Presidential Guest Speaker
Opening Ceremonies
Friday July 3, 2009

Dr. Lewis G. Zirkle : Creating Equality of Fracture Care Throughout the World
Dr. Lewis G. Zirkle graduated from Duke University Medical Centre in 1966 and completed his residency training with the U.S. Army after being drafted to Vietnam. He currently has a private orthopaedic surgery practice in Richland, Washington and is the founder and president of the Surgical Implant Generation Network (SIGN), a humanitarian organization dedicated to creating equality of fracture care throughout the world. He was the Programme Manager for Indonesia and Vietnam for Orthopaedics Overseas from 1974 - 1985 and is currently a member of the AAOS, OTA, AOA and Piedmont society. His many accomplishments include humanitarian awards from Davidson College, Duke University Medical Centre, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons for a lifelong commitment to alleviating musculoskeletal suffering worldwide. The COA is honoured to host Dr. Zirkle in Whistler.

R.I. Harris Lecture
Saturday, July 4

Dr. Robin R. Richards : Orthopaedic Surgery, the Journey of a Life Time: Lessons Learned Along the Way
Robin Richards was born in Guelph, Ontario and attended McMaster University where he obtained BA (Geography - 1973) and MD (1976) degrees. He completed the University of Toronto Postgraduate Training Programme in Orthopaedic Surgery and received his FRCSC in 1982. Dr. Richards was a MRC Fellow at Duke University in 1983 and joined the staff of St. Michael's Hospital in 1984 where he was Head of the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical Director of the Mobility Programme, Chair of the Medical Advisory Committee and served on the Board. Dr. Richards has been at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as Head of the Department of Surgery and Co-Director of the Operating Room and Related Services Directorate since 2001.

In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Dr. Richards maintains an active surgical practice focusing on reconstruction of the shoulder and elbow, upper extremity trauma management, soft tissue procedures to control joint instabilities in the upper extremity, the surgical treatment of irreparable brachial plexus injury and the treatment of chronic disorders of the forearm and wrist reconstruction.

Dr. Richards is Vice Chair - Clinical of the University Of Toronto Department Of Surgery, Chair of the Departmental Promotion Committee, Past Secretary-Treasurer of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Past Deputy Editor for the Upper Extremity of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). Dr. Richards is active in the Ontario, Canadian and American Orthopaedic Associations and is Past-president of the Ontario Orthopaedic Association and Past-secretary of the COA.