At first glance, DJO might appear to be a company that caters solely to elite athletes. And why not? Its list of satisfied clients includes Superbowl MVP Peyton Manning as well as the U.S. Ski and Volleyball Teams. But after further examination, you realize the true face of DJO more closely resembles your next door neighbor with chronic knee problems; it is the face of North County San Diego residents suffering from everyday knee and back pain.

“Our company designs products aimed to improve the quality of life of our customers,”
says Michael McBrayer, Senior Vice President for Marketing with DJO, and the new Chairman of
Tri-City Hospital Foundation’s Corporate Council. “You’ll find our products in homes throughout the world, helping people recover from common injuries and manage their chronic pain.”

Based in Vista, DJO Inc. (formally DJ Ortho) is a global medical device company that specializes in orthopedic rehabilitation products, such as knee braces, and regeneration products that stimulate bone growth. It’s a home-grown company that was started in Carlsbad in 1978 when ex-Philadelphia Eagles football player Mark Nordquist wrapped an old inner tube around his ailing knee for support. The novel idea caught on, and since that day the company has grown to 1,600 employees with revenues of over $400 million annually.

One of DJO’s hallmarks is innovation. To understand the source of that innovation, you need only look at some of their local collaborators, namely Dr. Neville Alleyne and Dr. James Esch. Both are pioneers in the field of orthopedic medicine as well as physicians at Tri-City Medical Center.

“Clinical research is at the heart of new advances in medicine,” says Dr Alleyne. “The partnership between Tri-City Medical Center doctors and DJO helps to keep us on the cutting edge of orthopedic care, which ultimately leads to an increase in the quality of healthcare for our community.”
But DJO’s commitment to the community goes beyond research and development. DJO is also a philanthropic supporter of the Tri-City Hospital Foundation as a founding member of the Corporate Council.

Recently appointed as Chair-man of the Corporate Council, McBrayer now sees even more opportunities to give back. “A key objective for the Council is to consider the health concerns of all employees in North County,” he explains. “We have a tremendous responsibility to ensure workforce safety. Tri-City Medical Center is a natural conduit for these community health issues.”

DJO’s current corporate tag-line reads: “Never Stop Getting Better.” With local corporate leadership committed to employee and community health, there’s reason to believe that the slogan also applies to the future of healthcare in North San Diego County.