On Saturday, Sept. 12 in Las Vegas at the American Orthotics and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) National Assembly, NAAOP’s founding Executive Director, George W. Breece, was honored with the AOPA Special Award for Career Commitment to Advocacy in the field of orthotics and prosthetics. Breece has served as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Orthotics and Prosthetics (NAAOP) since 1987—39 years ago.
NAAOP’s long-standing goal was to provide a policy voice in Washington, DC for O&P patients and the providers who serve them, and to advocate for quality of and access to orthotic and prosthetic care. Breece’s energy, passion, and dedication to these issues fueled NAAOP for nearly four decades. In the years since its inception, NAAOP has advocated for increased funding for O&P research and development, and Medicare and VA policies that align with the needs of O&P patients.
NAAOP’s George and Dena Breece Fellowship program, named in honor of his impact on the O&P field, has sponsored nine Breece Fellows to date. These Fellows have continued George’s fierce legacy of O&P advocacy in their respective careers. The Fellows are the embodiment of George’s immense impact and influence on the new generation of leaders and advocates that will continue to strengthen the position of the O&P field and the care the field provides to its patients.
The profession of O&P is forever changed by George Breece’s legacy. NAAOP thanks him for his decades of commitment and congratulates him on this incredible achievement.
George Breece has deep ties to Fayetteville. In 2022, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber awarded Breece the first ever George W. Breece Lifetime Achievement Award. This award has been given out annually to residents who commit to the betterment of the community following the example of Breece’s lasting impact. Breece’s achievements include active military service during the Vietnam War, serving in the North Carolina House of Representatives, as well as serving on a number of local boards and committees as both a member and chairman.
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