Background

John Villforth's vision, energy and leadership led to the creation of the Food and Drug Administration Alumni Association (FDAAA) in 2002. He navigated the association through its early years and provided the foundation for the present organization.

Villforth is a former director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and its predecessor, the Bureau of Radiological Health. A former member of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he held the rank of Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General and served as the Corps' Chief Engineer. After three decades of federal service, he became Executive Director of The Food Drug and Law Institute and served on several industry boards.

Starting in 2000, Villforth recognized the need for an organization representing FDA alumni. He met with alumni associations from other government agencies, and simultaneously recruited other FDA alumni to join his effort. His goal was to create and maintain an organization that could unite all FDA alumni and provide a framework in which they could continue public service. The original FDAAA board had representatives from every part of the Agency.

Villforth was trained as an engineer, and was a proud graduate of Penn State University. He and his wife have three daughters.

The John C. Villforth Founder's Award recognizes FDAAA leaders who have "made significant and visible contributions to promoting the growth and visibility of the FDAAA." Another award issued by the FDAAA is the Harvey W. Wiley Award, which recognizes leaders who have made lasting contributions to FDA and its mission. Villforth himself was a recipient of the Wiley Award.

Announcement of the renaming of the Founder's Award in honor of John C. Villforth was made at the May 13, 2019 Annual FDAAA meeting.

Description

The Founder's Award was approved by the Board in January, 2011. In this, the tenth year of the FDAAA, it was decided that honoring the founders of the organization in the inaugural year of the award was most appropriate! The Founder's Award was established to honor the members of the FDAAA who have served with distinction in a leadership capacity, i.e. Board members or Committee Chairs who:

• Made significant and visible contributions to promoting the growth and/or visibility of the FDAAA;
• Have served more than one term on the Board and in so doing have advanced the organization's goals and mission;
• Exemplifies the true spirit and intention of the motto: "Serving those who have served".