Thank you for your Support!  https://account.venmo.com/u/DeviceNation

This week, Device Nation sits down with one of orthopaedic trauma's true legends, Dr. Thomas "Toney" Russell. Over four decades, Dr. Russell hasn't just practiced trauma surgery, he's built it. The Russell-Taylor nail. The Intertan. Periloc plates. Osstic bone glue. 30 + U.S. patents. 

A career that runs from the Elvis Presley Trauma Center to the C-suites of global med-tech companies.

We cover it all: IM nailing, plates, screws, ex-fix, calcium phosphate and sulfate, OTA, BBQ, and yes, a little Elvis to shake things up!

Fair warning: you WILL leave this episode inspired.

About Dr. Russell

Dr. Thomas A. Russell is one of Orthopaedic Trauma's most consequential figures. Co-developer of the Russell-Taylor intramedullary nail. Professor Emeritus at the University of Tennessee. Former Chief of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center. More than 30 U.S. patents spanning femoral nailing, bone screw systems, surgical navigation, and bio-ceramic augmentation. Executive and advisory roles with leading device companies across the U.S. and Europe.

He has trained generations of surgeons, authored foundational surgical textbook chapters, and earned presidential lectureships and honors from professional societies around the world. From the OR to the boardroom, Dr. Russell has spent four decades doing one thing: solving problems that matter.

What He Built

Trigen / Russell-Taylor Nail — A foundational intramedullary nail. The name gave away today's guest before we even got to the intro.

Intertan Nail — Part of the Smith & Nephew Trigen trauma portfolio, advancing integrated fixation for intertrochanteric fractures.

Periloc Plates — Periarticular fixation that helped shape the modern plating landscape.

BSM Augments — Bone substitute material for structural support where biology needs a hand.

Osstic — "Bone glue." Next-generation bone substitute. Potentially the most disruptive thing on this list — and Dr. Russell will tell you why.

Wisdom From This Episode

"Look for the failures to see where the work needs to be done." — Dr. Toney Russell

• A great idea on a napkin is just the beginning. Are you prepared to commit ten years to it?
• Unexpected inspiration: Ilizarov wires traced back to a bicycle shop.
• Non-Newtonian fluids — a concept that sounds like a physics class and ends up changing how you think about graft material.
• Hip fracture care in the UK: still defaulting to a 4-hole 135° plate. Kevin's verdict: ship him home.
• Innovation is uncomfortable. Even the innovators resist change, Dr. Russell confirms it.

Also In This Episode

• The 54-tray SPD story — and what it really tells you about preparation in a rapidly evolving industry.
• Arthrex's first post-Corin pure-play recon meeting: Player 2 has entered the game.
• AAHKS preview: the third annual Rep-Surgeon town hall, the subject: change.
• Benjamin Franklin on delay: "You may delay, but time will not."
• Highlights from the Anterior Hip Foundation meeting in Nashville.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

This episode wouldn't have happened without them!!!

Enovis Surgical · Redefine Surgical · Sylke

What a privilege, introducing Device Nation to Aaron Lepper, BONESUPPORT US VP of Sales!

CERAMENT G is a product we believe you should consider for YOUR bag, as it's the first and only injectable antibiotic-eluting bone graft indicated for use in the management of bone infection.

-Remodels into host bone in 6-12 months (1)
-Injectable and flowable
-Gentamicin elution above MIC that's reliable and consistent (2)
-High local concentration of gentamicin, without high serum gentamicin levels (2)

Checks off a lot of boxes, check it out!

Contact Aaron Lepper here: [email protected]

Learn more here: https://www.bonesupport.com/en-us/products/cerament-g/

What's in YOUR bag?

1. Ferguson et al. ‘Radiographic and Histological Analysis of a Synthetic Bone Graft Substitute Eluting Gentamicin in the Treatment of Chronic
Osteomyelitis’. J. Bone Joint Infect. 2019; 4(2): 76-84.
2. Stravinskas et al. Pharmacokinetics of gentamicin eluted from a regenerating bone graft substitute - In vitro and clinical release studies. Bone
Joint Res. 2016 ;5 :427-35

What does it look like when healthcare finance, strategy, and vision all collide in one extraordinary facility?

Device Nation is privileged to bring you the story of Indiana Orthopedic Institute's CFO, Jennifer Fry, CPA!

From a childhood shaped by veterinary medicine to the C-suite of one of America's most impressive ambulatory surgery centers, Jennifer's path through healthcare is anything but ordinary.

She's held the room at Franciscan Alliance, St. Vincent Health, Athens Medical Group, and J&J Fry Consulting. She's navigated acquisitions, joint ventures, physician practice management, and interim strategy roles at a major not-for-profit health system.

Now, as CFO of the newly built Indiana Orthopedic Institute in Noblesville, Indiana, she's helping lead what we believe will be a blueprint for the future of specialty ASC care.

In this episode:

🏗️ The story behind IOI's build, how this world-class facility came to life
🏥 A virtual tour of the space (you'll want to see this in person)
💻 The tech stack driving efficiency from Ospitek, to Athena's HOP EMR to AI scribe solutions
👥 How to build a team with a high "PH level", passion and happiness you can actually feel when you walk in
📊 The KPIs every ASC operator needs to be watching
💰 Revenue streams beyond the index procedure , the story on DME in a joint specialty setting
🔩 What a great implant partnership actually looks like — and what reps should be doing right now to be ready for a world full of IOIs
🚪 Patient acquisition, patient experience, and turning patients into your best marketing
🔮 The future of specialty ASCs, sunshine ahead, or clouds on the horizon?
....and so much more! 

In just 3 years, IOI has grown from 1 Surgeon to 17, and was just recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in the Indianapolis area!

Be ready to take notes if you're a Surgeon considering getting off the hospital bandwagon, a Rep trying to stay relevant, or a Healthcare Operator looking for a model worth studying!

📍 Indiana Orthopedic Institute: https://www.indianaortho.com/
📲 Follow Jennifer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-fry-cpa-25391964/

"Re-Operate" with Therapeutic Technologies: https://therapeutic-tech.com/

Dr. Craig Della Valle shares his thoughts on the past, the present, and the future with Device Nation!

Respice, Aspice, Prospice

Dr. Della Valle is one of the country's leading Orthopedic Surgeons, and serves as the Aaron G. Rosenberg Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Chief of the Section of Adult Reconstruction at Rush University Medical Center.

Ministrare per scientiam 

We talk about hips, knees, robotic unis, infection, how to write the abstract that gets published, metal versus ceramic heads, cones, hip resurfacing (one of my favorite subjects), and so much more!

So admire his  "different think", his leadership at AAHKS, CCJR, sharing his prolific research around the world.   Whether you're a "Latin Lover" or not, I promise you will walk away inspired!

On a personal note, change is coming in our space...and fast!  What's the answer for us in industry?

Mutando mutamur 

1/3 1/3 1/3.....Ready to tackle that 1/3 that counters what we're doing now?

"By changing, We are changed" 

Dr. Della Valle: https://dellavalleortho.com/

A National Sales Meeting is much more than just a "big company meeting", it's a strategic reset, motivational boost, and alignment tool rolled into one. Device Nation is privileged to share just that with this amazing audience courtesy of Surgeons, Reps and Industry professionals I so respect and trust answering this question: 

"What's the Fix in 2026?"

What do we need to hold onto, grab a hold of,  or let go of to find success?

Perhaps adding a joint replacement nutritional supplement to your clinic, your bag, is one of those very things to grab hold of this year!

 Learn more at mend.me/devicenation 

Please let us know your thoughts and anything else we can do to support this opportunity.

Thanks!

Huge thank you to our A-list roster of speakers, get ready with that whiteboard!!

Device Nation serves up a hearty "blue plate special" packed with insights, inspiration, and industry wisdom with one of joint replacement's true icons: Dr. Scott Sporer of Rush University Medical Center!

With over 23 years at Rush, more than 17,000 joint procedures performed, leadership in the Hip Society, Knee Society, International Hip Society, and as Secretary of the American Joint Replacement Registry, Dr. Sporer delivers a masterclass on revision surgery, infection prevention, outpatient trends, evolving knee articulations, and the future of personalized care amid healthcare's "sea change" in 2026.

From his Iowa roots and biomedical engineering beginnings, sparked by a neighbor's life-changing hip replacement, to elite training at the University of Iowa, Dartmouth, and a dream fellowship under legends like Wayne Paproski, Aaron Rosenberg, Joshua Jacobs, and Richard Berger, Dr. Sporer's journey is as compelling as his clinical impact. Listeners get the inside track on game-changing research, including his seminal dilute Betadine lavage study that slashed infection rates, practical tips for revision TKA challenges, thoughts on robotics/navigation's real-world value, large-head hip strategies for stability, dual-mobility advancements, and why passion and perseverance remain the true drivers of excellence in orthopedics.

Don't miss this nourishing, no-portion-control-allowed conversation!

Dr. Sporer clinic: https://www.scottsporermd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scott_sporer_md/?hl=en

Merete fusion nail: https://mereteusa.com/details/osteobridge-IKA-Knee-Arthrodesis-System/

What an honor to begin 2026 with an inspiring conversation with Sports Medicine legend, and AAOS President Dr. Annunziato "Ned" Amendola!

We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, his legacy work at Duke, AAOS, NBA shoe consultancy, mentorship, cartilage replacement, even Italian food!!

What a towering figure in sports medicine and foot and ankle care at Duke University, where he serves as a distinguished professor, chief of sports medicine, and executive director of the James R. Urbaniak, MD, Sports Sciences Institute. 

Since joining Duke in 2015 he has served as head team physician and chief medical officer for Duke Athletics, providing exceptional care to elite athletes while advancing innovative treatments for knee and ankle injuries. 

Internationally renowned for pioneering arthroscopic and biologic resurfacing techniques that have transformed cartilage repair and rehabilitation, Dr. Amendola has authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles, secured numerous research grants, and earned prestigious honors such as the Excellence in Research Award, Cabaud Memorial Award, O'Donoghue Award, and the Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award. His leadership culminated in serving as President of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), where he has championed excellence in musculoskeletal care and mentored countless surgeons worldwide.

Beginning his journey in Canada with training at the University of Western Ontario and fellowships in sports medicine and foot and ankle surgery, he previously held key roles including director of sports medicine at the University of Iowa. His contributions have earned him additional accolades like the Achilles Award from ISAKOS, the Roger Mann and Leonard Goldner Awards from the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, and induction into the AOSSM Hall of Fame. 

Join us (and Skeletoni) at the next AAOS meeting: https://www.aaos.org/

Clinic: https://www.dukehealth.org/find-doctors-physicians/annunziato-ned-amendola-md

Please support our Sponsor, Anika Therapeutics: https://anika.com/

Duke World Games: https://ryortho.com/2026/01/duke-health-is-warming-up-early-and-ortho-is-leading-the-charge/

What a holiday treat under the tree!  Device Nation sits down for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Michael Karch, AI leader, book author, inventor, "Surgeon Santa", and so much more!

We talk about his mission work around the world, one very smart drill, the Badlands 135, his work with the US Ski Team, Surgeon Avatars, 9/11, Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Sesame Street, his recent bestselling book, AI must reads, what it's like to run 58 marathons, whew.....we cover a LOT of ground in this episode (pun intended)!

Clinic website: https://www.mammothortho.com/michael-karch-md.html

Mammoth Medical Missions: https://www.mammothmedicalmissions.org/mass-casualty-training

48 hours in a MASH unit at Ground Zero: https://today.advancement.georgetown.edu/health-magazine/2016/karch-email/

Reflections on 9/11: https://today.advancement.georgetown.edu/health-magazine/2016/reflections/

The Neuron Daily https://www.theneurondaily.com/

The Paradox of Progress: https://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Progress-Thorns-Artificial-Intelligence/dp/1544549296

Badwater 135: https://www.badwater.com/

Grand Rounds MD: https://grandroundsmd.com/mission