More than 8,500 chiropractors and friends made history when they came together for the Parker Seminars at the Las Vegas Hilton, the largest chiropractic seminar with leading experts of chiropractic presenting over 75 motivational classes.

“This year’s Parker Las Vegas program, as a whole, set a new standard for this profession. The self-esteem of the profession was vaulted to an all time high,” said Patrick Gentempo, Jr, DC, president of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance. “The 2003 Parker Las Vegas program is firm evidence of the dawning of a new era in chiropractic.”

Olympic champion Dan O’Brien, NFL star Roger Craig, alternative medicine expert Andrew Weil, MD, Wayne Dyer, PhD, and many others enlightened attendees with their expertise and personal experiences during Saturday’s program. Bob Eubanks, the former host of “The Newlywed Game,” was the master of ceremonies, and The Temptations served as the entertainment.

Attendees also browsed more than 250 booths totaling more than 45,000 square feet in the expo area. The displays highlighted the latest products in chiropractic.

Many participants agreed that this year’s Parker Seminars Celebration was a huge success.

The search for the new president of Western States Chiropractic College (WSCC) has ended. Joseph Brimhall, DC, will begin his tenure at Western States on May 1, 2003, and take on the full responsibility of president on July 1.

“We conducted a long search, involving many candidates,” said James Badge, BA, DC, chairperson of the board of trustees at WSCC. “Dr Brimhall has a long history involving many facets in chiropractic.”

Brimhall will step into the position that had been filled by William H. Dallas, DC, for the past 17 years.

“We chose Dr Brimhall as president of WSCC because we felt he was the best person for the job,” said Badge. “We look forward to a long and successful association with him.”

As the new president of WSCC, Brimhall stated that he wants to maintain the commitment to academic excellence, an evidence-based chiropractic curriculum, and the innovation that was implemented while Dallas was in office. Brimhall plans to be the ambassador in promoting WSCC on a national level.

“I accepted the position of president at Western States because I am impressed with the superior academic program that the institution has to offer its students,” said Brimhall. “I feel that I can bring to the table a vision for its continued growth and improvement.”

Badge and the WSCC board of trustees have expressed their belief that Brimhall is the ideal candidate to continue the college’s legacy.

“Western States is a pioneer in research and I hope to continue this standard,” said Brimhall. “The team that is in place at the college is efficient, effective and professional, so I know that will make it easier to hit the ground running.”

Foot Levelers, Roanoke, Va, presented its second annual achievement awards at the Parker Seminars Celebration in Las Vegas. President and CEO Kent S. Greenawalt handed out four awards in recognition of long-standing excellence.

“These awards are a once-in-a-lifetime recognition of outstanding contribution and dedication to different aspects of the chiropractic profession,” said Greenawalt. “The recipients of these awards have dedicated years of service to chiropractic.”

The three Golden Achievement awards were given to the following recipients: Patrick Gentempo, Jr, DC; Dick A. Versendaal, DC, PhD, CRA; and Joseph D Doyle, Jr. The final honor, the Dr Monte Greenawalt Chiropractic Excellence Awards, was given to Terry Yochum, DC, DACBR.

“If I had to describe how I felt [when receiving the award] in a word, it would be validated. Not me personally, but I felt the message of philosophy as a critical human pursuit was validated,” said Gentempo who was awarded the Golden Achievement Award for Philosophy. Gentempo is the president and cofounder of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance. He was recognized for his unrelenting pursuit of chiropractic excellence and the ability to transfer what is inside him into his audience.

Versendaal, the creator of Contact Reflex Analysis has worked tirelessly for 40 years teaching others and helping thousands of patients worldwide. For his efforts, he was given the award for clinical excellence.

The award for the Advancement of Chiropractic through Publishing Excellence was endowed on Joseph D. Doyle, Jr. A Harvard business school graduate, Doyle helps from the business side through his publication, Chiropractic Economics.

This is only the second time in 51 years that someone has been awarded with the Greenawalt Excellence Award. The first was given to Mark Charrette, DC. Yochum has served the chiropractic profession remarkably and with the utmost integrity for many years.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Yochum.

The awards, which were made by the same company that produces the Oscars®, are 18 inches high and plated with 24-karat gold.

“Although these awards are valuable, the people who received them are priceless,” said Greenawalt of the recipients.