Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper is heralded as the "Father of Aerobics" and the leader of the international physical fitness movement. He published his first best seller, "Aerobics," in 1968, and introduced a new word and a new concept – launching a worldwide fitness revolution. He continues to be credited with motivating more people to exercise in pursuit of good health than any other person. In 1968, only 100,000 people were jogging in America, and now the number is more than thirty million strong, thanks to the influence of Dr. Cooper. His father was a periodontist, who instilled within him the desire to practice preventive medicine. He earned his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma and went on to receive his master's in public health at Harvard. Dr. Cooper joined the military in 1957 and during his 13 years of service as a flight surgeon, created the conditioning program to prepare American astronauts for space flight. He also developed the 12-minute and 1.5-mile fitness tests and the Aerobics Point System used today by the military and universities around the world. It was his own health crisis that made aerobics his life's work. While water skiing at age 29, Dr. Cooper thought he was having a heart attack. At the hospital, his doctor told him he was simply out of shape, having gained 40 pounds due to the stress of medical school. The experience catapulted the young doctor to lose weight and run his first marathon a year later. After the publication of "Aerobics" (which has been translated into 41 languages and sold 30 million copies), Dr. Cooper left the U.S. Air Force to pursue full-time exploration of the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and health and longevity. In 1970, he opened the Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas where he serves as chairman of eight health and wellness companies and a research and education foundation, The Cooper Institute. Dr. Kenneth Cooper addressed the student delegates at the 1986 Achievement Summit in Washington, D.C. about the importance of aerobic exercise and a healthy lifestyle.