Dr. Zirkle Honored
"It's unique for a Richland guy to be honoring a Richland guy," Secretary Mattis remarked in the medal presentation.
By Adam Pilger, SIGN Communications Specialist
On February 26, 2018, Dr. Lewis Zirkle received the Department of Defense (DOD) Medal for Distinguished Public Service, presented by Secretary of Defense James Mattis. This medal is the highest civilian honor presented by the US DOD.
Secretary Mattis traveled to SIGN HQ to present the award and tour the facility. As a native of Richland, the presentation was uniquely special for him.
Before the presentation ceremony, Secretary Mattis was given a guided tour of the facility. As part of the tour, he had the chance to visit with many SIGN Employees. In the shop, Secretary Mattis met with Sean Bradley and Richard Grizzell, who explained the process of manufacturing SIGN Implants and Instruments. Finished SIGN Products were also displayed on a table, creating an interactive experience for Secretary Mattis and his team.
“Few events have been so heartening as visiting SIGN and recognizing your leadership and your team in Richland,” Secretary Mattis said at the ceremony. He went on to describe how Dr. Zirkle’s Vietnam experience led him to seek equality of fracture care and how SIGN has changed the lives of people living in low- and middle-income countries. At the time, SIGN was in 50 countries and had recently healed our 200,000th patient.
Dr. Zirkle accepted the award on behalf of the entire SIGN Family saying, “All of you have helped, all the overseas surgeons have contributed, and I’m very honored to have the chance to work with you.”
As a special honor, Dr. Zirkle, his family, and SIGN Staff were invited to take pictures with the DOD team. The day concluded with Dr. Zirkle giving a press release to the multitude of reporters who came to document the occasion.
We hope you enjoy this journey back through SIGN’s history. As we move through 2024, there will be a historical highlight in each newsletter, bonus email messages, and social media posts. If there is something you are interested in learning more about, please email us at info@signfracturecare.org
In honor of SIGN's 25 years of healing, would you consider making a monthly gift of $25 or more?
Check the "Monthly" box and type in your gift amount on the donation form.
Discover more!
Throughout the year, remember your support of SIGN with background images for your computer or phone.
Discover events that shaped SIGN in a historical timeline.