Kris Keller, DC;
Ronald J. Farabaugh, DC
In July, the chiropractic profession lost one of its best friends. Rob Sherman, former Ohio State Chiropractic Association (OSCA) executive director and legal counsel, passed away peacefully at his home after living with lung cancer for several years.
Many of you may not realize Rob's contributions to the advancement (or perhaps even survival) of chiropractic in the '80s and '90s. Rob came to the OSCA in the mid-1980s. He guided the association to national and even international recognition for its effectiveness, innovation and influence. During his tenure, the OSCA refined its lobbying function and became a force to be reckoned with in the statehouse. Rob inspired a generation of DCs to become leaders within the profession. His influence is evident in many leadership positions within both the OSCA and the ACA.
Rob worked tirelessly in the reorganization of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) a decade ago. The BWC, reeling from out-of-control costs, faced a decision to be privatized or shift to a managed care system. Both paths seemed to lead to the elimination of chiropractic services. Rob and a core group of DCs spent countless hours in meetings with other stakeholders and leaders within the BWC to create a hybrid state/private system with chiropractic services intact as an available benefit to injured workers.
Rob also worked tirelessly at the national level, forming the National Association of Chiropractic Attorneys to help the profession face the constant challenges from competing provider groups and the insurance industry. He worked with such chiropractic luminaries as Dr. Louis Sportelli, Dr. John Triano and David Chapman-Smith to author dozens of books and articles about legal, business and ethical aspects of chiropractic practice.
After resigning as executive director of the OSCA in the mid '90s to create his own consulting and executive training company, Rob continued as legal counsel for the OSCA for several years. We are deeply saddened at his passing and know we will never see another friend with the skills, personality and vision of Rob Sherman. God bless you, Rob.
