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Our Team

Mark Felling (EE, MBA), Executive Director 

Professional Speaker Profile & Personal Story

Mark Felling HeadshotMark began designing and inventing solutions both for himself and others soon after his plane crash in 2003 using his engineering background and experience teaching testing and quality to development groups at high-tech companies around the world. Guided by an intimate understanding of the unique needs of wheelchair users with upper extremity limitations as a C5 Quadriplegic himself, Mark created Broadened Horizons to introduce solutions focusing on innovative simplicity to maximize cost efficiency, compatibility, reliability, and ease of use.

Chronology & History

Delhi, India for Unidat Conference

Netherlands Entrepreneurs Organization (EO) Conference

Assistive Technology Introductory & speaking tour of Bahrain, Qatar, & UAE with Broadened Horizons' Middle East Distributors.

August, 2014: Mark performed Keynote speech and hosted Broadened Horizons' Accessibility Arcade for Canadian National Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) biannual conference in Vancouver Canada 

June, 12, 2014: Article: SCI Superstar: Mark E Felling - Reposted from SPINALpedia.org 

April 2014: Mark traveled through Costa Rica, meeting with Physiatrists (rehabilitation specialist doctors) and occupational therapists within both Costa Rica's public and private principal rehabilitation centers in San Jose.  Mark stayed with a quadriplegic customer, retired from managing a Canadian independent living center who operates Tranquillity Hill a small hotel with 2 accessible rooms.  Mark enjoyed experiencing the significant advances in accessibility encouraged through strong government regulations including excellent rapid growth of wheelchair taxi's available in almost every medium to small town.

April 9, 2014: The Inspiration of Possibility - What is Rehabilitation?  By Mark Felling, Minnesota Capitol Rotunda supporting legislation under consideration.

April, 2013: Mark had opportunity to experience and review with his parents and significant other the 'nearly' fully inclusive accessibility aboard the world's largest and newest Royal Caribbean cruise ship, The Oasis of the Seas.  Only two front decks and the exercise center could not be reached by wheelchair.  The Comfort Carrier proved far faster (2 minutes) and easier compared to the large hot to lift on inner pool (20 minutes) to use the infinity hot tub hanging over the side of the ship which did not have a lift.

November, 2012: On the generous invitation of Mac Holtz family, Mark, his brother Greg, and significant others visited Emerald Isle, NC staying in the Holtz family's beautiful wheelchair-accessible rental beach house during the off-season, bowling in Mac's Bowling Alley, and catching our limit of Trout on Mac's Accessible Pontoon with his high school friend who is a professional fishing guide. Mac is a avid gamer with the Accessible Arcade 2, often hosting gaming parties with friends.  Mark enjoyed getting Mac setup with a Van's EZ-Cast and Power Reel to fish independently.

September, 2012: Hosted Accessibility Arcade at ABIL Center (Arizona Bridge to Independent Living) in Phoenix Arizona to rave reviews.  Thanks to a generous quadriplegic local resident, Mark had an opportunity to go 'Duning' in the desert in a Polaris Razr.

Mark Felling meeting with Major HWS Ahluwalia, Chairman of the Indian Spinal Injuries Center

January, 2012: Mark toured India, experiencing the growing accessibility movement there for 19 days thanks to the wonderfull wheelchair-lift Van, driver, and local travel Personal Care Attendant services provided by Prasad, Janki, and Vikrant from Samantha Travels. In Delhi Mark met with Major HWS Ahluwalia, Chairman of the Indian Spinal Injuries Center in Dehli, Quadriplegic Veteran of the Indian Military, & fellow Adventure Traveler who from his wheelchair organized a caravan to transverse the ancient silk Road through Central Asia. Mark also met with Updadhyay Nekram, now director of the new 2000 ft.² assistive technology center created since Mark's visit.

September, 2010: Bogotá, Colombia

2009: Honduras

2008 Mexico: Mark and his father Earl tried to pioneer a new route for wheelchair-friendly travel tour driving across Yucatán Peninsula Cancun with easy direct flights from many parts of the world to Chichen Itza, to Campeche, to Freedom Shores, a fully wheelchair accessible and inclusive 12 room resort and RV Park owned by the Bussier family in Isla Aguada, just across the bay bridge from Cuidad del Carmen. Unfortunately the drive involved 8 hours of headache inducing bouncing in the back of a full-size van with wheelchair lift.  A great trip and experience but much easier to fly into Cuidad del Carmen even at greater cost.  Also met with _ wheelchair-friendly travel services in Cancun operated by _.

January 15, 08: Mark Felling, President of Broadened Horizons was elected Chairman of the Minnesota Governor's Advisory Council on Technology for People with Disabilities.

October 25th, 07:   Tim Pawlenty, Minnesota State Governor, appointed Mark Felling, President of Broadened Horizons, to the Governors Advisory Council On Technology for People with Disabilities for a 2 year term. Appointment & Press Release PDF The Governors Advisory Council on Technology for People with Disabilities administers the Minnesota System of Technology to Achieve Results (STAR) program.  The STAR Program is federally funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration in accordance with the Assistive Technology Act of 1998.  Council consists of 16 members including 11 public members appointed by the governor and five members of designated state agencies.   Disability Minnesota - Gateway for Disability Information in Minnesota

March, 2007: Broadened Horizons Incorporated

May, 2005: Broadened Horizons founded in response to future customer requests to make 3 products designed originally while in rehab available to the mobility impaired public: the patented Comfort Carrier, PowerGrip, and Vocalize 

May, 2013: Mark completes and begins using prototype PowerGrip before leaving rehab.  This early version using prosthetic components required constant repairs nearly every month.  Current version is extremely durable, utilized by hundreds of quadriplegics across the country for more than 8 years and less than 2% ever ever having yet replaced a major component.

December, 2003: Mark completes development and starts using his first wheelchair-integrated voice control cell phone system, a precursor to the Vocalize system while in rehab at Courage Center, Golden Valley, Minnesota. Other rehabilitation patients frequently inquired where I got it and demanded to get one for themselves.

August, 2003: Mark conceptually designs most of the details of the Sky Chariot Wheelchair Accessible Private Airplane and Road Chariot Wheelchair Accessible Motorcycle as a mental exercise while staring at the ceiling the first week of lucidness after 1 months in ICU. Mark's goal with the Sky Chairiot remains to be the world's first quadriplegic to fly independently cross-country as pilot in command!  The 1st gasoline-powered Road Chariot manufactured in Brazil was delivered to a 70-year-old US veteran who lost his legs in Vietnam in Iowa, November, 2013. after customs assurances to the contrary and special authorizations, the US DOT and EPA put up ridiculous bureaucratic restrictions, things derived from lobbyists as protectionism for the US automotive industry but stifling all innovation since there is no accommodations for manufacturers of unique, low-volume vehicles but instead expect to treat all as though they are Toyota importing 10,000 units.  This ridiculous bureaucracy where the EPA insisted on crushing and adding waste to landfill stifles the freedoms these veterans fought for and lost their legs and mobility for!  Mark has stopped all deliveries of Road Chariots with more than 15 US veterans waiting due to this restrictive, stifling bureaucracy and as of June, 2014 discovered a new partner enabling redesign the Road Chariot as a modern lithium-polymer electric wheelchair motorcycle.

July 2, 2003, 9:50 PM: Mark was piloting his own modern 2 seat experimental aircraft.  Due to engine failure shortly after takeoff, he was forced to crash “land” in the trees of the Minnesota River Valley. 40 feet above the ground, the super-strong all composite wing impacted a tree that did not budge, stopped the aircraft in midair which flipped over upside down.  Mark landed on his head with the airplane on top of him causing a spinal cord injury which left Mark a C4-C5 level quadriplegic. A publicized, harrowing rescue by state patrol and medevac helicopter pilots during the middle of a thunderstorm that evening is remembered by many.

 
Mark's  LinkedIn Professional Recommendations
Recommendations  listed by position in chronological order, most recent at the  top.
 
President at  Broadened Horizons, Inc.

"Mark was the  guest speaker at UCP’s annual meeting last fall. He showed us several of the  assistive technology products he’d been developing, and later advised the  purchase of several devices to add to UCP’s demo and loan library. Those items  have been used extensively by the community, and therefore I conclude that the  recommendations he gave me were very intuitive.

Mark always  takes the time to follow up either by phoning after a transaction is complete to  be sure setup was as easy as promised or, on occasion, stops into the office to  help with setup and inform me of new technology that will soon be available. His  good advice and excellent follow-through exceed the normal scope of customer  service."

William L.  Bussear - Accessible Tourism
"I am very happy  that I met Mark Felling! He is a wonderful example of someone who is waging a  furious and courageous fight against quadriplegia! His enthusiasm is contagious  and the products he offers the handicap community is impressive and extremely  utilitarian! I personally purchased one of his Comfort Carriers and it is an  exemplary product. It makes getting on and getting off a passenger aircraft much  safer and much easier on everyone involved!  I hope to meet him and  personally share ideas with him in March of 2008!"

Michelle  Hinn - hired Mark as a IT  Consultant in 2007
“I just started  working with Mark on a game industry project for gamers with disabilities and  was quick to provide so many alternative solutions that I didn't know about. I  will recommend him to my colleagues in the video gaming industry without a  doubt. In just a short phone call we had the project mapped out, which went way  beyond my expectations and is far and above any customer service I've received  from any other company!” February 15, 2007
Top qualities:  Personable, Expert, Creative
 
 ------------------------- OUR TEAM --------------------------

David Quilleash - Customer Service - Assistive Technology Specialist (ext 104)

Having lived his entire life as a wheelchair user, David whose mobility is limited by Cerebral Palsy, utilizes a variety of assistive technologies both personally & professionally.  Before joining Broadened Horizons, David (MBA) managed a thriving Customer Service Management consulting service working with many large well-known corporations such as Cargill & Best Buy. David enjoys the greater flexibility working with Broadened Horizons affords him while feeling he is making a significant contribution to society and humanity, improving the lives of disabled clients one person at a time. David is intimately familiar with funding and community supports such as independent living waiver programs, vocational rehabilitation, independent education plans (IEP's), transitional grants, telephone equipment distribution programs, and more available to persons with a variety of different disabilities.

Brian P. Swift - Marketing & Account Manager  (ext 105)

Brian, himself a C6 Quadriplegic from a football injury in high school, Father of 5, Husband, and manual wheelchair user for 35 years joined the Broadened Horizons / GimpGear teams in 2014 to facilitate strategic market awareness efforts and new and existing account management.  With a strong background in the telephone communications industry and Yellow Pages print marketing, and team development and coaching, Brian has been rapidly expanding his skills with technology to be prepared to coach and guide a new group of Broadened Horizons customer service representatives into assistive technology consultants.  Brian, located in the Chicago area, enjoys attending his children's wide variety of sporting events.

Michael Peltier - Customer Service - Returns & Repairs (ext 103)

A proud geek at heart, Michael joined the BroadenedHorizons team in 2013 to ensure our valued customers are cared for just as much after the sale to get damaged equipment repaired or failures replaced quickly and efficiently.  Michael has learned to adapt to, and sometimes leverage undiagnosed ADHD or slight autistic tendencies that sometimes challenged him as a youth.  This helps him better relate to the unique, individual character of each of our clients.
Michael Tomkins Headshot

Michael Tompkins - Integration Engineer, Master Technician

With over 38 years experience with a variety of high-tech companies, Mike breathes life into our unique assistive technologies with consistent, top-quality results. Mike and Mark worked together prior to Mark's plane crash, and joined the Broadened Horizons team in 2007 providing the knowledge and expertise to enable us to create new and innovative solutions you see today that simply never existed before. Mike brings a unique perspective implementing prototypes and custom solutions while we move those into more standardized solutions over time.

Mikayla Harris - Administrative Assistant (ext 106)

With previous experience in healthcare and real estate, Mikayla joined the Broadened Horizons team in 2014 supporting Mark and other team members in a variety of roles including fulfillment.

Open Position - Inventory Coordinator

Ideal candidate will have a strong background and most importantly, personal talents and aptitude in Operations.  Highly organized candidate with technical skills using common hand and power tools will have responsibility for Purchasing & Receiving, Final Assembly & Packaging, & Order Que
Fulfillment.  Candidate will also be in charge of maintaining inventory in a highly organized and well documented/liberal manner including documenting Bill of Materials & Assembly procedures for products assembled or manufactured in-house.

 

Open Positions - 2-3 Inside International & After Hours Customer Service Reps 

These roles will provide responsive phone, Skype, and website chat service and assistance finding the correct solution, placing an order on the website or by phone, order status, and other customer service questions through a much broader range of office hours including USA & Canadian evenings, United Kingdom & Europe, and India, Australia, & New Zealand. These roles will likely be located internationally, possibly the Philippines to leverage central location & often excellent American accented English verbal and written communication skills supporting customers worldwide.

 

Rosalie Peltier, Assembly & General Assistance

A master seamstress brings functional beauty with finely crafted details to the Comfort Coats, Wiimote hat, and many other non-electrical products.

 


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