Wayne A. I. Frederick (B.S. ’92, M.D. ’94, MBA ’11) is not just a lifesaving practicing surgeon; he is a medical, academic, and business leader whose impact extends across the nation’s capital and beyond. In addition to his leadership in higher education as Howard’s interim president, president emeritus, and the Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery, he has been instrumental in influencing the aspirations of young leaders and positively affecting the economy of the Washington region. That legacy was further cemented recently when Junior Achievement of Greater Washington inducted him into the Washington Business Hall of Fame. The recognition honors individuals “who serve as role models to the next generation of business leaders.” 

"I am deeply grateful to the Junior Achievement of Greater Washington for the honor of being inducted into the Washington Business Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Laureates,” said President Frederick. “The celebration of leadership and legacy reminds me that every meaningful contribution begins with someone investing in your potential. Howard University did that for me. This institution shaped my character, sharpened my purpose, and fortified my commitment to lead with integrity and compassion. The lessons poured into me here — as a student, a physician, and a leader — continue to guide my resolve to create pathways for others to succeed. This recognition strengthens my determination to ensure that the doors opened for me remain open for generations to come. At Howard and beyond, I will continue working to build environments where excellence is cultivated, equity is advanced, and every young person is empowered to realize their fullest potential." 

Under President Frederick’s leadership as the 17th president of Howard University, the institution grew its already significant impact on the region’s economy. By 2019, for example, Howard’s economic impact in the District alone totaled over $1.15 billion, according to a recent report by the Greater Washington Partnership. In addition to expenditures by students, the university employed nearly 5,000 faculty and staff and made payments of a half billion dollars to vendors, the majority of which was spent locally. Frederick’s expertise as a health care leader has also provided solid leadership for Howard University Hospital, which serves as a major economic driver in the region and provides critical medical treatment for many underserved communities. Overall, the university supports some 8,800 direct and indirect jobs throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. 

The Howard Forward Strategic Plan, led by President Frederick, christened the development of Howard’s long-term real estate strategy, which is on track to create nearly 250 affordable housing units and nine off-campus commercial mixed-use projects by the end of the decade, creating more than 13,000 jobs, generating new revenue lines for the university, and increasing the economic vitality of many underserved communities. In addition, the plan reorganized Howard around efficiency and effectiveness, helping to boost the university’s financial stability and enhance its credit ratings, which it has leveraged to secure the investments needed to execute its economic development strategies. It also set the stage for a dramatic increase in research funding, much of which fuels locally based ingenuity in science, artificial intelligence, autonomous technology, and medical advancement. The vision and construct piloted by President Frederick was key to Howard’s return to Research One designation. 

Induction into the Washington Business Hall of Fame is just one recognition of President Frederick’s business prowess. He earned an MBA from Howard University's School of Business in 2011 and now serves on numerous corporate and organizational boards of directors, including Agostini Limited, Humana, Insulet Corporation, Save the Children, and Tempus AI. President Frederick is the lead independent director of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company and senior advisor for Blackstone and Boston Consulting Group. He has also served on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation, and was named part of the Washington Business Journal’s Power 100 Class of 2019. Prior to his current role as interim president, Dr. Frederick served as the interim CEO of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, guiding both organizations and their more than 3,000 team members and 1.3 million volunteers.  

Junior Achievement of Greater Washington prepares students to be future-ready by partnering with schools and businesses to deliver hands-on, practical experiences in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. In concert with that mission, the Washington Business Hall of Fame helps motivate those students to achieve by honoring “the best in business to inspire the next in business.” As a Hall of Fame Laureate, President Frederick joins a prestigious cadre of 180 trailblazers who have received the organization’s signature lifetime achievement award, an honor it bestows each year on what it considers to be “a cohort of our most prolific business and community leaders.”