Sponsoring Members:
Dear Members and Visitors:
The PDE, formerly known as the Philadelphia Drug Exchange, is an organization of Pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers, and allied trades. Founded in 1861, The PDE is rich in history and tradition.
As we enter 2010 with great hope for a better tomorrow, we cannot help but conclude that 2009 was a year of global economic turmoil. Of course the Pharmaceutical industry was not immune and PDE member companies, both large and small experienced some of the restructuring, volatility and concerns seen in practically every industry.
Since our founding, through too many wars and economic downturns, The PDE has sustained itself through the strength and commitment of its membership. Throughout it all, The PDE has continued to be a forum for member companies and helped bring forward a small space for collaboration to the ever changing landscape. Over a 149 year history, The PDE has weathered many historic storms, and today we pledge to continue to promote the sciences and the pharmaceutical industry, even as we face some of the greatest challenges that our economy and our country at large has ever seen. As we gather at our scheduled social and business events throughout the year, The PDE will provide unique opportunities to network and address some of the issues we have before us.
One Hundred and Forty Nine years ... just think about that for a moment. The Philadelphia Drug Exchange was first organized at a meeting in the Merchant’s Hotel on January 22, 1861, for the purpose of banding together the local wholesale drug trade into a protective association. How many at that meeting could have guessed that the organization would continue to thrive for 149 years?
If you consider that the Pony Express began just one year before The PDE was founded, it can give you a bit of perspective. In fact, The PDE’s first meeting took place less than 3 months before the American Civil War began when Confederate batteries fired for 34 straight hours on Fort Sumter. Our nations President back then was a tall gentleman by the name of Abraham Lincoln, who was yet to write the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, or be taken from a healing nation by an assassins bullet in 1865.
The PDE was 8 years old when the first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, and we had already turned 15 in 1876 when the National League of Baseball was founded, the telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell, and the Battle of Little Big Horn took place. It would be 3 more years until Thomas Edison would invent the light bulb and The PDE would celebrate it's 18th birthday. Imagine organizing events or doing business without a telephone or electric light, much less the Internet!
Between 1900 and 1909 The PDE entered it’s 40’s as US life expectancy was just over 47 for females, and 46 for males. Imagine approaching middle age at just 20 years old, as you hoped to drive one of the 8,000 automobiles in the United States on all of the 10 miles of paved roads. As The PDE was entering it’s 50’s the Model T Ford was affordable, and soon automobile newcomers like Chevrolet, DeSoto, Dodge, and Nash were introduced. Ocean Liners were the rage of the day, but both the Titanic and the Lusitania sunk during the decade.
All this and countless more historical events, both good and bad took place as The PDE continued it’s mission and thrived. Along the way The PDE has always recognized the need to demonstrate social responsibility and give back to the membership as well as the community. These efforts include scholarship awards to the exceptional students of member companies, pharmacy students and outstanding local high school science students. Today those awards approach $16,000 annually, made possible through the participation and generosity of our members.
Surely the topics such as healthcare, bailouts, stimulus programs, budget deficits, partisan politics, natural disasters, wars and challenges yet to come will continue to dominate the front page and political landscapes throughout 2010, but as before The PDE pledges to support our membership through the changes and challenges of the day. With the support and efforts of our members and those that go the extra mile by working on our various Committees we will continue to be a strong organization. We thank you for your support and interest in PDE.
I am obviously proud of this organization, and our loyal members who have supported us for so long. I am also truly honored to serve as President of The PDE, and I hope to see you all at future PDE sponsored events throughout the year. Please visit our Activities Calendar for coming events on http://www.pdetrade.org/activitiescalendar.html and plan on coming out to experience The PDE in person.
If you have any questions, please contact us at pdetrade@msn.com
Yours sincerely,
Mark A. Eckhardt, PDE President