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A.J. Filippis: The Family Behind the Man and the Company
By Jodi Mills  You cannot speak to A.J. Filippis, CPO, president
of Wright & Filippis, Rochester Hills, Mich-igan, without
recognizing the value he places on family. This successful
businessman and recipient of the Ernst & Young 2003 Eastern
Michigan Entrepreneur of the Year Award Health Sciences Division
not only refers to his immediate family with much admiration and
affection, but also to his employees, patients, business partners,
and everyone who has helped make Wright & Filippis the company
that it is today.
A life-altering accident at a young age involving Anthony
Filippis, Sr., A.J.'s father, required the amputation of both legs
below the knee. He experienced years of struggle and
disappointment. He then founded a company in partnership with Carl
Wright which helped start a new era in total healthcare for the
disabled. From computer-designed prosthetic limbs to homecare
equipment, from the installation of wheelchair ramps and making
homes and businesses barrier-free, to its third-party
administration and claims-processing departments, Wright &
Filippis is one of the largest privately held companies in the
country dealing with total healthcare. Sixty years after that
partnership began, the company employs 700 "family members" in
three states.
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A.J. Filippis, CPO |
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A.J. Filippis shared his thoughts on what has made
Wright & Filippis a success and how they plan to keep the dream
going.
"We have truly been blessed," said Filippis. "When we talk about
family, we also talk about our employees as part of our family. We
try to share our successes with them. That has given us strength as
an employer. We are all in this for the long haul." He added, "I
get requests almost daily about mergers or acquisitions. I don't
even respond because I have no interest. I get up every morning and
look forward to coming to work, knowing there will be new
challenges."
Filippis' Defining Moment'
This is a man who truly loves his work and all it involves. What
was the defining moment in his life that really pushed him to
follow in his father and older brother Gene's footsteps? According
to A.J., it was witnessing their intense care of a young girl who
had lost a leg to cancer back when this was nearly always a death
sentence, due to a lack of the medical know-how and technology
available today.
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Wright & Filippis Founder Anthony Filippis Sr. (left) and President A.J. Filippis (right) present Steve Peck, chairman of the Miracle League of Michigan, with a $25,000 contribution to help kick off the campaign drive to build a state-of-the-art adaptive baseball field in suburban Detroit. |
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As young A.J. observed the difficulties she and
her family faced in all aspects of their lives, he also realized
the difference his father and brother were making through their
work and how much they cared. In 1968 A.J. began his career as an
orthotic and prosthetic technician. He studied prosthetics and
orthotics at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, later
being certified in both disciplines by the American Board for
Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics (ABC).
Although he obtained an associate degree in business from
Oakland Community College, Rochester, Michigan, he'll tell you that
school wasn't his forte. He has always been a hands-on kind of guy.
Being a prosthetist/orthotist has always given him the "hands-on"
involvement with patients that he enjoys. He revels in the fact
that at the end of the day, he has really accomplished something
for the good of others and can see the results of his work.
Filippis also attributes the company's success to the spirit of
volunteerism that is instilled in the Filippis family and
employees. The company sponsors many events, such as the Gene
Filippis Memorial Golf Tournament, held annually in honor of his
older brother who succumbed to cancer. In 2003 the proceeds from
that tournament benefited Leader Dogs for the Blind and the
Athletes With Disabilities Hall of Fame--another project
spearheaded by Anthony Sr.
Giving Back' Marks 60th Anniversary
The year 2004 marks the 60th anniversary of Wright &
Filippis. Sounds like time for a party, right? Well, they did that
on the 50th, so they decided it was time to celebrate in a
different way. "Giving back and saying thank you' to the people
that made us and continue to make us successful is the goal," said
Filippis. Wright & Filippis is sponsoring a Charitable Donation
Program that will donate $1,000 to each of 60 different nonprofit
organizations. Also as part of the 60th anniversary celebration,
A.J. has instituted a community service program called "First to
Serve" in which Wright & Filippis employees volunteer their
time to help local nonprofit organizations. Under A.J.'s direction,
Wright & Filippis has also introduced a new disability
awareness program to benefit hundreds of school children throughout
the state of Michigan, and the company is sponsoring an art contest
that will award savings bonds to elementary students later this
year. Another event is the Wheelchair Daze picnic held annually in
August, when 1,300-1,400 persons enjoy a day at a park with
carnival rides accommodating wheelchair use, a petting zoo, and
pontoon boat rides. Filippis is quick to point out that the
company's charitable ventures couldn't happen without the support
and generosity of the employees of Wright & Filippis, as well
as Blue Cross, physicians, therapists, suppliers, and others.
Nice Guys Don't Always Finish Last
Nice guys finish last--isn't that the saying? A.J. Filippis is
proving that's just not true. His personal goal is always to be the
best he can be at what he does. This attitude permeates the company
as it strives to provide the highest level of service. Patients who
have moved as far away as Florida and North Carolina return to
Michigan to continue their care. "Treat the patient as if he or she
were your own mother or father" was Anthony Filippis Sr.'s advice
years ago. Helping patients to be in even better shape than they
were before undergoing an amputation is an objective. Many suffered
more disability or were even bedridden before amputation. After
amputation, they can often be helped to see they can be active and
enjoy life.
Maintaining Quality Despite Increasing Costs
Business isn't all peaches and cream, however. The three-year
freeze in reimbursements will have an effect on how the business
operates, Filippis said. All other costs will continue to rise:
salaries, employee health insurance, supplies, utilities, and
others.
Service often takes the hit as costs rise, and the bottom line
is that the patient suffers. Wright & Filippis is researching
ways to improve its computer system to cut billing and other
administrative and business costs, translating into less of an
effect on the clinical side.
With years of experience, the best advice Filippis feels he can
give someone just starting his or her own business is: "Never
forget your other commitments." Naturally, he is referring to
family. Work can be all-consuming, so priorities have to be set.
Strong families are what promote success, both personally and
professionally. When he was seven or eight, A.J. often accompanied
his father on extended weekend trips to promote the company. Those
trips helped A.J. to bond with his father, be a part of the future,
and gave him the drive to not only follow in those footsteps, but
also to make a path of his own.
Family Members in the Business
Another way to have close contact with your family, despite a
heavy workload, is to employ them! Nancy Hakala, A.J.'s sister, has
been working for 16 years with the company since raising her own
family. Currently she is a director/branch manager at the company's
Livonia, Michigan, office as well as an account representative.
Gene's children are actively involved as well. Pam Lupo is director
of Orthotics & Post Mastectomy Care, while her husband, Ron, is
a regional manager. Steve Filippis is director of operations. Their
sister, Debbie Pincura, is director of network services and her
husband, John, is director of information technology.
Then there are A.J.'s children. Tony III is the manager of the
Lifts, Elevators, and Ramps Division, and his brother, Jeremy,
works with him. Matthew is involved in the Organizational
Improvement Department. Although still in college, younger brothers
Ryan and Dominic aren't off the hook--they show up to lend a hand
during summer break. A.J.'s daughter, Jennifer Cattel, is also in
the business of serving and helping others as a second-grade
schoolteacher. And A.J. emphasized none of this would be possible
without the support of his wife, Mary. She also worked for the
company for a year before the birth of their first child. Mary's
devotion to her children and husband is what has enabled them to
maintain a solid, loving family throughout the years when "the
Company" could have swallowed them, A.J. said. And now another
generation of the Filippis family is on the scene. Granddaughter
Adrianna is the light of her grandparents' eyes and will definitely
have the opportunity to take up where her elders leave off.
What about the Future?
"There will continue to be growth in the profession we are in,"
Filippis said matter-of-factly. "We aren't going to lack for
patients to service, whether on the P&O side or the home
medical equipment side. What we need to do is be smarter in how we
do things, so we can continue to provide quality of service with
the restrictions that we have due to cost containment."
If the past is any indicator of the future, Wright &
Filippis, its founding family, and its family of employees will
have no trouble continuing to fulfill that goal. 
Table Of Contents - March 2004
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