Dael Wolfle, PhD, executive secretary of APA from 1945 to 1950, died in December at the age of 96. Wolfle's long career began with his doctorate in experimental psychology in 1931 and included 16 years as executive director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and 26 years as a professor of public affairs at the University of Washington.
In 1945, after a wartime career with the Army's Office of Scientific Research and Development, Wolfle was selected as the first executive secretary of APA. He formed the first APA central office staff and was the founding editor of the American Psychologist.
"Dael Wolfle established a model for APA central office management that has served us well for over a half century," says retired APA Chief Executive Officer Raymond D. Fowler, PhD. "He hired good people, set his goals carefully and managed APA's finances well. We are fortunate to have had an outstanding psychologist and talented administrator as the first chief staff officer of APA and that he lived such a long and productive life."
--M. GREENGRASS