Allergy Associates Named Inaugural Small Business of the Year
Allergy Associates of La Crosse was recognized by the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce through its first Small Business of the Year award Monday, March 7.
During the Chamber’s 148th annual meeting, nearly 600 La Crosse area business leaders were present to witness this inaugural award.
The true entrepreneurial story that is Allergy Associates of La Crosse (AAOL) was told by Mayo Clinic Health System’s Chief Administrative Officer Joe Kruse.
L-R: Drs. Demetrios Theodoropoulos, Mary Morris, George Kroker, and Vijay K. Sabnis; and Practice Executive Jeff Kessler.
The clinic began as a dream of Dr. David Morris’ in 1970. He knew there was a way to address the cause of allergies versus just the symptoms. He pioneered the broader use of allergy drops taken under the tongue to build tolerance to both food and environmental allergens.
Over the past 46 years AAOL has grown to have seven doctors and 42 employees. In response to other doctors’ requests and an effort to make care available closer to patients who travel from around the country, Dr. Morris launched a spin-off company, Allergychoices, that brings AAOL treatment method to doctors and patients around the country through provider training, patient education, pharmacy, and lab services.
Over the years, Allergy Associates has delivered care to more than 150,000 patients, with the average patient traveling 250 miles one way, many visiting more than once a year. These 10,000 annual visits result in an estimated 2,500 overnight stays in the La Crosse area. The ripple effect of their success is felt by our entire region.
“Being first at anything carries privilege and responsibility. We know a little bit about being first at delivering something new,” says Jeff Kessler, AAOL Practice Executive. “Dr. Morris first began offering allergy drop treatment because he had a segment of patients — farmers with mold allergy — who didn’t respond to traditional therapies offered for allergy.”
“Through tireless research and clinical experience, Dr. Morris developed a protocol that could help patients change the course of their allergic disease, even related conditions like asthma. He and his partners refined their protocol into what is widely known as the La Crosse Method, a protocol now used around the world, helping patients with environmental and food allergy.”
“We are so proud of our founder, Dr. David Morris, our providers, and our fantastic staff,” says Jeff. “But most of all, we are grateful to the patients and community that we are so fortunate to serve.”