Russell Certo
Founder
Russell A. Certo PT OCS is a 1982 graduate of Quinnipiac University. He began his career working as a Staff Therapist in hospital systems including the University of North Carolina Hospital and Duke University Hospital. In 1988 he opened his own Independent Private Practice in Grand Island NY. By 2003 his practice had grown to a point where there was a need in his community for fitness services and he began to develop the idea of a medically oriented gym. In January of 2005 the first M.O.G. (medically oriented gym) site was established and began delivering evidenced based fitness programming to not only patients but also to healthy motivated members of the community. By 2007 many of the Private Practitioners across the country were interested in developing their own M.O.G site. By the end of 2007 the MOG Group, a co-op of M.O.G. sites owned by Independent Physical Therapy Practices, began its mission of providing a central place for these sites to share policies, procedures and business practices. Russ lives in Grand Island with his wife Elizabeth and 4 children Kaitlin, John Russell, Benjamin and Emily |
Hank Balavender
Director Of Business Development
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Hank Balavender M.S.P.T. brings more than 30 years of experience in the Healthcare Services Industry. He began his career as a physical therapist having founded Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Associates (P.T.S.M.A.) in 1979. As CEO, he opened 3 sites in its first five years and then, through acquisitions and additional start-ups,built to twenty facilities in central Connecticut. The company employed more than 200 professionals and achieved revenue in excess of $20 million. In 1999, Hank successfully negotiated the company's sale to a Fortune 100 company. He continued to serve that company for the next seven years in a variety of operational roles, including acquiring and/or divesting of businesses in outpatient rehabilitation, ambulatory surgery, and occupational medicine. He ultimately served as the Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative and Operations Officer. While holding this position he was responsible for operational and administrative management of 880 facilities with revenues in excess of $450 million. Hank has a Master of Science degree in Organizational Behavior with a concentration in Organizational Development from the University of Hartford, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Quinnipiac University. He is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the International Business Brokers Association. Hank resides in Avon, Connecticut with his wife Gail. They are the proud parents of four grown adult children. |
