August 9, 2013 — After 10 years as president, Richard G. Brassard, DC, is announcing his retirement from Texas Chiropractic College, effective Sept. 1, 2013. A Fellow of the International College of Chiropractic, and a Fellow of the American College of Chiropractors, Brassard recently completed a two-year term as the president of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges.
“It has been a great 10 years at TCC, and I’ve enjoyed working with so many wonderful people here,” shared Brassard. “I’m very proud of the academic changes we’ve made and of the high quality of the faculty, staff and administrators who chose to be a part of the TCC community. It’s been an honor for me to work with so many talented and dedicated people. I’m confident that their continued drive guarantees the future success of the College.”
For Brassard, one of the greatest benefits of being president has been the opportunity to meet and mentor the students of TCC. “It’s been very gratifying to meet young people who are considering a career in chiropractic, then watch them choose TCC, and grow through our rigorous program. To preside over commencement, knowing how well prepared these new doctors are, and welcome them into the profession as my colleagues is a tremendous honor for me as president, and one that I will miss.”
Brassard began his long alliance with TCC in July 1985, when he was first appointed to the college’s Board of Regents. He held his initial board appointment until 1991, then was reappointed in July 1995. He was elected to the position of Vice Chairman in 1997, then elected as Chairman in 1999. On Jan. 1, 2002, the board appointed him as president-elect of TCC, and he took on the mantel of president on Jan. 1, 2004. Also in 2002, the Board of Regents honored Brassard with the W.D. Harper Science of Existence Award, TCC’s highest accolade.
Dr. Monte Blue, new chairman of the TCC Board of Regents and past president of San Jacinto College Central Campus, noted, “During his long and illustrious career, Richard has been a tireless leader and advocate for the chiropractic profession throughout Texas and across the country. On behalf of the board, I want to thank him for his leadership at TCC, as a board member, as board chair, and as our president. He has continuously moved the College forward, and we will be forever grateful for his hard work.”
A native son of Beaumont, Texas, where he practiced until 2003, he followed in his father’s footsteps. The late Dr. Gerald M. “Jerry” Brassard was a successful chiropractor as well as a much respected and admired leader in the profession, and since graduating from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1965, Dr. Richard Brassard has been a dynamic leader in the profession at the local, state and national levels. Notable among these is his long-standing affiliation with the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), where he was elected a Texas alternate delegate to the ACA House of Delegates in 1984; became a Texas delegate in 1989; was elected vice president of the Council of Delegates in 1999; became president of that council in August 2001; elected vice president of the ACA in 2003; and elected president of the ACA in September 2005 and re-elected September 2006.
Prior to that, Brassard had been active at the state level where he was secretary of the Texas Chiropractic Association (TCA) from 1979-80, president-elect of the TCA from 1980-81, and president from 1981-82. From 1982-83, Dr. Brassard was president of the Texas Insurance and Chiropractic Joint Advisory Committee. In August 1977, the governor of Texas appointed him to a six-year term on the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners (TBCE), serving as president from 1983-84.
Brassard has led by example, and has been recognized throughout his chiropractic career for his level of excellence within the profession. In 1969, he received the Presidential Award from the ACA. He was then named Texas Young Chiropractor of the Year for 1975-76 and received the TCA’s Presidential Award in 1977. The TCBE presented him its Presidential Award in 1983, and the ACA again recognized Dr. Brassard with its Meritorious Service Award in 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988, and presented him its Distinguished Service Award in 1989 and 1990. The TCA honored Brassard with its highest award, the Keeler Plaque, in June 1991, naming him the Texas Chiropractor of the Year.
When asked of his retirement plans, Brassard said he was “looking forward to spending more time with my fiancée, Dr. Yvette Nadeau, and of course with my daughters Michelle, DeNae, and Tracy, and my granddaughters. With our new boat and the new house we are building, I have plenty to keep me busy. Plus I am continuing my work as the secretary for the International College of Chiropractors. But I will always be available to TCC.”
Source: Texas Chiropractic College, txchiro.edu
