The Texas Senate has passed a resolution congratulating Dr. Richard M. Peterson on his election as the 39th president of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the largest professional organization dedicated to obesity treatment in the nation. Dr. Peterson, who has been involved with ASMBS for nearly 20 years and has served on its board since 2019, has held various leadership roles within the organization, including chairing several committees and contributing to accreditation standards for bariatric surgery. He is currently the chief bariatric and metabolic surgery director at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and has a distinguished background in both medicine and military service.

Dr. Peterson's extensive qualifications include a bachelor's degree in biology, a master's in public health, and a doctoral degree in medicine, along with a residency and fellowship in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, where he led significant advancements in the Department of Defense's bariatric surgery program and received multiple military honors. The resolution acknowledges Dr. Peterson's dedication, expertise, and contributions to the field, expressing the Texas Senate's high regard for his achievements and wishing him continued success in his new role.