Davenport SAF-T Systems announces formation of first-ever advisory board

Seven-member board brings expertise in orthopaedic surgery, mechanical engineering, finance, communications, senior care, product development, social science and research

MINNEAPOLIS (July 15, 2020) – In another important milestone in its mission to reduce devastating injuries from falls among adults 65 and older, Davenport SAF-T Systems™ has announced the formation of its first-ever company advisory board.

Members of the board will share key technical and professional advice and counsel as the company develops its novel wearable technology to reduce injuries from falls—a public health crisis and $50 billion drain on healthcare in the U.S.

“We are thrilled to welcome this group of distinguished experts to our team,” said company founder and chief medical officer Jay Davenport, M.D. “In order for us to develop the SAF-T VEST™ to help seniors maintain their health and independence, we needed an advisory board with deep experience in key disciplines critical to our success. We’ve certainly accomplished that with these individuals.”

Meet the advisory board

Lance Silverman, M.D., is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle surgery. He founded his independent practice Silverman Ankle and Foot in 2005. Dr. Silverman is a board-certified member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. He received his medical degree in 1996 at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. He served a four-year residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Mich., and was awarded a fellowship in foot and ankle surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dr. Silverman and his family reside in Minneapolis.

Brian Kohlbeck is chief financial officer at Phillips Distilling Company. Brian has extensive corporate finance experience at General Mills, Best Buy, Lands’ End and Gander Mountain. He has a proven track record delivering business results and driving financial performance as a financial and operational leader. He also brings strong skills in strategic planning and analysis, new business model development and innovation, acquisition and divestiture analysis and business restructuring. Brian and his family reside in St. Paul.

Dan Sullivan is a senior consultant with the AMK Group. Dan is a product management and technical expert with deep experience in product development and managing profit and loss business and programs. He has delivered results and defined business and organizational strategy at companies such as Daikin Applied Americas, Target and Honeywell. Dan holds a BS degree in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota. He also has an MBA from the Carlson School of Management. He and his family live in New Prague, Minn.

Mae Davenport, Ph.D., conducts social science research for human and community well-being and their connections to the natural environment. She is motivated by research that addresses real-world problems. Dr. Davenport’s work aims to reduce uncertainty for decision makers, promoting social justice and improving environmental sustainability. As a professor at the University of Minnesota, she is trained in social-behavioral human subjects research (NIH, Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative), data security, research ethics, and fiscal responsibility. Mae and her family live in St. Paul.

Joel Prevost is a healthcare leader with more than 17 years of experience in long-term care and aging services. He’s led campuses and communities including home care, hospice, palliative care, TCU, assisted living, long-term care, adult day and creative arts through life-long learning. Joel embraces the potential role of technology to improve long-term care. He has experience partnering with innovators to bring virtual reality to seniors to improve quality of life. Joel holds a B.A. from Montana State University and an MBA from Augsburg University in Minneapolis. Joel and his family live in Golden Valley, Minn.

Steve McCarthy is a leading health care communications strategist in the Twin Cities with more than 15 years of experience in a variety of settings. With his strong background as a writer and producer in broadcast journalism, Steve has a proven record of driving results at healthcare systems including Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, Park Nicollet Health Services and UnitedHealth Group. Steve provides executive level-counsel to help organizations elevate visibility, boost reputation and build pride, trust and loyalty among employees. He and his family live in Mendota Heights, Minn.

Chris Narveson is a mechanical engineering lead at Nextern in White Bear Lake, Minn. Nextern collaborates with innovators, clinicians, and companies to create, iterate, optimize, and manufacture best-in-class medical devices. Previously, he provided technical leadership and management guidance at Caztek, a full-service product development and engineering analysis firm in St Paul. Chris has consulted with Davenport SAF-T Systems on our product design and development. He holds a B.S. in aerospace engineering from Iowa State University, and a M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of St. Thomas. He and his family live in Minneapolis.

About the founders

Jay A. Davenport, M.D., a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, is principal investigator and chief medical officer at Davenport SAF-T Systems. He brings a deep clinical knowledge of bone and joint injuries caused by falls and the biomechanics of a fall. Dr. Davenport’s background as a registered physical therapist effectively intersects with his training as a surgeon to guide the development of a solution to a problem for which he’s uniquely qualified to address. His goal: to create a safe, effective solution that will reduce the consequences of losing one’s balance and falling. Dr. Davenport seeks to address a critical issue facing the nation: the soaring cost of care for our rapidly aging population. In his surgical practice, he cared for patients from across Minnesota’s vast Iron Range, an area dotted with small mining towns about 75 miles north of Duluth. In Dr. Davenport’s nearly 30-year career, a large segment of his surgical practice involved treating elderly patients injured in falls. He received his medical degree from the University of Kansas and served his residency at Dickson-Dively Midwest Orthopaedic Clinic in Kansas City, Mo.

Ryan Davenport has worked in healthcare delivery and medical device communications for more than 20 years. As owner of DavenPR, L.L.C., he provides strategic PR/media relations counsel to a variety of clients, including those in healthcare and medical device. Prior to starting his own firm, Ryan worked for a Fortune 500 medical device company in corporate communications. He brings deep insight into technical product research and development, clinical trials and commercial product launches. He worked closely with device engineers, clinical trial designers, scientific investigators and clinical consultants. Prior to that he was a media relations and public affairs expert at Fairview Health Services, he helped manage communications for hospital grand openings, groundbreaking treatments and complex care model innovations.

About Davenport SAF-T Systems
Davenport SAF-T Systems is developing the SAF-T VEST, a wearable technology designed to reduce the risk of injury in falls. Injuries suffered from falls are a growing public health crisis. In 2015, the direct medical cost of fall injuries in the U.S. topped $50 billion.

Invented by founder Jay A. Davenport, M.D., a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon, The SAF-T VEST is equipped with sensors that continuously monitor the user’s center of balance. When an unrecoverable fall is detected, a microprocessor will trigger a network of airbags to inflate in a fraction of a second, absorbing the impact of the fall and deflating rapidly for a soft landing. The airbags protect the pelvis, hips, upper extremities and head.