American Chiropractic Association Presents 2019 Annual Awards

Dr. N. Ray Tuck, Jr., of Christiansburg, Va., Named Chiropractor of the Year

Arlington, Va. – The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) presented its 2019 Annual Awards last week in Washington, D.C., as part of its annual meeting, the National Chiropractic Leadership Conference (NCLC). ACA’s awards recognize chiropractors and other individuals for their exceptional service, achievement and/or leadership within the chiropractic profession.

ACA’s highest honor, the Chiropractor of the Year Award, was presented to N. Ray Tuck, Jr., DC, of Christiansburg, Va. (pictured). Dr. Tuck, who served as ACA’s president over the past year, was recognized for his strong leadership during a period of ongoing change and growth for the association. In 2018, ACA continued to implement two transformative projects: a new brand—based on collaboration with the healthcare industry and evidence-based, patient-centered care—and a new governance structure designed to help ACA more nimbly navigate the challenges and opportunities of modern health care. Under Dr. Tuck’s helm, ACA also took significant steps to promote evidence-based chiropractic care through a new online learning platform, Learn ACA, and to acknowledge the important role that diversity and cultural competency play in providing better patient care.

Receiving ACA’s Humanitarian of the Year Award this year is Ian Coulter, PhD, of Santa Monica, Calif., whose work in health policy has focused on improving patient-centered, evidence-based health care through creative research strategies. His highly acclaimed work at the Samueli Institute and RAND are examples of his ability to conceive and execute far-reaching research that will continue to improve the quality of integrative healthcare delivery in the United States.

Additional ACA Award recipients include:

Robert Vining, DC, of Davenport, Iowa, associate professor and senior research clinician at the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research: Academician of the Year Award, which recognizes an individual for his or her efforts in advancing the profession through academic or educational excellence.

J. David Cassidy, DC, PhD, DrMedSc, of Saskatoon, Canada, professor of epidemiology and health policy at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto: George B. McClelland Researcher of the Year Award, which recognizes an individual for developing, refining and/or expanding the body of knowledge in chiropractic.

Marcus Nynas, DC, of Billings, Mont.: Delegate of the Year Award, and Kelly Golob, DC, of Olympia, Wash., Alternate Delegate of the Year Award. Both awards recognize exceptional service, achievement and/or leadership to the profession.

Gary Estadt, DC, DACRB, DABCA, of Painesville, Ohio: The Flynn-Lynch Award, which recognizes an outstanding member with no more than five years of experience in the House of Delegates.

Photos of award winners are available upon request by e-mailing [email protected].

NCLC is the premier national conference for doctors of chiropractic, chiropractic assistants and chiropractic students. Beginning in 2020, NCLC will be called ACA Engage. NCLC has long been known for bringing together industry leaders from all over the country to meet with members of Congress on Capitol Hill, and engaging legislators will always be a priority. Over the years, the program has expanded to also include a wide variety of education offerings (with CE credit available), speeches from respected thought leaders and panel discussions that delve into important topics. The new name reflects the association’s efforts to position the chiropractic profession for success by engaging a new generation of doctors with these exciting education, career and leadership development opportunities.

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About the American Chiropractic Association

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is the largest professional chiropractic organization in the United States. ACA attracts the most principled and accomplished chiropractors, who understand that it takes more to be called an ACA chiropractor. We are leading our profession in the most constructive and far-reaching ways — by working hand in hand with other health care professionals, by lobbying for pro-chiropractic legislation and policies, by supporting meaningful research and by using that research to inform our treatment practices. We also provide professional and educational opportunities for all our members and are committed to being a positive and unifying force for the practice of modern chiropractic. To learn more, visit www.acatoday.org, and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.