The OrthoPoP Team

Douglas Blacklidge, DPM, FACFAS

Founder and CEO

Dr. Blacklidge is a practicing podiatric surgeon in central Indiana with a long career in orthopedic device innovation. He holds multiple patents, and several of his foot and ankle devices have reached the market. He has contributed to design teams for major orthopedic companies including Stryker, Wright Medical, Paragon28, and Extremity Medical.

In 1997, he founded the Foot and Ankle Group within American Health Network (now part of Optum) and has served as its medical director since its beginning. His group has trained foot and ankle surgical fellows since 2004, and he is also active in educating central Indiana podiatric surgical residents.

Dr. Blacklidge has been consistently involved in education, research, and innovation. He has published numerous peer-reviewed papers, including descriptions of new surgical techniques and outcomes. He has maintained board certification in foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery since 1997. In 2023, he received the Indiana Podiatric Medical Association's Dr. T.H. Clarke Achievement Award for his contributions to the profession and the community.

He completed his undergraduate studies at Purdue University and earned his medical degree from Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, graduating as class salutatorian and "Outstanding Student of Surgery." His residency was at the Detroit Medical Center, followed by an AO fellowship in Mainz, Germany. His clinical interests include complex foot and ankle reconstruction, revision surgery, peripheral nerve surgery, Charcot reconstruction, and ankle replacement.

Adam Perler, DPM, FACFAS

Co-Founder and VP of Technology

Dr. Perler is a fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon specializing in complex adult and pediatric deformity correction, total ankle replacement, and customized 3D-printed solutions for advanced reconstruction. He has built a busy tertiary-referral practice over more than two decades, beginning at American Health Network Foot & Ankle in Indiana before relocating to Florida to join Alexander Orthopaedic Associates in St. Petersburg. Dr. Perler is board certified in Foot and Reconstructive Rearfoot/Ankle Surgery by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and maintains active licenses in Indiana, Florida, and North Carolina.

A recognized surgeon-innovator, Dr. Perler has co-founded and led multiple med-tech ventures focused on next-generation orthopedic care, including InMotus Medical, RedPoint Medical 3D, OrthoPoP, Protekt Ortho, and SciMynd. He currently serves in key leadership roles such as Chief Executive Officer, Chief Innovation Officer, or Surgeon Developer across these platforms, while also acting as Chief Marketing Officer for FloSpine.

Dr. Perler has contributed extensively to new product development in foot and ankle surgery, serving on numerous surgeon design teams and holding multiple U.S. and international patents related to patient-specific implants, surgical instrumentation, and total ankle replacement systems.

Committed to education, mentorship, and global outreach, Dr. Perler founded and directed advanced reconstructive foot and ankle fellowship programs in both Indiana and Florida and co-founded the Florida Foot & Ankle Fellowship Society. He has been honored with awards such as the Florida Podiatric Medical Association's Physician of the Year and the Indiana Podiatric Medical Association's Distinguished Service to the Community.

Charles "Skeets" James

COO/CFO - Co-Founder

Skeets was the CFO/part owner of Red Point Medical, a leader in patient-specific surgery cut guides (sold in 2023). For ten years, he was CEO/CFO and part owner of eGov Strategies (sold), a SaaS provider of on-line solutions to municipal governments. Prior to these positions, he was COO/CFO of AXS Imaging, an independent distributor of medical imaging equipment.

For six years Skeets was an executive at Ascension Health's TriMedx, serving in several leadership positions (V.P. Service, CFO, and Corporate Responsibility Officer) in this entrepreneurial, high growth medical equipment service company. Prior to joining TriMedx, he held senior-level positions at General Motors, from Divisional Finance Director to Director of Healthcare Initiatives, retiring after 33 years.

A CPA, Skeets earned an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Dayton. He also attended Harvard University's Program for Management Development. He was an active member of the Butler College of Business Dean's Advisory Board and was an Adjunct Professor (entrepreneurial finance). He was a 2009 honoree in IBJ's CFO of the Year award.

Dan Hessel

President of Business Development

Dan retired in 2025 from Terumo Medical Corporation where he was Senior Manager of Corporate Strategy responsible for developing selling strategies integrating all 5 Terumo business units operating in North and South America as well as standardizing vendor contracts in the Americas or globally when appropriate. Since 2006 Dan has served in increasingly responsible sales positions.

Prior to Terumo, Dan spent 4 years as the National Sales Director for TriMedx, an entrepreneurial, high growth medical equipment service company owned by Ascension Health. After serving in the Navy for 4 years, he began his career as a biomedical technologist at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.

Dan has held sales positions at U.S. Medical, Aldan Medical Products, Lynn Medical, Laserscope, and GE Medical Systems where he was a Healthcare Services Account Manager. Dan resides in Pittsboro, Indiana.