Editor's note: We announced the appointment of Peter Martin, D.C., as president of Palmer College of Chiropractic West in the April 24th issue of "DC".
This issue, we take a closer look at who Dr. Peter Martin is and chronicle his accomplishments. Be looking for an article from Dr. Martin in an upcoming Presidents' Forum.
When Dr. Peter Martin was formally introduced as president of PCCW before a college assembly at the Santa Clara, California campus on April 10, 1992, he became only the second president of PCCW, succeeding John L. Miller, D.C.
Born 54 years ago in Los Angeles, California, Dr. Martin has a varied and interesting background. He served in the Navy as a machinist's mate on a nuclear submarine; attended the Royal Academy in Glasgow, Scotland where he was enrolled in a theatre arts program; received diplomas in osteopathy and naturopathy from the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy in London, and graduated summa cum laude from Palmer College, July, 1968.
From 1968-72 Dr. Martin was in private practice in Davenport and was a faculty member of Palmer from 1968-76. He was awarded Palmer's "Teacher of the Year, 1971" by the graduating class and was assistant to the academic vice president. He chaired the department of basic sciences (1973-74); chaired the department of diagnosis (1974-76); and was dean of the postgraduate school (1975-76).
Dr. Martin ventured West in the latter 70s to the warmer climes of Southern California to accept the position of vice president of development and dean of the postgraduate school at Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (1977-78).
From 1978-82 Dr. Martin took a hiatus from academia to begin a marketing and equipment distribution company.
In 1982, he returned to private practice in Lancaster, California, which he has maintained to the present day.
From 1984-86, Dr. Martin held the post of adjunct professor, health sciences at Chapman College in Lancaster, California.
In 1989, he became the president of the California Chiropractic Association, the largest state association in the nation, and led a fund-raising campaign that amassed $1 million to help defeat proposed anti-chiropractic legislation.
In January of 1991, he was was sworn in as a member of the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners, an appointment made by Governor Deukmejian.
On his appointment as president of PCCW, Dr. Martin noted the school's reputation for "innovativeness in the areas of research, teaching, and training." Dr. Martin said he would maintain and strengthen the "Palmer tradition of excellence in chiropractic education."
On a personal note, Dr. Martin has been married to Christian Marie for 29 years. The couple has a son, Max, age 22, and a daughter, Tessa, 16.
He is very active in civic matters as a member of the Kiwanis, Exchange Club, Eyeopeners Toastmasters Club, Antelope Valley Board of Trade, Elks, and Free Masons.
Dr. Martin is the author of Handbook of Clinical Laboratory Interpretation, and co-authored with W. Heatlh Quigley, D.C., Synopsis of Clinical Nutrition.
Steve Kelly
Assistant Editor
