A ship had come in. The vision and philosophy of OU has led to facilities that are cutting edge in integrative rehabilitation and therapeutic care for people with brain or spinal cord injuries. We're a model for other programs. People visit from all over the country to see what we're doing here. One of those visitors was former Governor Terry Branstad, who was impressed with OU and selected Vander Plaats to serve on the Governor's Council for Brain Injuries, an effort he's been chairing since 1997.
Dollars follow programs rather than needs and people.
The system needs to be more philosophically right and economically smart. Iowa could be the example other states look to in the way that we serve our citizens. Vander Plaats' ability to cast a vision that inspires others to excellence may someday encompass the entire state. Prompting from a variety of individuals and directions has him seriously considering running for governor of Iowa in 2002. He's pleased to have a new office in the middle of community center traffic and to interact with OU clients and community members daily.