P. Roy Vagelos
Encyclopedia
Pindaros Roy Vagelos, better known as P. Roy Vagelos or Roy Vagelos (born 1929 in Westfield
, New Jersey
), was president and chief executive officer (1985) and chairman (1986) of the multinational pharmaceutical company Merck
. He attracted research scientists who developed many major new drugs. In addition to his business accomplishments, Vagelos is the author of more than 100 scientific papers.
as a son of Greek immigrants. Vagelos attended Rahway High School
in his hometown. After winning a partial scholarship, he left his family's small restaurant in Rahway, New Jersey
to become a doctor. He majored in chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania
, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1950. Vagelos later earned an M.D. from Columbia University
in 1954.
Vagelos was deferred from military service while in medical school, but he was obligated to serve a two-year stint as an Army doctor. As a Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
trained surgeon and biochemist, Vagelos obtained a two-year assignment as a research physician at the National Institutes of Health
(1956-1966). For Vagelos, it was a fateful turning point. He was associated with Massachusetts General Hospital
, Washington University and the Washington University School of Medicine
(1966-1975) before joining Merck, Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories in Rahway (president 1976-1984).
The author of more than 100 scientific papers, Vagelos has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
, the National Academy of Sciences
and the American Philosophical Society
.
Roy Vagelos donated over 15 million dollars to the University of Pennsylvania, in order to create the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, located in front of the Chemistry Labs. This money also went to creating the Vagelos Scholars Program In Molecular Life Sciences
, an intensive program offered to freshman attending the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he donated funds to create the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management
, a program combining the Wharton School and the College of Arts and Sciences.
In 1995 Dr. Vagelos was the recipient of the NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society
, and inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. He received the Bower Award for Business Leadership in 1999.
In 2010, Vagelos, who received his M.D. at Columbia University, and his wife Diana, an alumna of Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia University, donated 50 million dollars to the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, towards the construction of a new building, which will be named in their honor.
Westfield, New Jersey
Westfield is a town in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 30,316. The old village area, now the downtown district, was settled in 1720 as part of the Elizabethtown Tract....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
), was president and chief executive officer (1985) and chairman (1986) of the multinational pharmaceutical company Merck
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
. He attracted research scientists who developed many major new drugs. In addition to his business accomplishments, Vagelos is the author of more than 100 scientific papers.
Biography
Roy Vagelos grew up during the DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
as a son of Greek immigrants. Vagelos attended Rahway High School
Rahway High School
Rahway High School is a four-year public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Rahway, in Union County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Rahway Public Schools. The high school's present location was built in 1941...
in his hometown. After winning a partial scholarship, he left his family's small restaurant in Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
to become a doctor. He majored in chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1950. Vagelos later earned an M.D. from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1954.
Vagelos was deferred from military service while in medical school, but he was obligated to serve a two-year stint as an Army doctor. As a Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
trained surgeon and biochemist, Vagelos obtained a two-year assignment as a research physician at the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
(1956-1966). For Vagelos, it was a fateful turning point. He was associated with Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
, Washington University and the Washington University School of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine , located in St. Louis, Missouri, is one of the graduate schools of Washington University in St. Louis. One of the top medical schools in the United States, it is currently ranked 4th for research according to U.S. News and World Report and has been listed...
(1966-1975) before joining Merck, Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories in Rahway (president 1976-1984).
The author of more than 100 scientific papers, Vagelos has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
, the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
and the American Philosophical Society
American Philosophical Society
The American Philosophical Society, founded in 1743, and located in Philadelphia, Pa., is an eminent scholarly organization of international reputation, that promotes useful knowledge in the sciences and humanities through excellence in scholarly research, professional meetings, publications,...
.
Roy Vagelos donated over 15 million dollars to the University of Pennsylvania, in order to create the Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, located in front of the Chemistry Labs. This money also went to creating the Vagelos Scholars Program In Molecular Life Sciences
Vagelos Scholars Program In Molecular Life Sciences
The Vagelos Scholars Program in Molecular Life Sciences is an undergraduate program at the University of Pennsylvania, named after Penn alumnus and Merck CEO Roy Vagelos and his wife Diana....
, an intensive program offered to freshman attending the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, he donated funds to create the Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management
Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management
The Vagelos Program in Life Sciences and Management is a 4-year dual-degree undergraduate program of the School of Arts & Sciences and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Students of the program graduate with both a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School as well as a B.A...
, a program combining the Wharton School and the College of Arts and Sciences.
In 1995 Dr. Vagelos was the recipient of the NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society
NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society
The NAS Award for Chemistry in Service to Society is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for contributions to chemistry, either in fundamental science or its application, that clearly satisfy a societal need." It has been awarded every two years since its inception in 1991.- List of...
, and inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. He received the Bower Award for Business Leadership in 1999.
In 2010, Vagelos, who received his M.D. at Columbia University, and his wife Diana, an alumna of Barnard College, an affiliate of Columbia University, donated 50 million dollars to the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, towards the construction of a new building, which will be named in their honor.