Inquirer Editorial: A life in full

Frank Baldino Jr.'s life was short in years, but packed with accomplishments that left the world a better place.

Baldino, 57, the chief executive of Cephalon Inc., died from leukemia last week, leaving a void in the local business and civic community. He started Cephalon in 1987, at age 33. Today, the Frazier company is a $2.7 billion biotech giant that employs about 4,000. Its best-known drug is Provigil, a treatment for narcolepsy.

Beyond building the biotech firm from scratch, Baldino had boundless time and energy for individuals and area civic organizations. He was a trustee at Temple University, where he received his doctorate in pharmacology. He was also a board member at several smaller firms, and at the University of the Sciences, the Franklin Institute, and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier this year, Baldino and his wife, Sandra, launched Generocity.org, a charitable initiative that seeks to maximize philanthropic giving to nonprofit organizations in the Philadelphia area.

Gerald J. Pappert, Cephalon's general counsel, said Baldino was determined, decisive, and had a unique ability to marry his science and business acumen. But beyond all that, others who knew Baldino spoke first of how he was a simply a good person.