A Partner in PhilanthropyAlumnus Mark Kaufman Says Thanks by Giving BackWhen Mark Kaufman (NUPT 1989) decided to open a physical therapy facility in 1991 in Chicago’s Gold Coast area, he hoped to provide outstanding outpatient rehabilitation services and share his expertise with the community. He achieved both objectives in short order and soon found himself launching a second PT facility in 1994. Sixteen years later, this founder and president of AthletiCo now oversees 35 Chicagoland facilities—the newest one opening its doors in December. “At the time I started as a physical therapist, there were either small individually-owned storefront operations or big national players providing outpatient rehab services,” recalls this Northwestern alumnus and donor. “My original goal was to reach out to an untapped market and create a one-man ‘mom and pop’ facility. The day I signed the 10-year lease for my first very own storefront, my hand was definitely shaking!” While this native of Olds, Iowa, has been busy expanding AthletiCo, he hasn’t forgotten the role Northwestern has played in his life and the importance of giving back. Undeniably Mark’s hand was firm and his conviction strong this September when he committed to supporting Northwestern’s Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences with a gift of $200,000.“ After working hard from the age of 26, I took some time for reflection these past few years,” says Mark, who resides in Oak Brook with his wife Mary Ann and their three daughters. “I am thankful for my staff, family, and friends as well as my education. The strong general PT training I received at Northwestern provided me with the method to practice physical therapy and the foundation for my company. Making this commitment was a way for me to show thanks for the success that my schooling helped me to achieve.” Oak Brook-based AthletiCo offers general rehabilitative services as well as develops fitness and performance programs for athletes at all levels to performing artists. “Weekend warriors” could easily find themselves undergoing therapy next to a Chicago Bears player or a dancer with the Joffrey Ballet. Through AthletiCo Mark, who also holds a master’s degree in exercise and sports sciences from the University of Arizona, has combined his interest in athletics and physical education with his desire to help individuals care for and prevent injuries resulting from every day to high performance activities. Working with some 1,000 employees and 30 partners, Mark has built his business by giving talented clinicians—many PT professionals—the opportunity to manage and enjoy ownership in facilities that expertly tailor care to patient needs. Given AthletiCo’s proximity to the Feinberg School of Medicine, the company takes advantage of Northwestern’s strength in training well-rounded physical therapists who understand the importance of delivering quality outpatient rehabilitation services in today’s health care and reimbursement environment.“ I am extremely proud of our Northwestern pipeline,” says Mark. “I sit in on most interviews. Whenever the job candidate is a Northwestern alum, we talk about faculty members and the physical therapy program.” Mark’s donation will help support educational and scholarship needs in the department where he learned to become a physical therapist. A portion ($5,000) from the first three annual payments will be used as expendable scholarship monies to support one student each year, starting with the first Kaufman scholar in 2007. The remainder of this alumnus’s generous gift will go toward establishing the Mark and Mary Ann Kaufman Enrichment Fund. Beyond immediate funding for the best and brightest students, Mark hopes to ensure through his gift that others will benefit from a Northwestern PT education in the long term—something that should never be taken for granted. “My graduate program at Arizona was dropped due to lack of funding,” explains Mark. “The downfall of that program really opened my eyes. It made me realize that if we, as alumni, don’t support programs that are important to us, they could disappear.”Pictured: Physical Therapy alumnus Mark Kaufman and his wife Mary Ann. By: Cheryl SooHoo | 
