Donald Palmisano MD JD FACS

It is with profound sadness that the family of Donald J. Palmisano, MD JD FACS, announces the end of his extraordinary life. Donald, a forever young 83 year old and former president of both the American Medical Association (2003-2004) and the Louisiana State Medical Society (1984-1985), died on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, in connection with traumatic brain injury from an unfortunate fall. Donald was sui generis, one of a kind! He had an irreproachable sense of integrity and often was referred to as a Renaissance Man because of his many talents and areas of knowledge in medicine, law, and beyond. But, for those who were blessed to know him up close and personal, he was an unpretentious and devoted son of a wise New Orleans policeman and fun loving, beautiful mother; a supportive brother and brother-in-law; a cheerful and loving husband, father, and grandfather; a loyal friend; an entrepreneur; a lateral thinker; a raconteur; a published writer; a sports car enthusiast; an instrument rated pilot who enjoyed aerobatic flying in his T- 34A airplane; an accomplished photographer; a gentleman; and a patriot. Donald was born in New Orleans and raised in a multi-generational family in the Irish Channel over his maternal grandparents' business, Caronna's Restaurant and Bar. Donald had a colorful childhood filled with many leisure interests that became more sophisticated pursuits in adulthood: raising fish to sell for pocket change that developed into a life-long interest in fresh and salt water fish tanks; building model cars and airplanes that evolved into building midget racers and the sport of drag racing as a teenager, and driving high performance cars and piloting his own aircraft as an adult; constructing tin-can telephones and building short wave radios to connect with neighborhood friends and news from around the world that expanded to Donald's adept utilization in adulthood of every form of communication and information retrieval offered on the Internet; reading voraciously across many genres that laid the foundation of his life-long love of poetry and skill in creative writing; and photographing people and nature alike under the tutelage of his mother that later became a widely recognized talent with his Nature's Reflections® photographs appearing on magazine covers and the walls of hospitals, businesses, and private homes. Donald attended 1st and 2nd grades at the neighborhood school of Saint Mary's Elementary of Redemptorist Parish. He then skipped directly to the 4th grade to board and pursue his education through the 9th grade at Saint Paul's College in Covington, LA (now called Saint Paul's School). It was Donald's transfer from the Irish Channel neighborhood schools across Lake Pontchartrain to Saint Paul's wooded, natural habitat that cemented his love of what has become known as the "Northshore" of Greater New Orleans. At the time of his death, Donald and his wife, Robin, had moved from their home of 30 years in Metairie, LA to live in a Covington home Donald called "Shangri La" with access to the Tchefuncte River on which Donald used to pilot the hydroplane he built as a young man. Donald returned to New Orleans to complete his high school education at De La Salle, graduating in 1956 as Salutatorian of his class. In 2004, Donald was honored by De La Salle High School with its Distinguished Alumni Award. Donald was a National Scholar student of Tulane University undergraduate program and acquired his medical training as a 1963 honors graduate of the Tulane University School of Medicine. By 1968, he had completed a mixed medicine and surgical internship and a Tulane surgical residency at Charity Hospital of Louisiana. In 2003, Donald was named a member of the university's Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. The Tulane Medical Alumni Association named him the Outstanding Alumnus for 2013. Donald was board-certified in surgery, a Fellow of The American College of Surgeons, and an Honorary Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association for his advocacy of patient safety and medical record confidentiality. Following completion of his surgical residency, Donald served two years of active duty as a U.S. Air Force Major and Chief of Surgery with the 821st Med Group at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, after four years in the USAF Reserve. While at Ellsworth Air Force Base, Donald cared for B-52 pilots and others rotating from the Vietnam war zone and received the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1970 for his treatment of the wounded following a B-52 crash. Donald's U.S. Air Force experience instilled in him a strong sense of gratitude for those military enlistees risking their lives in service of our country. In 2000, Donald was chosen as one of 60 American "Opinion Leaders" by the Department of Defense to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC 63). The JCOC 63 opportunity to learn more about our country's fighting forces and to visit the military bases and troops of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard was one of Donald's most treasured life experiences. Upon honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, Donald entered the private sector of medicine and practiced general and vascular surgery in New Orleans East for more than 35 years. The Brown Palmisano surgery practice was started with his brother-in-law and life-long friend and mentor, Dr. James E. Brown. The practice grew into a six-member surgical group until it was forced to close when, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed the hospitals and homes of their patients. Donald was regarded as a skilled surgeon and frequent author of articles for medical journal publication. A 1974 article he contributed to The New England Journal of Medicine has been acknowledged as providing the original documented proof that copper is an essential nutrient to adult health. Donald was a key participant in the development and passage of La. Act 817 of 1975, Louisiana Legislature's first comprehensive legislation on medical malpractice. Donald was one of the founding members of the Louisiana Medical Mutual Insurance Company (LAMMICO) and, from 1982 to 1989, served on its Board and as secretary and Vice President of Claims. From 2004 to 2019, Donald served on the Board of The Doctors Company based in Napa, CA, the nation's largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurer. Donald attained a juris doctorate degree in 1982 from Loyola University College of Law in New Orleans. He was inducted into the Blue Key National Honor Fraternity while there and, in 2005, was awarded Loyola University's President Medal. In 1989, Donald combined his training in medicine and law to form Intrepid Resources®/The Medical Risk Manager Company. Intrepid Resources® was under contract with physician clinics, several insurance companies, and a large hospital chain to provide consulting services for patient safety and risk management as well as to advise on defense of medical malpractice claims. After over 1000 speeches, major media interviews, and testimony before the U.S. Congress on medical liability reform, antitrust issues, health system reform, patient privacy, and national health insurance issues, Donald closed The Medical Risk Manager Company in favor of operating under Donald J Palmisano Consulting in the arena of writing and lecturing on the topics of leadership principles and memorable speeches. One of the cornerstones of Donald's keynote speeches was his recitation of his beloved father's advice for achieving success: "Do your homework, have courage - and don't give up!" Vital Speeches of the Day published "Six Commandments of Medicine," a speech Donald delivered as commencement addresses at several medical schools. He authored three books published by Skyhorse Publishing: "On Leadership: Essential Principles for Success" (2008); "The Little Red Book of Leadership Lessons" (2012); and "A Leader's Guide to Giving a Memorable Speech" (2020). Until the moment of his tragic and unexpected death, Donald continued to use his brilliant mind to coach on speech delivery and to write, Twitter, lecture, and teach at Tulane Medical School on the topics of leadership and how to deliver a memorable speech. Donald is survived by his wife of 33 years, the former Robin Adele Spencer, an Ohio native and retired health care attorney. During his first marriage to the former Mary Ellen Brown, he became the father of three children: Mary Ellen Palmisano, RN; Donna Ann Palmisano, DDS (Jerry Schmidt); and Donald J. Palmisano, Jr., JD (Ana Fuentes). Donald's seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren added joy to his life: Brittany Schmidt Musso (Katie and daughter Meryl); Ryan Schmidt (Courtney and daughter Lainey); Marco Palmisano; Alexis Schmidt; Diego Palmisano; Pablo Palmisano; and Nico Palmisano. Donald also is survived by two younger siblings: Marylyn Haddican (Jerry) and Leonard Palmisano (Sandra), as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins he treasured. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dominic Joseph Palmisano and Mary Caronna Palmisano, and his older brother, Lionel "Jimmy" Treadaway. Family and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service in celebration of Donald's life on Friday, December 30, 2022, at Our Lady of Peace Chapel on the campus of Saint Paul's School, 917 S. Jahncke Avenue, Covington, LA 70433. Visitation starts at 9:00 am. Services will begin at 10:00 am. The interment will be private. Serenity Funeral Home of Covington is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Donald's memory to one of the following: Saint Paul's School Scholarship Fund at the above address; AMA Foundation Scholarship Fund at 330 N. Wabash Avenue, Suite 39300, Chicago, IL 60611; or a military veterans' charitable organization of your choice. Condolences and tributes can be posted to www.serenitycovington.com.