The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced Dec. 15 the selection of Dr. Steven M. Solomon as the new leader of the agency’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

Solomon will assume the directorship in January 2017 from Tracey Forfa, who is currently serving as the acting director after the departure of former center director Dr. Bernadette Dunham earlier in 2016.

Solomon practiced large animal veterinary medicine for 10 years before joining FDA in 1990 as a veterinary medical officer. He has steadily progressed through key positions in in the agency and rose to the position of deputy associate commissioner for regulatory affairs in FDA’s Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA) in 2013.

According to CVM, Solomon’s knowledge of the many policy and scientific issues relevant to veterinary medicine and his experience at ORA gives him a great understanding of the regulatory landscape and CVM’s portfolio of activities and priorities, making him an ideal choice to lead the center in the coming years.

Solomon graduated from the Ohio State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and earned a masters of public health from Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health.