Simon Margolis

The Life & Times of Simon Margolis

Welcome to the Simon Margolis Tribute Page. This page is dedicated to honoring the life and times of Simon Margolis, iNRRTS’ first Executive Director Simon represented the very best in what it means to be an active, involved and committed member of the Complex Rehab Technology community. He gave tirelessly of his time, compassion and expertise. His visionary leadership made iNRRTS and the CRT community as a whole what it is today.

Please scroll through the page from top to bottom to see videos, stories, pictures, and a lot of other material to remind us all how special Simon was and of the contribution he made to the creation of our industry and the overall field of seating and mobility. Simon truly had the Song in his Heart!

You are invited to use the form below to communicate your memories and images of Simon. We will share them on this page.

Click here to access the form to enter your Simon story or pictures.

Join Us for an Hour of History

July 22, 2026 6PM Eastern Time

Click here to join the meeting

Do You Know Simon Margolis?

Whether you realize it or not, you do!

His influence extends far beyond the products, companies, and organizations that helped shape the Complex Rehabilitation Technology profession. Simon’s vision, values, and unwavering commitment to consumers have been passed from mentor to student, leader to leader, and generation to generation. His legacy lives on in many of the industry professionals who have guided and inspired our field over the past three decades.

Consumer first, always.
Behave with ethics and compassion.
Seek knowledge every day.
Work as a team.
Lead by example.
Advocate relentlessly.

These principles are more than words—they are the foundation of a profession dedicated to improving lives through Complex Rehabilitation Technology.

Join us for a special one-hour presentation as we reflect on the history, wisdom, and enduring impact of Simon Margolis. Together, we will explore the professional roots that continue to guide our work today while looking ahead to the future of CRT and the next generation of leaders who will carry that legacy forward.

Whether you are new to the profession or have spent decades serving consumers, this is an opportunity to connect with the heritage of CRT, gain perspective from one of the profession’s most influential figures, and be inspired by the values that continue to define our work.

The future of CRT is built upon the lessons of those who came before us. We hope you will join us for this meaningful conversation.

Please watch the following short videos by Simon’s friends and colleagues.

In 2015, at the 31st International Seating Symposium, Simon Margolis gave one of the keynote addresses.
His words still resonate today with an even greater sense of urgency.

Watch and listen to Simon’s address here.

Simon Image Gallery

Click here to access the form to enter your Simon story or pictures.

Simon Story Gallery

Click here to access the form to enter your Simon story or pictures.

Gerry Dickerson - Simon and CELA

There are millions of Simon stories. Its hard to know where to begin.
Pictures tell a thousand stories, so here are some from one of Simon’s favorite indusrty events, CELA.
We are know that CELA morphed into other iterations, but to Simon, and to most of us ‘seasoned’ CRTS’, it will always bee CELA. Pictures of Simon and also pictures of the people that were important to him.
The history of Simon is also the history of our profession.

(Click images to enlarge them)

Weesie Walker - Simon in DC

I ran across this photo of a CELA (Continuing Education and Legislative Action) Event in DC. Simon conceived and developed this event to bring together the CRT Industry to deliver the message to Congress about the importance of access to appropriate technology for people with disabilities.
Most importantly, he understood the need to have the consumer, the person living the experience, deliver the message.
This photo of Simon was taken outside the Congressional offices with one of the consumer advocates.

Although the format has changed, a form of this event continues to this day. Because of Simon……

Jacklyn Semrad - Friend & Mentor

Simon was a dear friend and mentor. He invited me to join the first meeting of separating Complex Rehab from DME. I continue to support CRT!
Since I was in Compliance, he wanted my opinions.

He was such a kind, humorous, and dedicated man. I love that both his wife and daughter continue to be friends.

There will never be another Simon!

Weesie Walker - My First ConversationWith Simon

My first conversation with Simon was at the Seating Symposium (not yet called the “International” Seating Symposium) in Memphis, TN. He gathered a group of people to discuss the need for an organization that would provide recognition of suppliers who believed in continuing education and standards of practice. This field was so new and without regualtion, anyone could provide seating and mobility products. It was the wild, wild west. Slowly, people came to see the importance having access to resources that would improve the service delivery model.

Simon and I remained friends from that day forward. I learned so much from him, not just about being a professional supplier, but more about how our industry partners need to work together to improve outcomes for people who relied on our service.
It was a great honor (and daunting) to take over for Simon as ED at NRRTS.
He continued to mentor me and share his vision for our industry. He would always take my call!
Sometimes I don’t think we have made enough progress towards creating a more efficient system the way Simon envisioned.

But one thing is true: he was right about everything.

Weesie Walker - Look at his face...

This is one my favorite photos of Simon.
We were in DC for a Board Retreat. Gerry was checking in to the hotel with his party on wheels. All those coolers were filled.
Take a look at the expression on SImon’s face.

Weesie Walker - The Hat!

At a Board Retreat, Simon was gifted a fancy purple hat (as you know, purple was his favorite color).
He gave me this pose for an unforgetable photo of him rocking his hat.
He pulled it off!