FRANK RANKIN CRAIG
Frank R. Craig was born in Mount Holly, North Carolina, on April 6, 1921. He graduated from Mount Holly High school in 1938, attended Belmont Abby College, and later attended North Carolina State University. From 1942 to 1945, Frank Craig served in the U.S. Air Force. He · received a B.S. degree in 1946 and an MS. degree in 1952 in Agricultural Education and Poultry Science from NC State. He then transferred to the University of Georgia’s School of Veterinary Medicine where, in 1952, he was awarded a D.V.M. degree. Dr. Craig married the former Doris Talton, and they have two daughters, Grace and Melanie.
After completing his veterinary degree, Dr. Craig joined the Poultry Science Department at North Carolina State University where he specialized in poultry disease research. While at NCSU, he rose through the academic ranks to full professor. He also designed and oversaw the construction of what is now known as the Dearstyne Avian Disease Research Center. In 1969, Dr. Craig decided to accept an offer from Perdue, Inc., a rapidly growing broiler company, to become their Director of Health Services. In 1985, he was named to the position of Senior Vice president of Technical Services for Perdue.
Dr. Craig was extremely well known amongst his veterinary and industry colleagues. He received a number of awards and honors from professional organizations, and he was lauded by fellow academicians and leaders of government as one of the nation’s biggest contributors to significant progress in poultry health research and to the development and implementation of progressive poultry and meat inspection systems. Perhaps his proudest achievement was that of being selected as the first industry recipient of the United states Department of Agriculture’s highest Award, the Distinguished Service Award for outstanding public service. He was also very proud of the Distinguished Citizen Award that he received from the DELMAECA Poultry Industry Association in 1984.
Dr. Craig was a member of numerous professional and academic honor societies and served on several USDA/APHIS task forces, including one for the control of Exotic Newcastle Disease (1973-74), one for the control of Avian Influenza (1983-84), and one for the control of Salmonella enteritidis (1989), which he co-chaired. He was also a member of the USDA’s National Advisory Committee on Meat and Poultry Inspection from 1962-1970 and, again, from 1982-1987. He served on numerous industry and government scientific committees. He as a member of the national Broiler Council’s Scientific Committee; and was a past Director, Vice President and President of the American Association of Avian Pathologists.
Dr. Craig was respected and revered both professionally and personally as a expert in his field, a great leader of far-reaching vision, and an exemplary gentlemen who was a wonderful friends, brother, husband, and father. It is, therefore, with great pleasure that the Officers and Directors of the North Carolina Poultry Federation induct Dr. Frank Rankin Craig into the North Carolina Poultry Hall of Fame on this 2nd day of November, 2005.