SLS 19RS-2403 ORIGINAL
2019 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 202
BY SENATOR LONG
CONDOLENCES. Expresses condolences upon the death of Dr. Christopher J. Rich.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the
3 death of Dr. Christopher John Rich, a longtime resident of Alexandria, Louisiana,
4 and a widely respected community member.
5 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich was born to Ralph and Jean Gillis Rich in Uniontown,
6 Pennsylvania, on February 29, 1956, and died at his home in Alexandria, Louisiana, on
7 January 19, 2019; and
8 WHEREAS, a native of San Antonio, Dr. Christopher Rich was a three-year varsity
9 athlete in football as an offensive lineman at LSU from 1976-78 and earned Academic
10 All-Southeastern Conference honors in 1977 and 1978; and
11 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich completed his undergraduate degree at LSU in Baton Rouge,
12 followed by a Doctor of Medicine degree from the LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans,
13 and his Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at LSU in 1988; and
14 WHEREAS, in 2006, Dr. Rich completed his MBA at the University of Tennessee
15 School of Business; and
16 WHEREAS, from 1988 through 2011, Dr. Christopher Rich was managing partner
17 of Mid State Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Center in Alexandria, Louisiana, retiring from
18 clinical practice in 2010; and
Page 1 of 4 SR NO. 202
SLS 19RS-2403 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, during his tenure as managing partner, Mid State received the honor of
2 #1 in Orthopaedics for the state of Louisiana in 2004 and 2007 by HEALTHGRADES, "The
3 Healthcare Quality Experts"; and
4 WHEREAS, as an integral part of the NSU sports medicine program, Dr. Christopher
5 Rich served as the Director of Sports Medicine and head team physician for the
6 Northwestern State Demons from 1990 until 2010; and
7 WHEREAS, he has served in a voluntary consulting role with the NSU team
8 physicians, sports medicine staff, and athletic administration in monitoring and addressing
9 various medical and health-related issues that have become prominent in intercollegiate
10 athletics; and
11 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich also played a role in promoting best practices and
12 evidence-based medicine, as well as stewardship of financial resources related to medical
13 care for the NSU Athletic Department. Dr. Rich was named and honored with induction for
14 the Distinguished Service Award at Northwestern State University; and
15 WHEREAS, during Dr. Christopher Rich's tenure at NSU, over five hundred athletes
16 sustained injuries that required surgery and the Mid State Team had an incredible rate of
17 return to full sports competition of 99%; and
18 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich's practice specialized in sports medicine, arthroscopy of the
19 shoulder and knee, and knee reconstruction; and
20 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich was recognized by his peers with induction into the Louisiana
21 Athletic Trainers Hall of Fame in 2005; and
22 WHEREAS, in 2013, Dr. Rich received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the
23 Louisiana Orthopaedic Association; and
24 WHEREAS, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana
25 Orthopaedic Association for his service with this organization; and
26 WHEREAS, Dr. Christopher Rich was a founding member of Alexandria's "High
27 School Physical Day", that serviced all local high school athletes to determine whether it's
28 safe for the athlete to participate in a certain sport; and
29 WHEREAS, Mid State Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine renamed the annual
30 tradition of serving local high school athletes "Chris Rich High School Physical Day"; and
Page 2 of 4 SR NO. 202
SLS 19RS-2403 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich served on the University Academic Medical Board with board
2 oversight of business operations and management of the new 1.6 billion dollar LSU Medical
3 Center in New Orleans and served as the medical director for the state of Louisiana Office
4 of Worker's Compensation Administration from 2011 - 2015; and
5 WHEREAS, Dr. Christopher Rich was board certified by the American Board of
6 Orthopaedic Surgery, with a successful recertification in 2012; and
7 WHEREAS, Dr. Rich was a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic
8 Surgeons, past president of the Louisiana Orthopaedic Association in 2010, a member of the
9 American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine, and a charter/founding member of the
10 Louisiana Sports Medicine Society; and
11 WHEREAS, Christopher Rich and his wife of thirty-five years, Vickie, raised their
12 three children, Jeffrey Rich (and his wife Kim Rich), Margaret Rich Burton (and her
13 husband, Will Burton), and Stacie Rich Keller (and her husband, David Keller) in a religious
14 and loving family; and
15 WHEREAS, Dr. Christopher Rich served his community proudly and was a member
16 of the Calvary Baptist Church where he and Vickie were active and strove to live their lives
17 walking in Christian faith; and
18 WHEREAS, he was an entrepreneur and a philanthropist, helping to raise monetary
19 donations for local charities and nonprofit groups that touched thousands of lives; and
20 WHEREAS, Dr. Christopher Rich was active in the community socially and
21 politically, and he and Vickie particularly loved to host parties and enjoyed the pleasure of
22 countless friends; and
23 WHEREAS, a favorite pastime of Dr. Christopher Rich's when not working,
24 entertaining, or spending time with his family, was traveling to various locations with Vickie
25 to explore a city or country's culture and history; and
26 WHEREAS, Dr. Christopher Rich's visitation and funeral were held at Calvary
27 Baptist Church in Alexandria, Louisiana, with Dr. David Brooks and Brother Anthony
28 Mangun officiating; and
29 WHEREAS, as a man devoted to his family, his church, his business, and his
30 community, Dr. Christopher Rich was a distinguished member of his community; one
Page 3 of 4 SR NO. 202
SLS 19RS-2403 ORIGINAL
1 committed to leaving the world and Alexandria, Louisiana, a better place than when he
2 found it, and his legacy is one of being committed to all endeavors in life, to faith in his
3 church, and to love of family.
4 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
5 does hereby express the sincere condolences upon the death of Christopher J. Rich, MD,
6 MBA, a longtime resident of Alexandria, Louisiana, and a widely respected member of the
7 community.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to his
9 wife and children.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Margaret M. Corley.
DIGEST
SR 202 Original 2019 Regular Session Long
Expresses condolences upon the death of Dr. Christopher John Rich, a longtime resident of
Alexandria, Louisiana, and a widely respected community member.
Page 4 of 4