Sammons honored by alma mater for OT innovations

Dr. Fred Sammons, director of the Sammons Center for Innovation and Research in Occupation Based Technology and a major, long-time  advocate and supporter of the Department of Occupational Therapy at WMU will be honored by the School of Allied Health Professions at Virginia Commonwealth University on November 6 with the prestigious Alumni Star Award.

The award is given in recognition of his outstanding contributions as an inventor and entrepreneur who is recognized around the world as a man who changed the practice of occupational therapy.

Sammons earned a degree in Industrial Arts Education at California University of Pennyslvania and briefly taught high school in West Virginia before serving two years in the Army during the Korean War. Then, eligible for the GI Bill, he completed a certificate in occupational therapy in 1955 at Richmond Professional Institute, which is now part of VCU.

Early in his career as an occupational therapist, Dr. Sammons found that he had a knack for finding innovative solutions to the problems of patients he was working with. As a hobby, he began making devices for his patients. Over a ten year period, he developed quite an assortment of products and professional contacts that allowed him to start his own mail order business in 1970, which soon became known worldwide as Sammons BeOK. By 1985, the business was so successful that he sold it and began a long career consulting with the company.

Learn more about Dr. Sammons career at fredsammonsarchives.com.