ACOFP: OUR CONTINUING HISTORY 119 Leadership committees through the years and became a fellow in 1980. After completing his presidency, Dr. Avallone was placed in charge of conventions in 2003 as chair of the Convention and Site Committee, following the legendary Dr. Joseph Namey. Dr. Avallone was awarded many ACOFP honors, including the Presidential Award of Merit in 1992 and Family Physician of the Year Award in 1993. He will be most remembered for securing the largest pharmaceutical grant in ACOFP’s history. This substantial grant was able to cover the cost of education and administration and other educational projects, such as the Preceptorship Program, for many years. Dr. Avallone’s parting words as president were a verse: “Old presidents never die, nor do they fade away; somehow some of them end up in the AOA.” In truth, Dr. Avallone almost disproved the first part of that saying by suffering a heart attack during official duties in Florida. He made history not by ending up in the AOA, but by being the first ACOFP President to have bypass surgery while in office. He wanted ACOFP to have a “touch of class” and strived to achieve that. 1992–1993 N. ROBERT BRETHOUWER, DO, FACOFP Montrose, Colorado Dr. Brethouwer received his medical training at the Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in 1965. Dr. Brethouwer was the first president of the first ACOFP student chapter, known as the Alpha Chapter, and led the initial attempt by ACOFP to establish contact with an osteopathic college. It is not known today why the first chapter was not organized at the California College of Osteopathic Medicine in Los Angeles. In 1965, Dr. Brethouwer entered the Rocky Mountain Hospital in Denver, Colorado, to complete an internship, graduating in 1966. He spent four years with the U.S. Air Force, finally settling in western Colorado near the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, where he established his practice. Dr. Brethouwer took the oath of office in Palm Springs, California, not far from his 1932 birthplace of Los Angeles. His presidency saw the newsletter expand from eight to 12 pages. The development of an ACOFP hologram and plaques from ACOFP to state society presidents were but two ways he recognized the service of the membership. He started a board review course for members preparing to become certified and developed standards for the geriatrics certificate. The most far-reaching service he performed for ACOFP was to establish a task force to study the name change and develop the new logo. On his order, the new ACOFP flag would be flown over the building at all times. As a cartoonist, Dr. Brethouwer paid more attention to detail than most, and that attention brought us many of the visible parts of ACOFP still in existence today. Kansas City University College of Osteopathic Medicine, in 1965.
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