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News: Local / Quad-City Area
Friday, February 6th, 2004	

Palmer chancellor Riekeman resigns
By Ann McGlynn 
.
The president of Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, who also served as the 
chancellor for the entire Palmer system, resigned this week after just eight months as 
chancellor and five years as president.
.
Guy Riekeman廣 resignation is effective immediately, according to a statement released 
Friday afternoon. At the same time, the board of trustees announced plans to "realign the 
university廣 administrative team and refocus on critical topics."
.
Vickie Palmer, chairperson of the system廣 board of trustees and great-granddaughter of 
the school廣 founder, said Riekeman requested the board keep the reason behind his 
resignation confidential. She said the system will be "keeping the same focus in educating 
the best chiropractic students."
.
Don Kern, who served as Palmer廣 president from 1987 to 1994, will take over again as 
the leader of the central Davenport campus on an interim basis. Kern promised a smooth 
transition.

We廝e moving ahead with all of the initiatives started under Riekeman," he said, 
mentioning in particular the development of the new Florida campus and the continuation of 
the $35 million capital campaign for a learning resource center in Davenport.
.
Kern received a phone call from the board Thursday, asking him to step into the president廣 
role again, he said. He also declined to answer why Riekeman resigned.
.
Riekeman could not be reached for comment Friday by the QUAD-CITY TIMES.
.
Riekeman became the school廣 eighth president in the fall of 1998 after the death of then-
president Virgil Strang shortly before his retirement. A motivational speaker and creator of 
several professional development seminar programs, Riekeman is a 1972 graduate of 
Palmer. He had been an X-ray instructor, dean of philosophy and vice president of 
Sherman Chiropractic College in Spartanburg, S.C.
.
One year before his presidential appointment, he was named executive director of the 
Palmer Institute for Professional Advancement.
.
At the time, he said he anticipated chiropractic would become less of an "alternative" form 
of health care.
.
"There is no question in my mind that in the short term, chiropractic will be a major player 
and in the long term, it will be a leader in the new definition of health care today," he said.
.
Riekeman was named chancellor of the Palmer system in summer 2003. He was to oversee 
Palmer and its two colleges in California and Florida, as well as the Palmer Center for 
Chiropractic Research, Palmer Institute of Professional Advancement and Palmer 
Foundation of Chiropractic History.
.
Palmer is 109 years old and is credited as the beginning of chiropractic education, started 
by the profession廣 founder, Daniel David Palmer. It has 40,000 alumni, 550 employees 
and 2,400 students.
.
Kirk Lee, president of Palmer廣 alumni association, said the association supports the 
college and the board of trustees in its decision.
.
"The president will come and go, but the alumni will always be there," said Lee, who 
practices in Albion, Mich.
.
Brent Warner, who will graduate from Palmer in three weeks, said he respects Riekeman 
for his accomplishments at Palmer, especially his recruitment efforts. A difference of 
opinion about chiropractic theory led to Riekeman廣 resignation, Warner added.
.
Warner廣 serves on the school廣 student council and says he received several e-mails and 
phone calls Friday afternoon about Riekeman廣 departure as word spread.
.
"It廣 a split. There廣 a lot of students who aren廠 unhappy with this decision," Warner said. 
"There廣 a lot of students who came to this college because of Guy Riekeman. There are 
some who really love the guy, some who really don廠."
.
Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@qctimes.com.