Company Profile
CFI Prosthtics-Orthotics
Company Overview
Since 1911, the Snell family has been serving its patients and clients with state of the art orthotic and prosthetic technology, and leading the O&P industry with boldly innovative new product testing and development that paves the way to ever-better care.
The practice, originally named Snell's Limbs and Braces, has operated as CFI Prosthetics Orthotics since 1982.
Our company leaders continue to embrace a philosophy of continuously seeking newer, more effective, convenient, and comfortable solutions - and actively helping those solutions to evolve.
Our certified, qualified staff never stops pursuing new knowledge to keep them at the top of their profession. Their experience and expertise covers the fields of prosthetics, orthotics, and pedorthics, and they work closely with physicians, surgeons, physical and occupational therapists, and other members of the rehabilitation team to restore patients with disabilities to a more functional, mobile, independent and fulfilling lifestyle.
Maximizing the abilities of our patients is our highest goal;
to that end, we provide a full range of services, including:
Upper and lower extremity prosthetics (artificial limbs)
Spinal, upper and lower extremity orthotics (braces)
Therapeutic and comfort footwear
Company History
A long and colorful history filled with contributions to the O&P industry have made CFI and its owners, the Snell family, widely-recognized and respected. (The practice, originally named Snell's Limbs and Braces, has operated as CFI Prosthetics Orthotics since 1982).
In the early 1900’s “Pop” Snell sold medical books on horseback to pay his way through college, and soon purchased a portion of the business from his Memphis employers, a surgical supply company. His artificial limb, brace, and truss sales company quickly expanded to include nine locations in Tennessee and Kentucky.
In 1938 son Ralph took the practice over and carried the torch for the family until 1961 when he passed on his strong ambition and leadership initiative to his son, Ralph R. (Ronney) Snell, CPO. During a distinguished career that spanned decades, Ronney served as president of three major O&P organizations. He was president of the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) in 1969. He helped organize the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists and served as its first president in 1971. He served two terms as president of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), the first in 1974-75 and the second in 1998-1999.
He was honored with AOPA's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and the Academy's Titus-Ferguson Award in 2002.. His pioneering work in product testing and development of one of the first juvenile amputee clinics still inspires us. He served as the president of CFI and its Memphis area locations until 1986, when the baton was passed to his son, R. Ted Snell, CP.
Following in his father’s tradition of service, CFI owner and president/CEO Ted Snell, CP, is a past President of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, serving in this capacity in the 2006-2007 term, a past chair of the AOPA Coding and Billing Committee, a past board member of the AOPA Marketing and Membership Committee, and a past board member of the Regional Medicare Reimbursement Committee.
Ted Snell is also a board officer and co-owner of the PrimeCare Orthotic & Prosthetic Network, LLC, an alliance of independent orthotic and prosthetic facilities with more than 75 member facilities throughout the United States, all of whom agree to share resources, experience, and ideas in order to provide better patient care.
Ted remains president of CFI today, and recently son Sean Snell joined the company as Vice President of Operations after a 10 year stint in working for a large corporation.