D. Michael Strong, Ph.D.

Dr. Strong Retires

D. Michael Strong, Ph.D., Puget Sound Blood Center executive vice president, operations and COO, retired on Oct. 31, a date that coincided with the end of his term as president of AABB, the international blood banking association.

Recognized worldwide as an expert in cell cryopreservation and tissue banking, Dr. Strong has spent more than 40 years in the field and has been honored often for his contributions. In fact, his leadership earned him two prestigious lifetime achievement awards. In 2000, America’s Blood Centers presented him the Thomas F. Zuck Lifetime Achievement Award for contributing to the implementation of nucleic acid testing to detect infectious disease markers in the nation’s blood supply. In 2003, he received another lifetime achievement honor, the George W. Hyatt Memorial Award, from the American Association of Tissue Banks.

“Dr. Strong is an extraordinary leader, whose vision and commitment significantly contributed to the success of our organization during his nearly 20-year career here,” said Dr. Richard B. Counts, Blood Center president and CEO. “He has made a remarkable contribution to the growth and continuing momentum of our Blood Center and our industry. We owe him a big debt of gratitude for his dedication and passion.”

	Ensign Strong, early in his career

Dr. Strong joined the Blood Center in 1988 to establish the Northwest Tissue Services – now known as Northwest Tissue Services – which has earned an international reputation for quality. He was appointed director of laboratories for the entire Blood Center in 1992, director of operations in 1994 and executive vice president of operations in 2000, before being named chief operating officer in 2005.

A graduate of Gonzaga University, Dr. Strong received a Ph.D. from The Medical College of Wisconsin. He began his career in 1965 supervising blood bank, hematology and serology departments for the Navy Hospital, Philadelphia. In 15 years at the Naval Medical Research Institute, he helped establish organ and bone marrow transplantation units of the Army and Navy, histocompatibility, clinical immunology and tissue banking programs at the Naval Medical Center, and the initiation of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). He was a professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences until his retirement from the Navy in 1985.

He recently concluded a year as AABB president and helped establish a U.S. Biovigilance Network in collaboration with government agencies including the Centers for Disease control.

“Dr. Strong’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing our field, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his top-notch research, teaching and service over the years,” said AABB CEO Karen Shoos Lipton.