June 2003

Dr. Gentempo moves forward with 'Wellness Centers'

When Patrick Gentempo, D.C., first announced the launching of the "Creating Wellness Alliance" (CWA) franchise program, most doctors were drawn by the presence of legendary actor/author William Shatner, whose portrayal of Capt. Kirk in the original "Star Trek" series transformed him into an entertainment icon.

They were particularly impressed when, in a speech at Parker Seminars, Shatner told them, "You were the visionaries who were among the first to practice the science of natural healing. You are the ones who help the body heal itself. You saw it long before it was accepted by traditional medicine and the public. You are the ones to take Creating Wellness to the final frontier where people live their lives to the fullest."

Soon, however, D.C.s around the country were even more interested in the unique way the program worked.

As Dr. Gentempo explained it, the practice itself is not a franchise and doctors are free to incorporate their own techniques, business practices, and procedures, and do not pay royalties for regular chiropractic services. Even the office name would also allow for individual identity. Jones Chiropractic would become Jones Chiropractic ‑‑ A Creating Wellness Center , he noted.

Gentempo, who serves as CWA's Chief Executive Officer, says his goal is to have Creating Wellness Alliance become "the definitive brand in the Wellness Industry, offering a line of products and services that support total wellness. We will be the clarion voice of reason in a confusing, chaotic industry ‑‑ helping people eliminate the sources of dis‑stress in their lives, and enhancing the human experience."

Such lofty goals might be taken as exaggerations if spoken by anyone else, but the profession has come to expect great things from Gentempo, who ‑‑ with his partner, Dr. Christopher Kent ‑‑ also developed the Total Solution program (known as the chiropractic "boot camp" because of the intensity of its training), and for the Insight 7000 subluxation Station. Thousands of doctors get their regular dose of inspiration, instruction and motivation, from the highly acclaimed "On Purpose" monthly audio tape series Gentempo and Kent produce.

Gentempo's contributions go beyond his own business offerings.

A former contributing editor for The Chiropractic Journal," he served on the Council on Chiropractic Practice panel to develop the "Clinical Practice Guideline: Vertebral Subluxation in Chiropractic Practice" and is a frequent contributor to scientific and professional journals including the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, International Review of Chiropractic, Today's Chiropractic, Chiropractic Research Journal, and the American Journal of Clinical Chiropractic.

Gentempo's involvement in politics on the national level gave him a rare opportunity to discuss chiropractic with high‑ranking government officials, and during the Republican Party's 2000 National Nominating Convention he mingled with the GOP leadership, including then‑presidential nominee George W. Bush. He was invited to President Bush's inauguration in 2001, and met with newly appointed energy secretary, former Michigan Sen. Spencer Abraham; the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency Christine Todd Whitman; New York Gov. George Pataki, and other state and federal officials.

In recognition of these contributions, Gentempo was named the 1998 "Chiropractor of the Year" by the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA).

Because of the increased demands on his time and energy, Dr. Gentempo ‑‑ who is also the co‑founder and CEO of the Chiropractic Leadership Alliance ‑‑ announced his resignation as a member of the WCA Board of Directors.

He will continue to work with WCA, as time permits, to implement the vision of lifetime, subluxation‑centered family wellness care.

"Although my obligations make it difficult to remain a board member, I am consoled by the great leadership that Dr. Rondberg and the rest of the board members have demonstrated," he noted. "I am still here for you and remain at your side."

"We will miss his counsel and expertise on the WCA Board," stated World Chiropractic Alliance President Terry A. Rondberg, D.C. "But we know that the profession will benefit from his concentration on the 'Creating Wellness Alliance' and his other business enterprises."

His replacement has not yet been chosen.