Two graduates began their service as members of Des Moines University’s Alumni Board of Directors in June: Rich Green, M.S.P.T.’92, and Blake Hardy, M.S.P.T.’95, D.P.T.’05, OCS.
Rich Green is chief executive officer of Des Moines Orthopaedic Surgeons in Des Moines, West Des Moines and Ankeny, Iowa. He became affiliated with DMOS Physical and Hand Therapy in 1994, left in 2006 to join Mercy Clinics in Des Moines and then returned to DMOS in 2016 as director of physical and hand therapy. He joined the executive team as chief operating officer in 2018 and was promoted to CEO in January 2023.
When Green served as the director of medical services for the IMT Des Moines Marathon, he tapped DMU’s physical therapy students to volunteer in the marathon’s post-race recovery zone along with osteopathic medicine and podiatric medicine students. He and his DMOS colleagues continue to recruit DMU students and graduates at their practice.
Green is active in the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and the OrthoForum, a group of many of the nation’s largest private orthopedic practices established to help its members advance through benchmarking, innovation, business ventures, networking and best practices.
Blake Hardy is a physical therapist and partner at Core Physical Therapy in West Des Moines and Adel, Iowa, where he has served as a preceptor for DMU physical therapy students for more than 15 years. He has pursued continuing education throughout his career, mostly in orthopedics, spine care and manual therapy, and he maintains certification as a certified orthopedic specialist.
Hardy has served the Iowa Physical Therapy Association as a district director, state treasurer, association vice president and, from 2009 to 2011, as president. During his time on the IPTA board, the association successfully advocated for legislation for term protection for physical therapists and for recognition of PTs as providers for concussion care, which was the first such legislation in the country.
Hardy was honored by the IPTA in 2012 with the Olive C. Farr Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his many years of service. He is the first DMU physical therapy alumnus to receive this award. He also was named the DMU College of Health Sciences Alumnus of the Year in 2018.
