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Besides being a podiatrist, Travis Klatt has a new role: owner and CEO of the Community Foot Clinic, which he took over on March 30 after a year-long process.

Before becoming owner, Klatt had practiced at the clinic since 2017.

His interest in feet started while in pharmacy school, something he realized wasn’t for him.

But having taken business classes and shadowing practitioners, including the late John Enger, he came to the conclusion treating feet was something he wanted to do, especially after seeing the impact lower extremity problems could cause.

Working at the foot clinic made sense given his father Dave’s relationship with Enger.

“People really liked coming here, and they liked the private practice coming here,” he said. “They liked him cause he got them going and helping them out.”

He also enjoys the business side of owning a clinic, and said after he returned from California, he and Enger talked about the prospect of taking over the practice.

“I always wanted to own it after doing hospitals and private practice,” he said.

Klatt and Enger’s widow started discussing the idea of him owning the business roughly a month after Enger died.

“She knew that Dr. Enger and I had become close and that I wanted the practice, so we sat down and had a really long conversation,” he said.

His goal is to bring in another provider, including a podiatrist, something he hopes to do in the near future. He’s also considering bringing in other medical professionals, whether a chiropractic, nurse practitioner, acupuncturist or a masseuse.

In the meantime, he has brought in a new X-ray machine and is considering bringing in an ankle-brachial index machine. He’s also looking at shockwave therapy and has been approached about possible laser therapy.

“I’ve got three extra exam rooms here that I can rent out, and a huge office to rent out,” he said.

Currently Klatt is renting 5,000 square feet. There are two nursing assistants, a receptionist and a biller/coder.

For him, feet represent the primary mode of transportation, and any type of pain rendering mobility limits independence, especially in doing mundane, daily chores.

“I do everything from ingrown toenails and calluses to conservative treatments for foot pain, heel pain, plantar fasciitis to minor surgeries in the office. Little hammer toe surgeries, taking off warts to big surgeries at the hospital,” he said.

He also builds custom orthotics.

Prior to working at Community Foot Clinic, Klatt served his residency in Loma Linda, California.

“I did very extensive vascular surgery rotation cause I was in a high-risk population,” he said.

Klatt and his wife Ly have two young children. He loves sports and participates in basketball, softball and golf. He’s also a big Ohio State fan.

“I am really, really excited to do this,” he said. “Coming back here is a dream, to … own the practice and be able to treat the community,” he said. “I had opportunities and other private practices and things, but I enjoyed coming home.”

There will be an open house and patient appreciation event at the clinic June 3, with a time to be determined.