RADM Fred G. Paavola
Rear Admiral (Ret.) Fred G. Paavola, RPh, DSc, FAPhA, was appointed as the chief Pharmacist Officer and Assistant Surgeon General for the U.S. Public Health Services (PHS) on June 1, 1996. He also held collateral duties as Chief of Peer Review during this time. He retired with over 30 years of service. In these positions, he led over 1,100 pharmacists in 12 federal operating divisions and programs including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Food and Drug Administration, Health and Resources and Services Administration, Indian Health Service, National Institutes for Health, and the United States Coast Guard. In addition, he managed the competitive grant review process for programs that provided over $300 million in annual grant distributions.
Among his initiatives was the development of the first formal affiliation agreements between the PHS and colleges of pharmacy through which students have gained options not previously possible. RADM Paavola provided the leadership for development of the Federal Credentialing Program for pharmacists in all federal services. He led efforts, which resulted in legislation to address pay disparities between the private and federal sector and gaining voting status and dues reduction for federal pharmacists in the professional associations representing pharmacists.
RADM Paavola earned his Pharmacy degree in 1970 from North Dakota State University. He was also a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Army ROTC program. He is the recipient of numerous awards including the PHS Meritorious Service Medal, 3 Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Awards, 4 PHS Commendation Medals, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, NDSU Honorary Doctorate, NDSU Alumni Achievement Award, Phi Lambda Sigma National Leadership Award, Linwood F. Tice Award, Drug Topics Pharmacist of the Year, Julius Stermer Lecturer Award, Fellow of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Association of Schools of Allied Health Professionals Distinguished Service Award, and the Andrew Craigie Award.
