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MARTINS FERRY -- Since his days as a standout high school athlete, Dr. Joseph Maroon has risen to the forefront of fields such as neurosurgery and sports medicine, and he will share some of what he has learned with those who attend the Martins Ferry Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner on Monday.
The event gets underway with a social hour at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. at the Martins Ferry Recreation Center, 437 S. Fourth Street. The meal will be catered by Abbey's Restaurant, and it is open to chamber members and the public.
"We are very excited about our speaker this year," chamber Executive Director Alecia Hill said. "Dr. Maroon comes from a local, well-known family and has done a lot of great things for the sports world and the subject of neuroscience. He has been involved with multiple organizations and is a published author. He has done a great deal of work for The Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research.
"Dr. Maroon also still participates in triathlon events, which I think is amazing," she continued. "I am very much looking forward to hearing about the work he's done and continues to do. His family was nice enough to cater the event, so we will be serving food from Abbey's Restaurant. The event is open to members and non-members -- we would love to have as many people from the community as possible to support the chamber and show support for our speaker. It will be a great evening and we are looking forward to seeing everyone."
Maroon was born in Wheeling and raised in the Ohio Valley. He is a clinical professor and the Heindl Scholar in Neuroscience at the Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh. He has served as team neurosurgeon/consultant for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 40 years and worked as medical director for World Wrestling Entertainment.
A graduate of the former St. John Central High School in Bellaire, he made the Ohio All-State football and baseball teams during his prep career.
His biography states that he studied at the Indiana University Medical School and completed his residency in neurosurgery at Indiana University, Oxford University, Georgetown and the University of Vermont. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from I.U. School of Medicine and is a past president of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the largest society of neurosurgeons in the world.
Maroon has written 325 peer-reviewed papers and six books, with the latest titled "Square One -- A simple Guide to a Balanced Life."
As part of achieving that balance, Maroon remains active in athletics. He has participated in 80 triathlon events and is a five-time Ironman at the world championship held in Kona, Hawaii. He also was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in Chicago.
He is a recipient of the Jerome Bettis Man of the Year Humanitarian Award, was inducted into the Lou Holtz Hall of Fame with Joe Montana and Karem Abdul Jabbar and was awarded the NFL Physicians Society top research award for work resulting in better care for NFL athletes.
Maroon has spent much of his career focused on development of minimally invasive surgical procedures for diseases of the brain and spine, prevention and treatment of traumatic injuries to the central nervous system, and prevention and treatment of sports related injuries. He is a co-developer of ImPACT, a neurocognitive test that is now the standard of care for concussion management in the NFL, NHL, MLB, NASCAR and over 18,000 high schools and colleges in the United States.
In keeping with the event's focus on neurosurgery and Maroon's accomplishments, the Chuck Noll Foundation for Brain Injury Research is a major sponsor of the event. Other sponsors include Unified Bank, Dan Stephens State Farm, Wilson Funeral Home/Heslop Chapel, Stecker Law Group, The Times Leader and Linda Brown, All State Insurance.
For tickets, call 740-738-3106 or email martinsferrychamber@gmail.com. Reservations are due Thursday.