About the Gibbs Oration

The Gibbs Oration was established to honor a great leader of the healthcare industry. Generous philanthropic support from alumni, faculty, and friends helps sustain this annual lecture and steward the legacy of Fred Gibbs.

Frederick H. Gibbs was the founder and the first chair of GW’s Department of Health Care Administration in 1958. He served as chair until 1967, and remained a member of the faculty until 1972. His role as founder and chair of the program followed a distinguished military career. Professor Gibbs enlisted with the Army in 1925 as a Private and retired in 1957 as a full Colonel in the Medical Service Corps, Army Medical Department. During World War II, he served as chief of the Surgeon General's Management Improvement Branch and as the second director of the Army-Baylor Program in Hospital Administration. During his distinguished career as a soldier, teacher, researcher, administrator, and consultant, he was also a member of numerous health professional organizations and authored numerous professional papers and articles.