Merrill Reuter, M.D., Ph.D., FACS is the Company's chairman of the Board and is the president of Advanced Orthopaedics of South Florida, Inc. He has served as chairman of the Board of Directors since 2002.

Dr. Reuter founded Advanced Orthopaedics of South Florida, Inc. in Lake Worth, Florida in 1992 and from that date until the present has served as its president and medical director.

Dr. Reuter was one of the first spine surgeons in the state of Florida to undergo training for minimally invasive spine surgery. Since 1999, he has been the course director of the Minimally Invasive Spine Update courses, training spine surgeons and related physicians. Dr. Reuter has participated in FDA and non-FDA studies and has lectured worldwide on his findings. He has been able to apply these minimally invasive techniques, resulting in reduced operative and recovery times as well as lower costs for his patients care.

Dr. Reuter has been board certified in orthopaedic surgery by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inc. since 1996. He is also board certified by the American Board of Minimally Invasive Spinal Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Reuter received his bachelor's in Biophysics from Tulane University, his medical doctorate and his master's in Biomaterials from Brown University, and an additional doctorate of philosophy in surgical research from the American International University Online Program.