Dr. David Dalton, award-winning pharmacist and biopharmaceutical entrepreneur, recently received the “Banned Hero” award from Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.
The award was presented at a celebration honoring Pennsylvania’s African-American veterans, hosted by the Pennsylvania State Museum and the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Dalton was recognized as one of 12 “Banner Heroes” at the event.
The Bannered Heroes program is sponsored by the Beta Pi Boulé (Harrisburg, PA) Chapter of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.
Boulé, founded in 1904, is the oldest African-American Greek organization and has members such as WEB DuBois, Charles R. Drew, James Weldon Johnson, Ralph Bunche, Andrew J. Young, Colin Powell, James E. Clyburn, John Lewis, Wynton Marsalis, Barak Obama, Kenneth Chenault and Wes Moore.
Dalton is also a member of Sigma Pi Phi. Le Boulé is committed to uplifting Black communities by striving to eliminate barriers to civic, social, political, educational and economic well-being.
Born in West Virginia and a resident of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, for over thirty years, David Dalton earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from West Virginia University in 1971 and was honored as one of the top 10 graduates on 100 years.
He became a doctor of pharmacy in 1974 and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971 to 1976, where he was the first black pharmaceutical executive in the chain pharmaceutical industry.
He has received numerous honors, including the United States Senatorial Medal of Freedom, and is inducted into four Halls of Fame. Dalton served in various roles within Rite Aid Corporation, including corporate vice president.
Dalton is the CEO of UNIVEC, Inc. He is an early member and director of the National Council on Prescription Drug Programs and founded the National Minority Health Association in 1988.
The International Forum on Advances in Healthcare named Dalton one of the “Top 100 Healthcare Leaders” in 2019 and one of the “Top 100 Healthcare Visionaries” in 2021.
Among the 40 companies he founded, Health Resources, Inc. is the first African-American pharmaceutical management and benefits company, working with more than 50,000 retail pharmacies to fill prescriptions.
Dalton’s recognition as a Bannered Hero is historic and unique because the exhibit – the first of its kind – will remain at the Pennsylvania State Museum through Veterans Day.
Dalton is also one of 18 veterans with a banner hanging in Soldiers Grove in Pennsylvania, located behind the Capitol.
Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, founded in Philadelphia in 1904, is the oldest black upper-level Greek-letter fraternity. The fraternity was established to support the vision of creating a fraternal union for accomplished black men.
Sigma Pi Phi remains true to its original goals of improving the professional and interpersonal lives of its members and contributing to the betterment of underserved communities.
The fraternity has consistently adopted programs supporting historically black colleges and universities, national civil rights organizations, local youth scholarship programs, and community health and social, economic, and educational opportunities.
The fraternity helped establish the Museum of African American History and Culture and continues to support organizations committed to improving community health and social, economic and educational opportunities.
