Today, I’d like to extend the best wishes of the entire community of pharmacists around the globe to George Griffenhagen on the occasion of his 91st birthday!

I first met George as a student pharmacist in the early 1970s, and later had the privilege to work with him on staff here at APhA from 1987–92. Many younger pharmacists may not be aware, but George represented American pharmacists all over the world for many years, especially in Latin America. He has an incredibly colorful history himself, and has served as APhA’s historian for decades. 

My first encounter as a staffer came in 1987 when he walked into my office here at APhA and put a 1970s editorial of his, “The red-haired, blue-eyed, left-handed pharmacist,” on my desk. While that description fit me to a tee, it was actually a reference to the absurd notion that the federal government would limit pharmacists’ access to methadone for legitimate use in combating opioid addiction. That simple, kind act of collegiality set the stage for a wonderful relationship these last 37 years. 

Happy birthday, George!