Remembering Glen Porter, PhD, FACSM
By Mike McNamara, MS, FAACVPR
The cardiac rehabilitation world lost a giant in the field this past February. Glen Porter passed away on Feb. 9, 2019, after a lengthy illness. He was 79 years old.
Glen lived in Concord, California, for the past 35 years. He first entered cardiac rehab in 1977 when he began a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He was the manager of the cardiac rehabilitation program at the Gundersen Clinic in addition to teaching duties within the La Crosse Exercise and Health Program. Glen mentored many La Crosse graduate students, some of whom have ascended to leadership positions within AACVPR. In 1983, Glen moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and opened the cardiac rehab program at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California. During that time, Glen was one of very few exercise physiologists working in cardiac rehab in the state. In 1996, Glen accepted a position at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, California, and worked there until he retired in 2004. All through Glen’s career, he shared his knowledge with others — starting in 1968 as a professor at the University of Idaho through 2002 where he was a lecturer at Cal State University-Hayward.
Glen received numerous awards over his career, including the Award of Excellence in 2004 from the California Society of Cardiac Rehabilitation and AACVPR’s L. Kent Smith Excellence in Clinical Practice award in 2005. He was involved for many years in both AACVPR, where he was a past Chair of the Education Committee, and ACSM, where he was past Chair of the Certification Examination Committee. He was a sought-after presenter and spoke at many conferences in the United States and Canada. He was the primary author of 28 publications as well as many book chapters and abstracts.
Glen was an avid sports fan and would spend spring training in Arizona each year. He coached baseball in his early years and played organized softball well into his 70s. He was an avid fisherman, frequently traveling to Idaho and Montana in search of trout. He also enjoyed skiing and spending time with his family.
Glen will be remembered as a kind man who was always willing to help others. He was loved by his cardiac rehab patients and students who were fortunate enough to cross his path. Glen is survived by his wife, Joyce, daughters Wendy and Kim, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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