If you are president of your state or national organization, you receive a plaque at an awards dinner or meeting when your term ends at the end of the year. The plaque has your name on it and in essence says. "Thank you for your service." Everyone in attendance stands and applauds when you receive it. Afterward, everyone comes up to you and thanks you personally. Many in the audience may think to themselves. "I want my name to be announced someday, and I want a plaque like that one on my wall." However, very few will ever be in that position. Following is the typical year for a president leading up to the awards dinner. After years of working your way "up the organizational ladder" of being on committees and attending countless meetings, you now have to be involved in all of them. There arc the highly visible monthly board meetings, which everyone around the state attends to discuss and vote on various matters. However, in your rise to president, you realize that decisions and votes arc obtained in the "back room" and not in the boardroom. Therefore, on a monthly basis, you work the back channels to get the board to sec the wisdom of your desires to ensure they become reality at board meetings. This is not necessarily a bad thing because usually the current president is the most knowledgeable person at the board meeting and should have influence over the younger, less experienced board members. However, it takes phone calls, conversations, and time—lots of it—because there are main issues every month and this is a relentless 12-month process. Then, as president, you have to deal with multiple legislative issues by creating bills that will help the profession while fighting those that will hurt it. Although legislation happens "one grain of sand at a time." many action steps need to happen "right now" when making decisions and working with lobbyists and lawyers. So there is also a learning curve for the president to understand the full legislative process and be able to both read and understand at least the basics of drafting legislation and regulations. This is often accompanied by raising money for the Chiropractic Political Action Committee (C-PAC) in addition to many grass roots efforts that must be organized and implemented. This entire process usually requires multiple trips to the state capitol to meet with key legislators to create relationships and educate them about "all things chiropractic" in an attempt to secure support. In order to do all of this, the president lias to understand the issues intimateh and that takes time—lots of it. First, there are reimbursement issues. What are the carriers doing that must be stopped? Are they functioning within the law ? Arc they auditing our doctors compliantly? Now the state organization has to canvass members and nonmembers alike to sec if a pattern exists to present to the department of insurance possibly to have the carriers fined or to sue the insurance industry. In order to do all of this, the president lias to understand the issues intimately and that takes time—lots of it. Second, there are membership issues. How do you get every doctor in your state to join the organization? The president knows that whether you arc a member or not. the state organization represents all chiropractors and those independents who dont pay dues arc getting a "free ride" from the rest. It's a battle to get the apathetic to understand and that too takes time—lots of it. Third, there are money issues. No organization can survive without the funds to support and run the business of the organization. Therefore, there arc countless meetings and activities centered on simply raising money to ensure the day-to-day-business of the organization continues. In order to do all of that, the president lias to understand the financial issues intimately and that takes time—lots of it. 2014 Chiropractic Heroes List State 2014 President 1. American Chiropractic Association Dr. Keith Overland 2. International Chiropractic Association Dr. Michael McLean 3. Congress of Chiropractic State Organizations Dr. David Kassmcicr 4. Chiropractic Summit Dr. Lewis Bazakos 5. Canadian Chiropractic Association Dr. Jeff Warren 6. Association of Chiropractic Colleges Dr. Brian McAuley 7. World Federation of Chiropractic Dr. Dennis Richards 8. Alabama Dr. Judy Lipka 9. Alaska Dr. Todd Curzie 10. Arizona Dr. RcnccAnn Habcrl. Dr. Aaron Immerman 11. Arkansas Dr. Dustin Heard. Dr. William Schmidt 12. California Dr. Matthew Hubbard 13. Colorado Dr. Mike Mastcllar 14. Connecticut Dr. David Steinberg. Dr. Francis Vcsci 15. Delaware Dr. Matt Mcllrath 16. Florida Dr. Michael Chance, Dr. Karen Henard 17. Georgia Dr. Awais Butt. Dr. Ed Cordovato 18. Hawaii Dr. Gary Saito 19. Idaho Dr. Chad Niclson 20. Illinois Dr. Scott Fladland, Dr. David Perns 21. Indiana Dr. Robert Tcnnant 22. Iowa Dr. Mary Audia 23. Kansas Dr. Kendall Payne 24. Kentucky Dr. Eric Davis. Dr. Phillip Morris 25. Louisiana Dr. David Barcczyk 26. Maine Dr. Andrea Nadcau 27. Maryland Dr. Louis Crivclli 28. Massachusetts Dr. Steven Saro 29. Michigan Dr. Dennis Whitford 30. Minnesota Dr. Christian Kollar 31. Mississippi Dr. Jack Hall 32. Missouri Dr. William Hill. Dr. Patrick Montgomery 33. Montana Dr. Marcus Nvnas 34. Nebraska Dr. MaryLou Camenzind 35. Nevada Dr. James Overland 36. New Hampshire Dr. William Haffcnrcffcr. Dr. Rav Humphrey 37. New Jerscv Dr Joseph D'Anginllin 38. New Mexico Dr. Robert Jones 39. New York Dr. John Lamonica. Dr. Louis Lupinacci 40. North Carolina Dr. Tom Avrcs 41. North Dakota Dr. Shcri TcnBrock 42. Ohio Dr Terry McCnskey 43. Oklahoma Dr. Randall Schubert. Dr. Jason Westmeir 44. Oregon Dr Dan Recsnn 45. Pennsylvania Dr. Dan Schatzberg 46. Rhode Island Dr. Clivc Brideham 47. South Carolina Dr Tvrnnc Wallace 48. South Dakota Dr. Greg Lowcnbcrg 49. Tennessee Dr. Andy Dixon 50. Texas Dr. Matthew Mix. Dr. James Welch 51. Utah Dr. Christina Stichcr 52. Vermont Dr. Jim McDanicl 53. Virginia Dr Thomas Wetzen 54. Washington Dr. C. Randv Bla/.c. Dr. Avcrv N. Martin 55. West Virginia Dr. Sandra Cunningham 56. Wisconsin Dr Rodnev Lcfler 57. Wyoming Dr. Darnell Simpson Disclaimer: Please note that for any state with multiple organizations, I listed all of the presidents. The order for multiple organizations was done alphabetically by last name, and nothing herein is any personal political statement. If anyone deserving is missing, please send a "letter to the editor" to have that person recognized in a future issue because it is not possible to he aware of every person doing great things for chiropractic. Those we are honoring are those solely in volunteer positions. Then there arc the endless phone calls. Although there arc individual county or district presidents, too mam feel the need to go straight to the top. So from very early in the morning until late at night, various members call. call, and call. Those calls arc typically personal "bitching sessions." Doctors want to know what the state organization is doing to get them higher reimbursement rates. They complain about being investigated for having supposedly done something wrong and want to know what they should do. They want to sell their practices—how should they go about it? They need new associates—how can the organization assist them in the process? How do they fight denied workers" compensation claims? They call regarding e\ cry practice issue because if there is a problem, then you arc the reason because you arc not working hard enough for them. This takes time and stamina—too much of it. Now. add to that the responsibilities of attending meetings around the state, often on a weekly basis, as well as national meetings, and that usually comes at the expense of family time. This takes time—lots of it. Although I have just "scratched the surface" of the responsibilities of organizational presidents, the common denominator is that it takes time—lots of it. Think of all of your time constraints as a busy practitioner, typically handling two full-time responsibilities: your practice and your family. Now add another full-time job as the leader of your organization, which usually takes more time than both of the others combined. After having been there for many years. I will submit that it is a richly rewarding "volunteer" position. However, most field practitioners forget that you volunteer to serve them, and you do it by sacrificing time with your practice and family, where often it costs either or both. In the end. the plaque is a nice gesture, but the job is the reward. You also realize that you shouldn't expect thank-yous because very few really know the sacrifices you made to get here to serve the profession in this "volunteer" position. Therefore, it is my honor to say thank you to all of those who volunteer to serve our profession. Although I will never know of the sacrifices and efforts of many, the above list of national, state, and organization presidents is a start. Every doctor of chiropractic in the country should take just a few minutes out of their very busy day to find a way to thank them, whether it is via a letter, e-mail, or any other way that doesn't require more phone calls. Dr. MarkStudin is an adjunct assistant professor in clinical sciences at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic and a clinical presenter for the State of New York at Buffalo. School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences for post-doctoral education, teaching \ IRI spine interpretation and triaging trauma cases. He is also the president of the Academy of Chiropractic teaching doctors ojchiropractic how to interface with the legal community (www.LawyersPIProgram.com) and teaches MRI interpretation and triaging trauma cases to doctors of all disciplines nationally (www.TeachDoctors.com). He can be reached at DrMark@TeachDoctors. com or at 631-786-4253.
