Paul Pumpian Scholarship

STATEMENT

The APhA Foundation is grateful for the generosity of Paul A. Pumpian to establish a student scholarship and is honored to have that scholarship bear his name. The Foundation believes this is a fitting way to assist students and recognize the professional accomplishments of pharmacist and attorney, Paul A. Pumpian.  The individual skills and knowledge that Paul Pumpian brings to the pharmacy profession has been evident through years of dedicated service in both the public and private sectors.

A graduate of the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and School of Law, Pumpian began his distinguished professional career in the pharmaceutical field, initially as an assistant professor at the University of Maryland where he created the first pharmacy administration department in a college of pharmacy.  He went on to become a patent attorney for E.R. Squibb & Sons, Inc and later became the executive secretary of the Wisconsin State Board of Pharmacy.

In 1966, Pumpian accepted a position at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and for three years he offered his experience to the Federal Government, serving as deputy director for the Division of Case Assistance, as assistant to the director at the Bureau of Drug Abuse Control, and then as Director of the Office of Legislative and Governmental Services in the Office of the Commissioner.

Pumpian returned to the private sector in 1969 where he held such notable positions as vice president and general counsel for Medical Health Industries and later president of Langer Medical Supply Co., Inc., both in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  In 1971, Pumpian became the first person to have served as executive secretary for two State Boards of Pharmacy.  During his tenure with the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy, Pumpian’s then controversial work on patient medication profiles made New Jersey the first state to require mandatory patient profiles, a move lauded by consumer leaders of the day and an important step forward for the profession to set the stage for today’s expanded clinical roles.

Pumpian held leadership positions in many national organizations over his career including the Chairmanship of the following: AACP Section of Teachers of Pharmacy Administration, APhA Section on Education and Legislation, NABP Committee on Legislation and the Association of Food and Drug Officials of the U.S. Committee on Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics.

Prior to retirement in 1992, Pumpian joined the U.S. Small Business Administration as the assistant chief counsel for environment and health, office of the Chief Counsel for Advocacy and since 1980, served as Director of Consumer Affairs.

Pumpian passed in 2008, but his generous gift to the APhA Foundation student scholarship program initiated the Paul Pumpian Scholarship.  It was his hope that this gift will give today’s students assistance in their school tuition and that his gift will set an example for others and "inspire them to give" as well.

 

The Paul Pumpian Scholarship is presented annually to one (1) recipient with a scholarship of $1,000.

Learn more about other named APhA Foundation scholarships for students.