AU veterinary alumnus named FDA deputy commissioner

Demopolis native to lead U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Lester Crawford Jr., a native of Demopolis and 1963 AU veterinary graduate, accepted the position Feb. 22 after Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson made the appointment. As deputy commissioner, Dr. Crawford will be the senior official at FDA, pending the installment of a permanent commissioner of food and drugs.

“We’ve known of his ability for many years because he has been very active in supporting the College of Veterinary Medicine,” said Dr. Timothy Boosinger, AU veterinary dean. “He was awarded our distinguished alumnus award in 1989, and this past May he was kind enough to speak at our 2001 commencement. He will do an excellent job leading of the FDA.”

The FDA is responsible for the safety and regulation of drugs, most foods, biological products, medical devices, animal feed and drugs, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting equipment. The nation’s food safety efforts are conducted by the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture which oversees meat and poultry.

Dr. Crawford, 63, most recently served as director of the Georgetown University of Center for Food and Nutrition Policy in Washington, D.C. He previously served as executive director of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges and worked more than 10 years with the FDA and the USDA, including three years as director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

He also has a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Georgia, where he worked 14 years in the 1970s and 1980s. He advanced to become associate dean and head of the department of physiology and pharmacology.

“He is the kind of person who doesn’t mind lending a helping hand and he is highly respected in the scientific community,” added Dr. Gary Beard, the AU veterinary college’s assistant dean for outreach. “He has served on countless professional committees and associations, most of which in leadership roles.”