Honorary President
2023-2024 APhA Honorary President
James A. Ponto, MS, RPh, BCNP, FAPhA
James A. Ponto, MS, RPh, FAPhA is Emeritus Clinical Professor, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy. He earned his BSPharm from University of Iowa, MS Radiopharmacy from University of Southern California, and completed a short residency in nuclear pharmacy at Duke University Medical Center. He then spent his career at the University of Iowa, where he was Chief Nuclear Pharmacist, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and Clinical Professor, College of Pharmacy until his recent retirement. He has been a continuously board-certified nuclear pharmacist (BCNP) since the inaugural BPS certification exam in 1982. In APhA, he served on numerous APPM and Nuclear Pharmacy committees, including chair of the Section on Nuclear Pharmacy. He also served on various BPS groups, including chair of the Nuclear Pharmacy Specialty Council, non-specialist member on the Nutrition Support Specialty Council, and two terms on the BPS Board of Directors. He has also served on several United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Expert Committees and Expert Panels. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, 40 abstracts, 20 book chapters, and numerous CE lessons. Honors received from APhA include Fellow, Distinguished Achievement Award in Nuclear Pharmacy Practice, Daniel B. Smith Practice Excellence Award, and four poster Presentation Merit Awards. Other honors include ASHP Fellow, Society of Nuclear Medicine Presidential Distinguished Service Award, and USP Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Standards. As a practitioner and educator, he strove to advance nuclear pharmacy specialty practice, and also recognize, promote, and advance other practice specialties in 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)
2015–16 Metta Lou Henderson
2013–14 Norman A. Campbell
2010–11 Dennis B. Worthen
2009–10 Jimmy R. Mitchell
2008–09 Anthony N. Civello
2005–06 Joy Holloman Donelson
2004–05 Joseph D. Williams
2003–04 Stephen Eben Dibble
2001–02 Charles R. Walgreen, Jr.
2000–01 Charles D. Pulido
1999–2000 Warren E. Weaver
1997–98 Mary Louise Andersen
1996–97 August P. Lemberger
1992–93 E. Claiborne Robins
1991–92 David J. Krigstein
1990–91 George B. Griffenhagen
1989–90 Ewart A. Swinyard
1986–87 Gloria Niemeyer Francke
1985–86 Glenn Sonnedecker
1982–83 Louise Schmitz Kortz
1981–82 Conrad A. Blomquist
1980–81 Marjorie D. Coghill
1977–78 Fred Meek (posthumously)
1974–75 George L. Webster
1973–74 Attilio R. Granito
1968–69 Mrs. Hugo H. Schaefer
1965–66 Nicholas S. Gesoalde
1961–62 Heber Youngken, Sr.
1950–51 Ernest G. Eberhardt
1947–48 Gustavus A. Pfeiffer
1940–41 W. P. Porterfield
1935–36 D. M. R. Culbreth
1932–33 Charles F. Heebner
1931–32 Henry S. Wellcome
1930–31 Elie H. La Pierre
1927–28 Edward Mallinckrodt
1923–24 William L. DuBois
1922–23 Thomas D. McElhenie
1915–16 Fabius C. Godbold
1908–09 Samuel A. D. Sheppard
1907–08 Philip C. Candidus
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