Wanganui osteopath Jonathon Paine is now leading the organisation that looks after the interests of more than 400 practitioners around the country.
Mr Paine was elected president of Osteopaths New Zealand (ONZ) at the organisation's annual meeting in Taupo and said he knows what challenges lie ahead.
Until about two years ago osteopaths belonged to one of two organisations but now the practitioners are under the ONZ umbrella. He had been on the inaugural committee.
Mr Paine, who owns Wanganui Osteopathic Clinic in Wicksteed St, said there were a number of issues already on the executives "to do" list and these included discussions with Ministry of Health, ACC and similar bodies.
"We started from scratch last year and concentrated on what we called members benefits but this year we've got to raise our profile in terms of representation so we're starting to make contact with ACC and the Ministry.