Richard A. Olafson

I am, Richard A. Olafson, M.D., a native North Dakotan, born in Drayton in the Northern Red River Valley and a Fargoan since 1965, My education has been both in the State and outside of North Dakota. I was educated at the elementary and secondary levels in Minto in the Northeastern corner and in New England in the Southwestern part of N.D. My undergraduate training was at the University of North Dakota, two years of medical school at UND when it was a two year school, attaining both B.A. and a B.S. degrees.I then completed my undergraduate medical education at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. My internship was at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, followed by a fellowship in neurological surgery at the Mayo Clinic - Mayo Foundation in Rochester, Minnesota. My professional career has a span of over 35 years in North Dakota as a practicing neurosurgeon and as a medical school administrator at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

My interests in and out of my professional life have been in building and promoting North Dakota. My first activity following retirement from the practice of medicine and medical school administration was to work actively with Dr. John Helgeland, Chairman of Religion at North Dakota State University, and Sharon Cobb, then Director of the Group Decision Center, to establish the Northern Plains Ethics Institute(NPEI). A stint of developing a recruitment process for health care professionals followed the establishing the NPEI, where I am still a member of the Town - Gown group. I participated in the program initiated by the Forum just over a year ago on "Saving North Dakota" and am currently a member of The Forum Reader's Board.

The University of North Dakota awarded me a Doctor of Letters degree in 2000. Currently I serve on the Ethics Committee of Catholic Charities of North Dakota. The economic and human development of the region and State are vital to the nature and character of how the area will grow. The Northern Plains Ethics Institute can play a significant role in the definition and subsequent development of initiatives to not only preserve, but build on the unique attributes and qualities which have made this region of the United States a strong enduring area. I would hope to continue to aid in assisting making North Dakota's and the entire Upper Great Plains reach its rich potential.

E-Mail: John Helgeland@ndsu.edu and Dennis.Cooley@ndsu.edu
NDSU Northern Plains Ethics Institute
402 Minard Hall
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105
Phone: 701.231.8654