Obituary of Jerome Arthur Halperin

Jerome Arthur (Jerry) Halperin, age 77, Silver Spring, Maryland died on February 10, 2015 after an extended illness. He was born February 21, 1937 in Patterson, New Jersey to the late Harry and Frieda Neistadt Halperin. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Barbara Hott Halperin, two daughters, Alicia Halperin Odom and husband Michael and Rachel Halperin Montgomery and husband Andy, and four grandchildren, Patrick Odom, Cory Odom, Kiara Odom and Connor Montgomery. He is also survived by a sister, Linda Halperin Nissenbaum and husband Larry, a niece Sheryl Nissenbaum Firestone and nephew Daniel Nissenbaum. Jerry graduated Rutgers University with a Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy in 1958. He started his career behind a counter as a commissioned officer with the United States Public Heath Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico working with Indian Health. He didn't stay behind the counter long, feeling a draw to a different side of pharmacy. In 1961 he was transferred to Baltimore, Maryland where he attended The Johns Hopkins University and received a Master's Degree in Public Health. He also met Barbara at Johns Hopkins. On September 1, 1963 in Oakland, California they were married. Several transfers and two children later the family ended up in Boston, Massachusetts where Jerry attended M.I.T. as a Sloan Fellow and received his second Master's Degree. In 1974 the family made their last transfer with the PHS back to Maryland where Jerry worked at the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) until he retired in 1983 at the rank of Rear Admiral (at the time only the fourth PHS officer in pharmacy to achieve that rank.) Upon retiring Jerry went into the private sector working as a Vice President for Ciba-Giegy Pharmaceuticals in his home state of New Jersey. He spent six years there until he was once again drawn back to Maryland to become the CEO of the United States Pharmacopeia. A job he relished in for ten years until seeing what retirement felt like in 2000. Realizing he wasn't cut out for full retirement so early he went back to work as the CEO of FDLI (Food and Drug Law Institute) in 2001 until retiring again in 2006. Throughout his career Jerry served on numerous boards and received many honors and awards. Several of these honors included Rutgers Alumnus of the Year in 1981, four honorary doctoral degrees, induction into the Italian Pharmacopeia in 1992, but one of the most meaningful honors was receiving the prestigious Remington Honors Award in 2001 from the American Pharmaceutical Association. The Remington is the highest award given in the pharmaceutical industry.