American Pharmacists Association > Membership > Awards > Professionwide Awards

Honorary President

2024-2025 APhA Honorary President

Richard J. Bertin, PhD

Bertin is currently a consultant in private practice on certification and credentialing topics. In December 2010, he retired as Executive Director of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS), a position he held since February 1997. As the Board’s first Executive Director, Bertin was responsible for the overall management and growth of the BPS specialty certification program and for securing its national accreditation. During his tenure, the number of BPS certificants, staff size, and budget nearly tripled. In that position, he worked with several national membership organizations and educational institutions on a wide variety of credentialing activities across pharmacy and other professions. Prior to his role at BPS, Bertin served for more than 30 years in the United States Public Health Service in a variety of clinical and administrative positions. While in the Public Health Service, he served as Chief Pharmacist Officer (as an Assistant Surgeon General at the grade of Rear Admiral) as well as in the National Institute of Mental Health, the Bureau of Medical Services, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Office of the Surgeon General, and the Food and Drug Administration. His responsibilities ranged from clinical pharmacy practice to advising the Surgeon General, the Assistant Secretary for Health, and other Federal and non-Federal leaders on national pharmacy issues. Bertin received a bachelor of science in pharmacy degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and a master's and PhD from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.

About

Honorary President of APhA is conferred by the association upon a member who has made significant contributions to the association.

Evaluation Criteria

Any APhA Member may nominate a person for Honorary President. A nominee has to be an APhA member who has made significant contributions to the association. Self nominations are not accepted.

Nomination process

The nominator is responsible for submitting a complete award nomination.

The nomination is to include the following items:

A letter from the nominator describing the most important achievements of the nominee and explaining why the nominee meets the criteria for the award

Letters of recommendation are optional; two letters are preferred with a maximum of six accepted letters

A current curriculum vitae or detailed résumé

Selection process

The selection is made by the APhA Board of Trustees based upon careful review of complete nominations. The name of the individual selected for APhA Honorary President is included in the APhA Voter’s Guide and ballot for election by the APhA membership in the annual elections.

Nature of award

The honor, conferred at the APhA Annual Meeting & Exposition, consists of: a plaque, a complimentary APhA Annual Meeting registration, and reimbursement for meeting-related travel expenses, according to current travel policies and up to the maximum amount budgeted by APhA. The Honorary President serves a 1-year term commencing on the first day of the Annual Meeting following the year in which elected. The Honorary President may be requested to represent the Association at a meeting, or may be asked to preside in a ceremonial capacity.

Past Honorary Presidents

(Identified as Honorary Chairman of the Board 1979-89)

2023-24 James A. Ponto

2022-23 Mary L. Euler

2021-22 Gregory Higby

2020-21 Tery L. Baskin

2019-20 Dorothy L. Smith

2018-19 Stanley Shaw

2017–18 Philip Burgess

2016–17 Jean Paul Gagnon

2015–16 Metta Lou Henderson

2014–15 Theodore G. Tong

2013–14 Norman A. Campbell

2012–13 Daniel A. Hussar

2011–12 Hazel M. Pipkin

2010–11 Dennis B. Worthen

2009–10 Jimmy R. Mitchell

2008–09 Anthony N. Civello

2007–08 John G. Vandel

2006–07 Samuel H. Kalman

2005–06 Joy Holloman Donelson

2004–05 Joseph D. Williams

2003–04 Stephen Eben Dibble

2002–03 Ernest Mario

2001–02 Charles R. Walgreen, Jr.

2000–01 Charles D. Pulido

1999–2000 Warren E. Weaver

1998–99 Louis P. Jeffrey

1997–98 Mary Louise Andersen

1996–97 August P. Lemberger

1995–96 Alvin N. Geser

1994–95 Luther R. Parker

1993–94 Paul F. Parker

1992–93 E. Claiborne Robins

1991–92 David J. Krigstein

1990–91 George B. Griffenhagen

1989–90 Ewart A. Swinyard

1988–89 Arthur G. Zupko

1987–88 Donald C. Brodie

1986–87 Gloria Niemeyer Francke

1985–86 Glenn Sonnedecker

1984–85 Allen J. Brands

1983–84 Roland T. Lakey

1982–83 Louise Schmitz Kortz

1981–82 Conrad A. Blomquist

1980–81 Marjorie D. Coghill

1979–80 Edward S. Brady

1978–79 Roy A. Bowers

1977–78 Fred Meek (posthumously)

1976–77 Nick M. Avellone

1975–76 Justin L. Powers

1974–75 George L. Webster

1973–74 Attilio R. Granito

1972–73 B. B. Brown

1971–72 Arthur H. Uhl

1970–71 B. Samuel Rogers

1969–70 Charles O. Lee

1968–69 Mrs. Hugo H. Schaefer

1967–68 Troy C. Daniels

1966–67 Henry Burlage

1965–66 Nicholas S. Gesoalde

1964–65 Carl Durham

1963–64 Tom Foster

1962–63 Paul Pittinger

1961–62 Heber Youngken, Sr.

1960–61 Oscar Rennebohm

1959–60 Harry Loynd

1958 –59 George O. Young

1957–58 F. O. Taylor

1956–57 F. W. Nitardy

1955–56 Max N. Lemberger

1954–55 E. F. Cook

1953–54 Eli Lilly

1952–53 Rufus A. Lyman

1951–52 Curt P. Wimmer

1950–51 Ernest G. Eberhardt

1949–50 Robert C. Wilson

1948–49 John Culley

1947–48 Gustavus A. Pfeiffer

1946–47 A. C. Taylor

1944–46 L. A. Seltzer

1943–44 George Judisch

1942–43 James E. Hancock

1941–42 J. C. Peacock

1940–41 W. P. Porterfield

1939–40 J. W. Gayle

1938–39 W. C. Anderson

1937–38 H. G. Ruenzel

1936–37 W. G. Gregory

1935–36 D. M. R. Culbreth

1934–35 J. K. Lilly

1933–34 Edward Kremers

1932–33 Charles F. Heebner

1931–32 Henry S. Wellcome

1930–31 Elie H. La Pierre

1929–30 E. V. Zoeller

1928–29 F. E. Stewart

1927–28 Edward Mallinckrodt

1926–27 W. H. Rogers

1925–26 W. A. Frost

1924–25 Louis Emanuel

1923–24 William L. DuBois

1922–23 Thomas D. McElhenie

1921–22 John C. Wallace

1920–21 John F. Hancock

1919–20 Alvio B. Stevens

1918–19 Oliver F. Fuller

1917–18 W. L. Dewoody

1916–17 J. O. Burge

1915–16 Fabius C. Godbold

1914–15 George H. Shafer

1913–14 Albert B. Lyons

1912–13 Thomas F. Main

1911–12 Henry Biroth

1910–11 Ewen McIntyre

1909–10 Enno Sander

1908–09 Samuel A. D. Sheppard

1907–08 Philip C. Candidus

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