Appointment of 12 Members of the Presidential Commission on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemic

July 23, 1987

The President today announced his intention to appoint the following individuals to be members of the Presidential Commission on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Epidemic:

Colleen Conway-Welch, of Tennessee. Since 1984 Dr. Conway-Welch has been a professor and the dean of nursing at Vanderbilt University and associate director of the Vanderbilt University Hospital department of nursing. She received her B.S.N. degree from the Georgetown University School of Nursing in 1965, her M.S.N. degree from the Catholic University of America in 1969, her C.N.M. degree from the Catholic Maternity Institute in 1969, and her Ph.D. degree from New York University in 1973. Dr. Conway-Welch was born April 26, 1944, in Iowa. She is married and resides in Nashville, TN.

John J. Creedon, of Connecticut. Mr. Creedon has been with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. in New York City since 1942. He has been serving as president of the company since 1980 and chief executive officer since 1983. Mr. Creedon is also chairman of the Business Roundtable's task force on health and welfare benefit plans. He is serving as general chairman of the Greater New York Blood Program campaign for 1986 and 1987. Mr. Creedon earned his B.S. degree in 1952 from New York University and earned his LL.B. degree in 1955 and his LL.M. degree in 1962 from New York University School of Law. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. Mr. Creedon was born August 1, 1924, in New York City. He is married, has six children, and resides in New Canaan, CT.

Theresa L. Crenshaw, of California. Since 1975 Dr. Crenshaw has been the director of the Crenshaw Clinic, which specializes in the evaluation and treatment of sexual dysfunction, sexual medicine, and human relationships. She was immediate past president of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists. Dr. Crenshaw received her B.A. degree from Stanford University in 1964 and her M.D. degree from the University of California at Irvine in 1969. She served in the United States Navy from 1967 to 1973. Dr. Crenshaw was born September 25, 1942, and resides in San Diego, CA.

Richard M. DeVos, of Michigan. Mr. DeVos cofounded Amway Corp. in 1959 and has since been serving as president of the corporation. He attended the Calvin College in Michigan. Mr. DeVos served in the United States Air Force from 1944 to 1946. He was born March 4, 1926. Mr. DeVos is married, has four children, and resides in Grand Rapids, MI.<p>

Burton James Lee III, of Connecticut. Since 1969 Dr. Lee has been a practicing physician at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of lymphomas. He was president of the general medical staff at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital from 1972 to 1974 and from 1983 to 1985. Dr. Lee earned his B.A. from Yale University in 1952 and his M.D. from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1956. He was born March 28, 1930, in New York City. Dr. Lee is married, has three children, and resides in Greenwich, CT.

Frank Lilly, of New York. Since 1976 Dr. Lilly has been chairman of the genetics department of the Albert Einstein Medical Center in New York City. He has also served as a professor of genetics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine since 1974. Dr. Lilly earned his B.S. degree from West Virginia University in 1951. He earned his first Ph.D. degree from the University of Paris in 1958, majoring in organic chemistry, and his second Ph.D. degree from the Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences in 1965, majoring in biology. Dr. Lilly served in the United States Army from January 1952 to December 1953. He was born August 28, 1930, in Charleston, WV, and resides in New York.

Woodrow A. Myers, Jr., of Indiana. Dr. Myers is the health commissioner for the State of Indiana and also serves as the secretary of the Indiana State Board of Health. He has served in both of these positions since 1985. Previously he was the physician health adviser for the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources in Washington, DC, from August to December 1984. Dr. Myers earned his B.S. degree from Stanford University in 1973, for which he received honors in biological studies. He earned his M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School in 1977 and his M.B.A. degree from Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1982. Dr. Myers was born February 14, 1954, in Indiana. He is married, has two children, and resides in Indianapolis, IN.

John Cardinal O'Connor, of New York. John Cardinal O'Connor was ordained a priest in 1945. He was named Archbishop of New York in 1984 and Cardinal in 1985. John Cardinal O'Connor served as Bishop of Scranton, PA, in 1983. While in the United States Navy, 1952 - 1979, he was appointed Navy Chief of Chaplains in 1974, and Titular Bishop of Cursola and Auxiliary to the Military Vicar in 1979. John Cardinal O'Connor was born January 15, 1920, in Philadelphia, PA. He currently resides in New York City.

Penny Pullen, of Illinois. Miss Pullen was first elected to the Illinois State House of Representatives in 1976 and has been serving in the State house since that time. In January 1987 she was appointed house minority leader. Miss Pullen is the sponsor of AIDS-related legislation in the State of Illinois. She earned her B.A. degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1969. Miss Pullen was born March 2, 1947, in Buffalo, NY. She currently resides in Park Ridge, IL.

Cory SerVaas, of Indiana. Since 1973 Dr. SerVaas has been editor and publisher of the Saturday Evening Post. She has also served as president and research director of the Benjamin Franklin Library and Medical Society and medical director of the Foundation for Preventative Medicine, 1976 to the present. Dr. SerVaas earned her A.B. degree from the University of Iowa School of Journalism in 1946 and did postgraduate work at Columbia University. She earned her M.D. degree from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1969. Dr. SerVaas was born June 21, 1924, in Pella, IA. She is married, has five children, and resides in Indianapolis, IN.

William B. Walsh, of Maryland. Dr. Walsh founded Project HOPE (Health Opportunity for People Everywhere) in 1958 and has been serving as president and medical director since that time. He is also a clinical professor of internal medicine at Georgetown University. Dr. Walsh earned his B.S. degree in 1940 from St. John's University in New York and his M.D. degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1943. Dr. Walsh served in the United States Navy, 1941 - 1954. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in June 1987 and received the National Institute of Social Sciences Gold Medal in 1977. Dr. Walsh was born April 26, 1920, in Brooklyn, NY. He is married, has three children, and resides in Bethesda, MD.

Adm. James D. Watkins, U.S. Navy, Ret., of California. Admiral Watkins served as the Chief of Naval Operations, U.S. Navy, from 1982 to 1986. Prior to this he was commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, 1981 - 1982. Admiral Watkins is a 1949 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and received his masters degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1958. During his military service, Admiral Watkins received several Distinguished Service Medals, including three Legions of Merit and the Bronze Star. Admiral Watkins was born March 7, 1927, in Alhambra, CA. He is married, has six children, and resides in the District of Columbia.