Allergan Founder Herbert to Reduce Management Role

Gavin S. Herbert, who founded Allergan Inc. with his father more than four decades ago, will retire from day-to-day operations of the maker of eye and skin care products to concentrate on lobbying for the pharmaceuticals industry, the company said Wednesday.

Herbert, 61, will stay on as chairman, Allergan spokesman Richard J. Hilles said. But as of April 1, he will no longer be an employee of the company and will hand over operations to Chief Executive William C. Shepherd, Hilles said.

Herbert will then spend much of his time in Washington working in “governmental affairs” to protect the pharmaceutical industry’s future as a national health care reform package is hammered out. Health care analysts praised Herbert’s move as good for both Irvine-based Allergan and the drug industry.

Hilles said Herbert’s retirement will be the culmination of a planned transfer of responsibility to other executives. Herbert, who served as chief executive from 1961 to 1991, turned that post over to Shepherd in January, 1992.