Norman B. Anderson, PhD, is awarded this posthumous Presidential Citation for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the field of psychology and APA.
Anderson’s 13-year tenure as CEO of APA was marked by his visionary leadership and dedication to the association. He brought with him a keen understanding of the federal government as the first director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OSSBR) at the National Institutes of Health, as well as experience in academia from his faculty positions at Duke and Harvard Universities.
It’s no accident that Anderson’s interest in coming to Washington to lead APA began with some positive interactions with APA and its staff. While serving on the Board of Scientific Affairs, Anderson was invited by the science advocacy staff to come to DC to present APA’s testimony before the House Labor-Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. He later said that the trip helped nurture his interest in big–picture issues that affected psychology.
As the first director of the new OBSSR at NIH, he built partnerships to facilitate this research across all the institutes and centers of the NIH. His special interest at NIH was in sociocultural determinants of health, and in advancing an integrated, transdisciplinary, bio-psycho-social approach to health science, health promotion, prevention, and health care. Under his tenure NIH funded centers for research on mind-body health, and critical research was initiated on minority health disparities and the maintenance of health behavior change. He led the development of the first 5–year strategic plan for the OBSSR. One challenge he set for himself was to build an understanding and appreciation of behavioral and social science in the famously skeptical director of NIH, Harold Varmus, MD. He enjoyed some success there, but of course, he wanted more.
Anderson was recruited to be APA’s CEO after leaving OBSSR and serving for 3 years as a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. With his extensive training and experience, he was ready to lead APA and embody psychology to the world outside of APA. Many staff remember his car license plate: “CYCOLO-G.” You couldn’t miss it!
As a CEO, Anderson led by example. After forming his APA Executive Management Group, he offered mentorship and educational opportunities to his colleagues. The personal inscriptions on the seminal leadership texts that he provided to his team are now all the more cherished possessions. Anderson conveyed a high level of confidence in his colleagues while providing encouragement and recognition for their accomplishments. He was also a delightful colleague with his welcoming smile, engaging manner, and wry sense of humor.
Some of Anderson’s own achievements as CEO included overseeing the creation of APA’s first strategic plan and diversity implementation plan. Also for the first time ever, APA was named one of the top places to work in the Washington, D.C., area. This designation might have reflected in part Norman’s being the first CEO to give end-of-year staff bonuses. In the days before Christmas, he could be seen walking office-to-office in his Santa costume handing out bonus checks in the amount of $750, signifying APA’s address on First Street.
While serving as CEO, Anderson’s own academic achievements were recognized when he was invited to serve on the National Advisory Council of the National Institute on Aging of the NIH and elected to the National Academy of Medicine of the National Academies of Science.
He was a very impressive representative of APA, replete with his commanding posture, tailored suits, and pocket squares. He always made us proud to be on his team, whether he was speaking at interorganizational meetings, congressional hearings, international conferences, or media events.
Anderson will be dearly missed for the remarkable person, friend, colleague, leader, and mentor that he was, for all that he accomplished, and for all that he had yet to do.