James Wenz, MD was a brilliant and accomplished orthopedic surgeon who pioneered many innovative surgical techniques that established new standards of care for orthopedic patients. James Wenz was a native of Somerville, NJ, where he attended and wrestled for Somerville High School. He was a three year varsity starter and Team Captain his senior year. After high school he continued his education at Blair Academy before receiving his B.S. in biomedical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1987. After receiving his doctorate from Johns Hopkins in 1991, he completed his orthopedic residency at Hopkins Hospital in 1996, where he received specialized training in joint reconstruction surgery. He then did a one-year fellowship with Dr. David Hungerford before joining the faculty in 1997. He was a Fellow at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, where he studied the care of fractures in geriatric patients. He conducted extensive research on prosthetic devices and mechanical properties of articular cartilage, knowledge which he put in practical application in orthopedics. He concentrated on total hip and knee replacement surgery, the treatment of osteonecrosis, revision surgery for failed joint replacements and use of cartilage transplantation. His visionary advancements in technique included reducing the current 10 to 12i incision to what became the new standard 4i incision, resulting in significantly improved patient outcomes and quicker recovery. He was conducting research in alternative treatments of arthritis, joint replacement surgery, cartilage transplant techniques and osteonecrosis when and his wife Linda were killed in an automobile accident in January of 2004. Dr. James Wenz was the most brilliant innovator and technical surgeon ever to graduate from the Johns Hopkins Orthopedic Surgery Residency Program, according Frank Frassica M.D. chairman of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. He was an advocate for resident education and patient safety. He will be tremendously missed not only by the Hopkins community but also on a regional and national level. He was a true gentleman and was universally loved by his patients, colleagues, and friends. In recognition of his many achievements, The Wenz Orthopedic Unit at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center was dedicated in May of 2006. His death was a loss to the entire Johns Hopkins Medicine family to the many patients who benefited from his skills.