Invacare is currently the industry leader in home medical products, which is a $6 billion market. Mr. Dmytriw's busy manufacturing teams work closely with Invacare's design engineers and marketing specialists to produce custom-designed products for individuals, including manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, and high-performance sports and recreation wheelchairs.  His team is provided with constant feedback from its sales force, dealer network, and customers.  As he states, "We provide a product that improves the lives of our customers, and we have a workforce that is committed to doing whatever it takes to satisfy our customers.  We see the results of our efforts throughout the day in the products being produced and shipped to our customers, and we know we are having a positive impact on our customers, our workforce, and our communities where we live and work."

Mr. Dmytriw was a student of the Department of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Vermont.  He graduated in 1973 with a B.S. in Industrial Management.  (It was this same year that the Department of Business Administration separated from the Department of Economics to become part of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Business Administration.) Mr. Dmytriw was drawn to the university because of its full curriculum and diverse student body.  As a student of the business department, he was impressed by the superior faculty and the emphasis placed on practical topics which, he believed, thoroughly prepared students for the workplace.  His only regret is that, at the time, the department was lacking in opportunities for co-op assignments.  He emphasizes that his experience as a whole was extremely positive, and he is pleased with the high quality of education that he received.

After graduating, Mr. Dmytriw found a job with GE, where he spent 15 years in several manufacturing operations, including two plant manager assignments.  He was then recruited by a former GE employee and joined the Little Tikes Operations division of Rubbermaid.  After five years with Rubbermaid, he was recruited once again by another former GE employee to work for Invacare, and he has been with the company for the past ten years.  When he joined Invacare, he had had no prior interest in the home medical care field.  But he admired the innovation and work ethic within the company and believed that Invacare had great industry growth potential.  "This business captivates you because we custom-make many of our products for specific customers who have a real need for them.  The products we make, and the way we make them, are constantly being improved, as we increasingly use new technologies in our products and manufacturing processes."

On speaking about a career in Operations and Productions Management, Mr. Dmytriw has this to say: "Due to foreign competition and relentless productivity improvements in the manufacturing industry, it's a very competitive environment that requires a high-energy person who is not afraid of constant challenges."  But to him, the non-stop action, interaction with diverse groups of people, and knowledge that their products make a difference to their customers make all of the challenges worthwhile.

Mr. Dmytriw is pleased to have the opportunity to be developing a working relationship with Dean DeWitt and the School of Business Administration.  He says, "I feel a sense of loyalty to the school and remain grateful for the education I received during my years at UVM." He believes that, these days, more and more universities, UVM included, are seeing the value in building and maintaining close relationships with different businesses, and he is delighted to be able to help his alma mater in any way possible.