May 11, 2013 — J. Richard Burns, DC, DPhCS, was recently honored by the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) as their 2013 Chiropractor of the Year.
The Chiropractor of the Year award is ICA’s highest honor created by Founder President B.J. Palmer, DC, and presented annually to one exceptional individual who has distinguished himself or herself through extraordinary service to the ICA and the chiropractic profession. Burns was presented the award April 27, during ICA’s Annual Meeting. The presentation was made by ICA’s 2012 Chiropractor of the Year, Lora Tanis, DC, a former student of Burns.
On receiving this prestigious award Burns said: “I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition but the reality is that I feel blessed to be able to practice the greatest profession in the world and to have known some of the greatest chiropractors in our profession and stand on their shoulders. Will Rogers once said, ‘Man should only have to work half a day. It doesn’t matter which 12 hours it is.’ For me to be able to teach students at Palmer College and also serve patients, that is not work but a joy and a privilege.”
A 1973 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic, Burns became a member of the faculty that same year. In 1977 he became chairman of the Department of Technique and served in that position for 22 years. In 1985 he received his full professorship.
In addition to teaching, Burns also maintains a very busy practice in East Moline, Ill. Despite his busy schedule he has always found time to be involved in his state and national associations. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Prairie State Chiropractic Association (IPSCA) since 1987 and on the ICA Board of Directors since 1999.
Burns has been recognized many times with various awards including Faculty of the Year, presented by the Student Council and the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Illinois Prairie State Chiropractic Association. He has also been named Chiropractor of the Year twice by the IPSCA; is a Fellow of the ICA and the Gonstead Clinical Society; named to Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care; Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals; Who’s Who in the World, International Man of the Year; Who’s Who in American Chiropractic; Outstanding Young Men of America and Who’s Who in Chiropractic International.
Burns has a passion for philosophy and received his Legion of Chiropractic Philosophers (LCP) in 2003 and his Diplomate in Philosophical Chiropractic Standards (DPhCS) in 2005. He is also the author of the textbook “Extremities: Adjusting and Evaluation.”
Source: International Chiropractors Association, chiropractic.org
