JEFFERSON, IOWA, September 25, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Larry Leonard Richards with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Richards celebrated many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Richards enjoyed more than five decades as a physician in the state of Iowa. After completing his residency, he served seven years at Altoona Medical Center and as the Southeast Polk Community School District school physician. He and Dr. Mary later founded the Richards Psychiatric Center in Des Moines and was the medical director at Charter Psychiatric Hospital. Dr. Richards also maintained staff positions at Des Moines General Hospital, Iowa Methodist Hospital, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Mercy Hospital, Saint Luke Hospital, Tanager Place, Four Oaks.
During the course of his remarkable career, Dr. Richards pioneered electro-convulsive therapy under anesthesia. He also provided his expertise as an assistant clinical professor at the University of Iowa and served as a mentor to many medical students and residents during their residencies. Additionally, Dr. Richards worked with local law enforcement to help patients seek proper medical attention within the hospitals rather than serving time in prison.
Extensively published, Dr. Richards disseminated many of his research findings in scholarly journals in the areas of electro-convulsive therapy, child and adolescent school phobia, school refusal and anxiety disorders. He also lectured frequently at medical conferences in his area of expertise. When he was not focused on his medical work, Dr. Richards grew tomatoes, potatoes, vegetables, often composed music, wrote poetry, coached his daughters in ASA, AAU, Ankeny Sports.
Renowned for his commitments to the community in relation to mental health awareness, Dr. Richards presented annually the Proclamation for Children and Adolescent Mental and Brain Health Awareness Day for signing by the governor of Iowa. He was also instrumental in bringing forth a mental health awareness day for adults, adolescents and children which has been celebrated at Christian masses with the help of the Catholic bishop. Dr. Richards served on Governor Terry Brandstad's policy committee on organ transplants and was aligned with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Intervention Committee. He was also involved in the arts as a member of choirs, bands, the Des Moines Metro Opera and remained active in agriculture as a member of the Iowa Bam Foundation, an organization devoted to preserving rural agricultural buildings throughout the state.
Born and raised in Garden Grove, Iowa, Dr. Richards graduated from Garden Grove High School in 1955 as an all-state musician and athlete. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy upon graduation. At Simpson College, Dr. Richards served as the co-captain of the football team and was an All-American "performing brilliantly on the gridiron." He was elected President of his 1960 Centennial Class, S Club, Phi Mu Sinfonia, member of the band and the Kappa Theta Psi fraternity. He earned a degree in music and married his Simpson Sweetheart, Mary Anderson. Dr. Richards graduated from Kansas City University of Medicine in 1967. He completed his family practice residency at Mount Clemens General/Macomb County Hospital in Michigan and a second residency in psychiatry at Kirksville Osteopathic Medical School and Hospitals, Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, West-Ros-Park Psychiatric Hospital, Boston. He then completed a child and adolescent fellowship as the chief fellow at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in the department of psychiatry. Eminently qualified in his field, Dr. Richards became a board-certified child and adolescent, adult psychiatric physician.
Dr. Richards was an elected distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatry Association and a distinguished life member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He also received life membership with the American Osteopathic Association and the American Psychiatric Association and was active on the boards of the Iowa Psychiatric Society (Public Affairs) and the Iowa Osteopathic Medical Association (Legislative). As a U.S. Navy veteran, he was also a proud member of the Garden Grove and Albaugh-McGovern Legion Posts for many years. Dr. Richards enjoyed life with his wife of 60 years, Dr. Mary, daughters Dr. Jennifer and Melinda and grandchildren Lara, Kathleen, Edward, Mary. A celebrated Marquis listee, Dr. Richards was featured in the 60th and 61st editions of Who's Who in America and the ninth and 10th editions of Who's Who in Science and Engineering. Dr. Richards sadly passed away on June 6, 2020. Have Hope!
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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