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D O N O R S N A P SHOT
Michael Schoor, Essential Formulas
From left: Michael Schoor, CEO and President of Essential Formulas, Inc., and Jack Speer, son of Dr. Thomas Speer, with Logan student Charles Hogan, the first recipient of the Dr. Thomas E. Speer Scholarship.
Michael Schoor has always had a connection to health care, whether it was managing policies for Congress or providing regulatory counsel to chiropractic colleges. In 2000, Michael founded Essential Formulas, Inc. (EFI), a Dallas-based distributor of whole food nutritional supplements, probiotic and omega products. As the company grew, Michael knew he wanted to do something to benefit chiropractic students. Last year, Schoor established a scholarship in honor of his longtime friend Dr. Thomas E. Speer, DC. “Tom was a good friend of mine, but he was a much better 16 SPRING 2015
friend and supporter of the chiropractic profession,” Schoor said. “The profession owes a lot to the ‘Tom Speers’ of the world. They fought and won the early battles, which allows today’s chiropractors to fight battles on behalf of the millions of chiropractic patients.” Dr. Speer, a decorated World War II veteran who participated in the Normandy invasion in 1945, served as a lobbyist in New Mexico before deciding to begin a second career as a Doctor of Chiropractic at age 51. Even though he would only practice for a few years, Dr. Speer demonstrated a deep commitment to chiropractic and to Logan.
Together with fellow students (and now DCs) James Lehman, Fred Gehl, Ted Coffman and Holly Schaub Lehman, Dr. Speer was instrumental in helping Logan become the first chiropractic college to be recognized as an institution of higher education, which ultimately allowed Logan students to acquire student loans. Later on, he helped Logan secure the funds needed to purchase the present-day campus in Chesterfield. Schoor always admired Dr. Speer’s passion and dedication for his profession, and likewise Dr. Speer valued Schoor’s friendship. “There was a bond between the two of them,” said
Dr. Speer’s son Jack. “And dad just loved Michael to tears.” EFI has committed to contributing a minimum of $5,000 annually over the course of 10 years to the Dr. Thomas E. Speer Scholarship, which is awarded to Logan students launching a second career as chiropractic physicians.
donate Online at logan.edu/Give or contact Stacey Till at 636-230-1905