Pindaros Roy Vagelos born 1929 in Westfield, New Jersey as president and chief executive officer (1985) and chairman (1986) of Merck, he was widely admired for attracting top research scientists who developed many major new drugs. His experience gave him an unusual perspective on mastering three leading professions: medicine, science, business and went and become the Chief Executive Officer of the multinational pharmaceutical giant, Merck

Biography

Roy Vagelos grew up during the Depression as a wise-cracking son of Greek immigrants. A slow learner, he was more interested in playing the violin or cutting up with his classmates. An inspiring teacher, however, brought out a latent talent for algebra. Vagelos quickly realized that a burgeoning interest in science and math could only be fulfilled by a college education. After winning a partial scholarship, he left his family's small restaurant to become a doctor. He majored in chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1950.

Torn between pursuing a graduate degree in chemistry or going to medical school, he chose the latter at the urging of his father, whose own father had been a physician in Greece. Vagelos earned an M.D. at 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. A Columbia University Medical School 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, New Jersey (president 1976-1984).

Throughout his career, Vagelos never lost touch with his family values, his intense desire to help others, and his faith in the partnership principle and the competition that makes it work. Before assuming responsibilities in business leadership, he had won scientific recognition as an authority on lipids and enzymes and as a research manager. 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.

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