John D. Porterfield was inducted into Delta Omega as an honorary member for his dedicated career as a public health administrator.

The most prestigious award given by the Ohio Public Health Association is the John Porterfield Award.

In the 1950s, when administrators and scientists were deciding about the place of fluoride of the drinking water supply and its effect on pregnant women, John Porterfield worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He is quoted as saying "There is more money available for matters that have economic value than there is for health" (Source: http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~dcandmkw/fluoride/vchron6.htm).

Following years of work as a public health administrator, Porterfield took on the new role of director of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in 1965. He filled this role for 11 years. Under his directorship, the commission began the accreditation of long-term care, for organizations serving developmentally disabled persons, for psychiatric facilities, substance abuse programs, and community mental health programs, and for the accreditation for ambulatory health care facilities (adapted from "A Journey Through the History of the Join Commission." available at http://jcprdw1.jcaho.org/aboutjc/hisjourney.html).