As aging wheelchair users Todd and Chad have strived for years to maintain their health and independence. Over these many years, one key “piece to the puzzle” has been their access to the best designed assistive technology in the world.

Through their vast contacts in the mobility industry, they plan to continually bring products, as well as years of life on wheels knowledge to you here at ChairLife.com

Todd Hargroder

Founder, Executive Director

Todd sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 19. While attending college he founded Accessible Designs, Inc. (ADI) with one design and over a twenty-year period, grew the business to be a leader in designing cutting edge products for the wheelchair mobility industry attaining worldwide sales and distribution. In 2015, he sold his company ADI to Stealth Product a division of Pride Mobility.

Todd enjoys technology and studies many industries for design inspiration. He holds multiple US patents and has been awarded SBIR and NIH grants to further the study of mobility products. Recently, Todd was recognized as one of the top innovators in the history of wheelchair mobility  (link) .

In addition to multiple entrepreneur endeavors, Todd serves as an Adjunct Faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology providing over thirty years of industry insight on product development and commercialization expertise for the Healthy Home Laboratory initiative.

With the new endeavors in design, innovation and research, he will continue his work of developing life changing technology for ALL.

Chad Dismukes

Co-Founder, Director

Chad began his Chair Life in 1996 following a C5 – C6 spinal cord injury. He is fun loving, passionate individual who enjoys engaging with people. Being a South Texas native, he understands the importance of community. He acquired a Bachelor of Arts, in Psychology followed by a Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas San Antonio in 2005. He has been married for the past 20 years and has a teenage son and daughter.  

Over the past 15 years Chad has worked in the manufacturing side of mobility products. Through this introduction from his close Friend Todd, he expanded his knowledge of wheelchair seating systems and their importance in everyday wheel-chair life. Being able to bring a relational competence side to this sector of the WC industry, allowed Chad to relate to not only the designs being imagined but also the psychological impact these designs can bring to everyday life.

Through Chad’s continuing understanding of the mental health side of the everyday wheelchair life and all that it involves, he hopes to model his successes and failures with others out there in the Chair Life community. Its Chads and his partners vision for ChairLife.com to be your hub for what works in the everyday Chair Life.