New member Eric Jozefiak gave his classification speech at our March 22, 2016 breakfast meeting and our March 23, 2016 dinner meeting. A classification speech is an opportunity for a Rotary member to talk about their personal and professional interests, their community service, and how these interests and experiences relate to their Rotary membership. Eric thanked Jim Wagner for introducing him to Rotary and sponsoring his membership. 

 

Eric has a passion for education and health.  He is from Adams, Massachusetts and was born with a congenital heart defect and had open heart surgery when he was 14 in Boston. His own experience and all the other sick children at the hospital led to his passion for health.

 

His passion for health led him to attend The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and complete graduate work at Duquesne University. He then started working at Lehigh Valley Hospital; he only worked there for a year but he met his wife Melanie. Eric and Melanie are celebrating their 24 year anniversary this year.

 

After Lehigh Valley Hospital, Eric and his family came to this area to teach at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. For the past 19 years he has worked in the in pharmaceutical industry. He spent 18 years at Bristol Myer Squibb in research and marketing. He recently left BMS, after leading 120 people in Oncology Research after launching new therapy that uses the immune system to treat cancer. Eric joined Celgene Pharma and has just a small cadre of people doing research on cancer therapies. Eric’s previous job did not allow him to get involved in the community which is why he is joining now; his current job gives him the opportunity to contribute to the community.

 

For the past 7-8 years Eric has participated in medical missions to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. After many mission trips, there is now a year-round clinic in Port-au-Prince. A couple years ago he and a friend found a community in the mountains that has an underfunded school of 750 children.  He was able to support the shortfalls in funding for the school for the past three years while also providing school supplies. They also ensured that the kids get a meal every day at the school. He hopes to involve Rotary in this mission.

 

Welcome to the club Eric!