Colum A. Gorman, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D., left, receives the Order of Orange-Nassau from Ambassador Rudolf Bekink.

Mayo Clinic endocrinologist and researcher Colum A. Gorman, M.B., B.Ch., Ph.D., recently received one of the highest civilian honors awarded by the Netherlands. The Order of Orange-Nassau is presented to individuals for a career of outstanding service to the community at large and to the nation. The rules for the award stipulate that both citizens and foreign nationals are eligible for the royal honor, but also note that it must be given for "dedication and hard work" beyond what is expected in any given position.

In Dr. Gorman's case, that includes 50 years of championing patient and translational research, particularly in thyroid diseases, nuclear medicine, diabetes and Graves' ophthalmopathy. He was instrumental in developing partnerships between Mayo Clinic and several research centers and companies in the Netherlands to advance the common goal of improving the quality of life for an aging population.

He was pivotal in establishing the Alliance for Healthy Aging, an initiative among Mayo Clinic, the Noaber Foundation, the University of Groningen, the VitaValley group of companies, and PGGM, the pension organization in Holland.

A royal advisory committee reviews the nominations and the minister of foreign affairs makes the final decisions. On Oct. 16, 2012, Dr. Gorman, an emeritus professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic, was presented the order by the Netherlands ambassador to the United States, Rudolf Bekink, who made a special trip to Minnesota for the ceremony, which was also attended by Mayo Clinic's president and CEO, John Noseworthy, M.D.

— Volume 8, Issue 3