Page 36 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch November 15, 2013 Son Completes Education, Joins His Father In Family Business By SHAWN J. SOPER gle location in Ocean Pines, but has expanded steadily over the years. NEWS EDITOR The company now has state-of-theBERLIN – An oft-repeated saying art physical therapy and sports around the Lower Shore goes the medicine facilities in Millsboro and area’s brightest and best rarely get Laurel in neighboring Sussex Counan opportunity to return to where ty and two more facilities in Philthey grew up after college and find adelphia. Next month, APT will open meaningful, well-paying careers in facilities in Salisbury and Ocean View. their fields. Atlantic Physical Therapy was reAt least one shining exception to cently voted the best physical therathe adage is former Stephen Decatur High School standout Bobby py practice in the Ocean City area Hammond III, who recently complet- and awarded Business of the Year for 2013 by the Ocean ed his doctorate degree at Pines Chamber of Comthe University of Maryland merce. Eastern Shore and is now Bobby Hammond’s inworking as a certified physspiration for a career in ical therapist at his family’s physical therapy naturally business, Atlantic Physical derived from growing up Therapy and Sports Medaround the family practice, icine Inc. but he gained a newfound Hammond, the quarterrespect for the profession back of Decatur’s highly while rehabbing a sportssuccessful teams in the mid-2000s and later a dec- BOBBY HAMMOND III related shoulder injury folorated professional boxer, earned lowing surgery. his undergraduate degree at SalisWith his extensive sports backbury University before going on to ground, it would seem to naturally complete his doctorate in physical follow that he would focus his career therapy at UMES. on athletic injury rehabilitation. A Hammond, son of Atlantic Phy- large amount of his work is related sical Therapy President and CEO to sports injury prevention and rehaBob Hammond, finished his doctor- bilitation, but his focus has landed ate at UMES in September, recently on another aspect of the business. passed his board exams and is now “Being from around here, I’m a certified physical therapist. After pretty well-rounded, but my focus is growing up around the family busi- on orthopedics,” he said. “I really ness, Hammond is now a practicing like working with geriatrics. We doctor at the company’s facility in have a large geriatric population Ocean Pines. here and falls and balance issues “I can’t tell you how excited I am are very serious. We can teach to be a part of this,” he said this ways to strengthen muscles and week. “I grew up around the busi- joints to prevent falls and address ness, cleaning up, folding towels balance issues. We can help rehaand other chores around the office, bilitate injuries from falls, but we can and this is all I’ve ever known. This also prevent them in the first place.” is where I grew up since kinderFor his part, Bob Hammond is garten and I went to college on the thrilled to see his son complete shore and got my doctorate on the years of undergraduate and doctorshore and now it’s really time to give ate work to follow in his footsteps back to the community that has and join the family business. done so much for me and supported “We never really figured him to me over the years.” be a doctor,” he said. “But Bobby Bob Hammond started Atlantic has worked extremely hard and I Physical Therapy in 1998 with a sin- am very proud of him.” H u g e S a l e ! ! ! I n s i d e & O u t s i d e ! Sat., Nov. 16 only! 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Holly’s Treasure Chest EXTRA 20% Off All Beach Chairs 30% OFF All Clothing And reductions on too many additional items to mention! Z i p p o s , N F L , Te l e s c o p e C h a i r s , B e a c h S t u f f , Clothing, Hats, Car Decals, Christmas Gifts Unique Gifts & Much More. 900 Coastal Hwy., Fenwick Island, DE • 302-581-0118