AO Founder, Peter Matter, celebrates his 90th birthday

Today we celebrate the 90th birthday of Prof Peter Matter, MD, and one of the AO Foundation founders.

Matter, who has been an inspiration to so many, is best known for his role as an AO Foundation founder, president of AO Switzerland and later AO International, as well as president of the AO Foundation from 2000–2002. 

Matter signing the AOFoundation Charter in Davos, Switzerland, 1984
Matter during a coffee break at the first AO Davos Courses 1960

He has achieved many milestones in his life and today marks another one.

Matter participated in the first AO Davos Courses in 1960 as an assistant. He jokingly says that his role was to maintain the supply of beer and hot dogs. 

Matter at Spital Davos when he was chief physician 
As a founding member of Science City Davos and Academia Raetica Switzerland, Matter has worked during his retirement to make Davos a hub for researchand science.
In 1970, he was appointed chief physician at Spital Davos. Although Davos was a peripheral hospital, it was a mecca for fracture care osteosynthesis specialist since skis’ safety bindings were being optimized at that time and lower leg fractures were among the most common injuries.
Matter receiving the Davos Kristall honoring his life's work
Matter, the visionary and mentor, with two of his mentees, Peter Holzachand Domenic Scharplatz, in the background   

Matter was the driving force behind construction of the AO Center Davos and was its designated watchman during the construction process.

Retirement didn’t slow him down: Matter again became a founder, as part of Science City Davos in 2004 and as part of Academia Raetica Switzerland in 2006. In 2007, the municipality of Davos honored Matter for his life's work. 

Matter conducting a tour during an AO Trustees Meeting in Davos 
Matter, an inspiration to so many, teaching during the AO Davos Courses 2012