| Dr. Willis L. Lonzer, III is a native of Richmond, Virginia, where he attended the Henrico County Public Schools. He matriculated to Delaware State University, where he was a Charles Waples Scholar in chemistry and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. While at Delaware State, he joined the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. through the Gamma Sigma Chapter on November 15, 1986. Dr. Lonzer also holds the Doctor of Philosophy degree in biochemistry from The University of Akron, where was a prestigious Patricia Roberts Harris Predoctoral Fellow. After completing his doctoral training, Dr. Lonzer was awarded a National Institutes of Health-sponsored postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiology and Biophysics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. Fraternally, Dr. Lonzer has served as a Chapter President at the college and alumni levels; College Step Master; College Chapter Advisor; Area Director; District Director of Ohio; and has been a member of multiple committees on the regional and national levels of the fraternity. He currently serves as the Midwestern Regional Vice President and is a member of the Xi Lambda Chapter in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to his service and leadership in Alpha, Dr.Lonzer, after a brief stint in academia, moved his professional career pursuits to the pharmaceutical industry. He has 20 years of global corporate experience having held positions in Global Research & Development with AstraZeneca, the Ortho Biotech Division of Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals, Global Medical Affairs Division of Abbott Laboratories, Global Medical Affairs Division of AbbVie Inc, and the Global Medical Affairs Division of Shire Pharmaceuticals. Currently, Dr. Lonzer is a Regional Medical Director with Horizon Therapeutics. where he is involved in identifying research partnerships and strategic drug developmental opportunities for marketed and pipeline assets. Dr. Lonzer has authored papers published in both peer-reviewed scientific and non-scientific journals and has presented at major medical and scientific meetings. He is also a contributing author of the book: Brothers of the Academy: Up and Coming Black Scholars Earning Our Way in Higher Education. Dr. Lonzer is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. Dr. Lonzer is married to Pamela Lonzer and is the proud father of two adult sons and a teenage daughter. He is a member of the Greater Institutional AME Church in Chicago, Illinois pastored by Rev. Dr. Walter B. Johnson, Jr. Dr. Lonzer’s election was announced on July 24, 2020, and his term of office will begin in January 2021. |
