ACME -- A local physician praised as a healer of both nature and his fellow man received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award from the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. John Spencer, a long-time medical doctor in the Traverse City area and a champion of numerous environmental and conservation efforts, was honored Friday night at the chamber's sold-out annual dinner at the Grand Traverse Resort & Spa.
Spencer, described by a former colleague as "a renaissance citizen of enormous impact," was surrounded by family accepting the award to a standing ovation from the 1,100-person audience.
"I'm just going to say thank you one and all for this recognition and this award," Spencer said.
The award was presented by last year's winner, Chris MacInnes of Crystal Mountain Resort. The presentation included a video tribute from new chamber board chairman Chad Dutmers, who said "the breadth of (Spencer's) good works has had a profound impact on our region -- medically, environmentally, economically and culturally."
"In medicine, he found great satisfaction in knowing he helped heal people," Dutmers said. "He was also invigorated by the outside, finding solitude and meaning in the great outdoors."
Spencer was raised in Bloomfield Hills, where his father worked as a patent attorney for General Motors. He earned a medical degree in 1955 from the University of Michigan and completed his residency at then-James Decker Munson Hospital in Traverse City.
He set up a private practice in Elk Rapids, but left to enter the U.S. Air Force where he served as Chief of Medicine in the Medical Corp at Selfridge Air Force Base. He returned north and worked at Traverse City State Hospital, then re-established his medical practice in 1959, and retired in 1984. His long medical career included service as director of the health department for Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Benzie counties, and president of Munson Hospital's medical staff.
He's also served in a host of environmental and conservation roles, including Michigan's Great Lakes Advisory Committee. He served as a chamber president and helped establish its Natural Resources Committee, and worked on Grand Traverse County's Parks and Recreation Commission and numerous other organizations.
He also worked as administrator for the Oleson Foundation, where he's credited with quadrupling the assets of the local philanthropic organization, and owned several local businesses.
"His foresight, tenacity, personal effort and sacrifice have made a remarkable difference in the quality of life we all enjoy," Dutmers said.
Past Distinguished Service Award winners
2008 -- Christine MacInnes
2007 -- Bruce Rogers
2006 -- Dr. Arnie Sarya
2005 -- Ted Okerstrom
2004 -- Dr. Carl and Sally Benner
2003 -- Keith Charters
2002 -- Hal Van Sumeren
2001 -- Larry Hardy
2000 -- John Bay
1999 -- Robert Andrews
1998 -- Shirley Okerstrom
1997 -- Patrick J. Wilson
Source: Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce
