About Us

After serving as a trauma surgeon in Vietnam, Dr. Sam Scheinberg recognized the need for better emergency splints. His “AHA” experience occurred while he wrapped an aluminum foil gum wrapper around his finger. At that moment he realized an appropriately sized thin, soft strip of metal could serve as a perfect splint. Fifteen years, and many false starts later, Sam and his wife Cherrie opened a company in the kitchen of their home to manufacture the world’s first universal splint. Since their humble beginning the SAM® Splint has become the most common emergency splint in use on the planet. The SAM® Medical Company has continued to innovate medical devices designed to address the most challenging problems in the emergency prehospital setting. After nearly 40 years in the industry Sam and Cherrie continue to travel the world teaching, training, and most important listening to the needs of their personal heroes … those feet on the street who answer the call day or night when others are in need.

Sam Scheinberg, M.D., C.E.O of SAM® Medical, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. He still lives on the Oregon Coast where he practiced orthopedic surgery and co-founded the SAM® Medical Company.

Cherrie Scheinberg, attended Northwestern and is the Co-founder / heart and soul of SAM® Medical. She is a peerless teacher and trainer. Sam and Cherrie have been Married 55 years.

After serving as a trauma surgeon in Vietnam, Dr. Sam Scheinberg recognized the need for better emergency splints. His “AHA” experience occurred while he wrapped an aluminum foil gum wrapper around his finger. At that moment he realized an appropriately sized thin, soft strip of metal could serve as a perfect splint. Fifteen years, and many false starts later, Sam and his wife Cherrie opened a company in the kitchen of their home to manufacture the world’s first universal splint. Since their humble beginning the SAM® Splint has become the most common emergency splint in use on the planet. The SAM® Medical Company has continued to innovate medical devices designed to address the most challenging problems in the emergency prehospital setting. After nearly 40 years in the industry Sam and Cherrie continue to travel the world teaching, training, and most important listening to the needs of their personal heroes … those feet on the street who answer the call day or night when others are in need.

Sam Scheinberg, M.D., C.E.O of SAM® Medical, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. He still lives on the Oregon Coast where he practiced orthopedic surgery and co-founded the SAM® Medical Company.

Cherrie Scheinberg, attended Northwestern and is the Co-founder / heart and soul of SAM® Medical. She is a peerless teacher and trainer. Sam and Cherrie have been Married 55 years.

Gordon Zander, Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Zander joined the company in August 2017 after 7 years as the Director of Finance for Cummins Northwest, a $250 million subsidiary of Cummins, Inc. (NYSE: CMI), a Fortune 500 company that designs, manufactures and distributes engines and power generation products, worldwide. Prior to that Mr. Zander was the Corporate Controller for EnergyConnect Group from 2003 to 2010. Energy Connect was a publicly traded company in the energy services field including a subsidiary that developed and produced smart grid management software. Energy Connect was later purchased by Johnson Controls. Prior to that, Mr. Zander held management positions with a couple of food processing companies and a local Oregon steel mill. Mr. Zander has an excellent background in internal controls and processes, having been the primary executive in charge of the implementation of an Oracle system at Cummins Northwest as well as being in charge of the initial Sarbannes-Oxley compliance at Cummins Northwest and Energy Connect. Mr. Zander received his Master’s Degree in Finance from the University of Minnesota, his Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University, and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

Denise Ehlert, Director of Sales. Ms. Ehlert joined SAM Medical as the Director of Sales in April of 2016. She is the head of an 11 member sales team at the Company. Prior to coming to SAM Medical, Ms. Ehlert was the Inside Sales Manager and Supply Chain manager for TTI, Inc. (TTI), a distributor of computer electronic components, from 1999 to 2015. At TTI she facilitated global negotiations and procurement contracts with multi-national customers. TTI is also part of the publicly held company, Berkshire Hathaway. Prior to that position with TTI, Ms. Ehlert was also an inside sales person with TTI from 1996 to 1999, and a Product Manager with TTI from 1994 to 1996. Ms. Ehlert received her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification in 2007. She is currently an active and OSSA Board Certified member of the Pacific NW Search and Rescue.

Kyle Sims, Director of New Product Development. Mr. Sims Joined SAM Medical in October of 2016 as a consultant engaged in sourcing new product ideas for the Company, and hired on full time in July 2017. Prior to his engagement with SAM, he was the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Sergeant Major for the Army Special Operations Combat Development Directorate. He was a Special Forces Medic with twenty years of service, sixteen years in special operations and more than five years of combat deployments in a broad spectrum of austere assignments in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia. He also served as the interface between the Department of Defense end users, industry and academia to develop operational test plans and transition pathways for projects from science and technology concepts to commercial products. As one of USSOCOM's leading experts in development and fielding of special operations medical equipment and tactics, techniques and procedures, Mr. Sims also served on the Department of Defense's Joint Program Committee for Combat Care, Hemorrhage Control and Fluid Resuscitation and Forward Surgical Intensive and Critical Care Steering Committees as well as the USSOCOM Biomedical Research Advisory Group. He also served as a liaison member to the Committee for Tactical Combat Casualty Care and numerous integrated product teams for the Army, Navy and USSOCOM. He has fielded two Popular Science Inventions of the Year and is a recipient of the David A. Packard Better Buying Power Efficiency Award. Mr. Sims is currently working on his Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Johns Hopkins University.

Daryl Swartout, Director of Operations. Daryl joined SAM Medical in April 2012 as Manufacturing Manager where he oversees all company direct manufacturing, maintenance and facilities. Daryl was appointed as Director of operations in December 2016. He brings over 20 years of experience contributing to strategic business growth in management and supervision roles related to the manufacturing of a wide variety of products. Prior to joining SAM Medical, Daryl oversaw resources and budgets for the manufacturing of complex steel and titanium castings for multiple departments of PCC Structurals, Inc., a subsidiary of Precision Castparts Corporation in Portland, Oregon. Much of Daryl’s track record of success is due to his ability to continually analyze and introduce new manufacturing processes, methods, technologies, ideas and layouts to improve quality, efficiency and productivity.