The ICA bestowed its highest honor during the convention -- Chiropractor of the Year -- to Dr. John Hofmann, ICA representative to the Council of Chiropractic Education (CCE).Several other ICA members also received deserved accolades:
- Dr. Gerard Clum for his work on national health care reform;
- Mr. Michael Crawford for his leadership in establishing the national chiropractic coalition;
- Drs. John Grostic and Sid Williams for their work on chiropractic standards of care.
Top Honors to Dr. Hofmann
Dr. Hofmann, a Logan College graduate who practices in Allen Park, Michigan, was the 44th recipient of the ICA's Chiropractor of the Year award, first presented in 1950.
A powerful advocate for chiropractic during the past year, Dr. Hofmann testified as the ICA's expert witness at Congressional subcommittee hearings on HR 608, the bill to commission chiropractors in the military. His was a compelling voice for chiropractic, as Dr. Hofmann served in Vietnam with the Marine Corp 1969-1971 and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V for valor.
His cogent testimony before the Senate and the House was certainly a contributing factor in the passage of the bill by the 102nd Congress.
In his statements to Congress, Dr. Hofmann pointed to the misguided approach of the military in not taking advantage of what chiropractic has to offer and the potential for "full cooperation between health professions, as a team effort, to provide optimal services to the patient at the highest level of quality."
Serving on CCE's board of directors and currently secretary to the Commission on Accreditation (COA), he was recognized in 1991 by the ICA for Distinguished Service as their representative to the CCE, and was reappointed that same year to serve as ICA representative for another three-year term.
Dr. Hofmann is also co-chairperson of both the legislative and political action committee of the Michigan Chiropractic Council (MCC). The MCC has twice named him Chiropractor of the Year, and his awards for distinguished service are numerous.
A successful practitioner and a staff member of New Center Hospital in Detroit, Dr. Hofmann is author and co-author of several well-known office management procedures, practice manuals, and videos. He is a dynamic and motivating speaker and has made several TV appearances on national and local networks on behalf of chiropractic.
Convention Highlights
The convention opened with the awarding of a pair of 1994 Superbowl tickets donated by King Koil Sleep Products. Special friend of chiropractic Mark May, who has played in three Superbowls and is now with the Phoenix Cardinals, was the appropriate choice to draw the name of the winner.
The educational portion of the convention included:
- keynote speaker Dr. James Sigafoose's inspiring lecture on chiropractic philosophy;
- Dr. Charles Rollis on motion palpation;
- Dr. Charles Masarsky's scientific-based lectures on "Beyond Back Pain: Chiropractic at the Somatovisceral Interface";
- Dr. Christopher Kent on MRI;
- Dr. John Hofmann's motivational talk, "The Only Limits are Those of Vision";
- Dr. Ian Grassam's informative lecture on the power of communications and how to communicate effectively about chiropractic;
- Psychologist Maureen Mulvaney's enthusiastic, humorous and interactive session on a topic that just about everyone could benefit from: "How to Keep from Going Bonkers."
The social events at the convention included a "Cowboy Carnival," complete with a barbecue dinner and country-western dancing, and a formal gala.
"It's exciting when an event such as this comes together so successfully, said ICA President Dr. Jim Gregg. "Though we had a larger than usual turnout, we wish more could have shared the camaraderie we experienced here."
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