At its annual meeting in February 2005, the Palmer Chiropractic University System's Board of Trustees officially named Drs. Donald Kern and Peter Martin, both doctors of chiropractic, as president of Palmer College of Chiropractic and Palmer College of Chiropractic West, respectively.
"We conducted a full and thorough evaluation of their performance during the past year and found that they both had achieved outstanding success in reaching the one-year goals the board had set," said John Huston, chair of the board's evaluation team. He added that the appointments "will bring needed stability and the ability to move forward seamlessly with our program."
Both Martin and Kern had served as presidents of their respective schools on an interim basis since 2004. The decision to strip the "interim" titles from each doctor and officially make them president was reached following a series of interviews with staff and administrators at both colleges, reviews of evaluation forms, and careful deliberation by the Palmer Board of Trustees.
"The board concluded that it would be in Palmer's best interest to remove the interim titles and appoint each as president of their respective campuses," noted Vickie Palmer, chair of the Board of Trustees. "These two exceptional individuals provide a great blend of experience and leadership, and we are fortunate to have them leading us forward."
Donald Kern, DC: Dr. Kern is a 1958 graduate of Palmer College. Soon after graduating, he began working as a faculty clinician from 1960 to 1976. He also worked as a clinic director from 1965 to 1970, and served in a variety of administrative positions at the school, including vice president of student affairs and director of admissions.
This is Dr. Kern's second tenure as president of Palmer College of Chiropractic, having served as president of the Davenport campus from 1988 to 1994. He was named interim president of Palmer (and of the Palmer campus in Port Orange, Florida) in February 2004, following the resignation of Dr. Guy Riekeman.
On being named president: "I'm very pleased that the board has selected me to be involved in our future development. I feel fully prepared and ready to move Palmer forward with our mission to graduate the best chiropractors in the world. It's exciting and fulfilling to play a role in that progress."
Peter Martin, DC: Dr. Martin graduated summa cum laude from Palmer in 1968 and served as a faculty member at Palmer from 1968 to 1976. He moved to California in the late 1970s, opening a private practice in Lancaster, Calif. He has also been an active member of the California Chiropractic Association, serving as the CCA president in 1989, and was appointed to serve on the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners in the early 1990s. In 1994, he was named a Fellow of the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic
Dr. Martin previously served as president of Palmer College of Chiropractic West from April 1992 until July 2000. During his first tenure as president, the college experienced large gains in enrollment, and consolidated its original campuses in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara into one large facility in San Jose.
On being named president: "I'm very much looking forward to advancing the educational program at Palmer College of Chiropractic West and all of the Palmer campuses. The mission for Palmer is, as Dr. Kern says, 'to graduate the best chiropractors in the world.' I'm honored that the Board of Trustees has demonstrated their confidence in me to play a part in fulfilling that goal."
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