This article was solicited to commemorate the 50 th anniversary of Drug Metabolism and Disposition (DMD) and features perspectives from five former Editors spanning the years 1994 to 2020. During that time frame the journal underwent significant changes in manuscript submission and processing as well as multiple generational changes in the composition of the Editorial Board and Associate Editors. A constant, however, has been the commitment to be the premier journal for publications of articles in the areas of drug metabolism, absorption, distribution, excretion, and pharmacokinetics. Advances in some of those areas during the past three decades have been monumental. Two cases in point involve cytochromes P450 and drug transporters.In 1994 rigorous characterization of human cytochrome P450 enzymes was in its infancy, there were no proven selective inhibitors, and the idea of a solving a human P450 X-ray crystal structure was just a fantasy. Likewise, little was known about individual drug transporters. Today, detailed knowledge of individual human P450 enzymes and drug transporters is integral in drug design and drug discovery and in avoiding drug interactions. In the face of these huge advances in knowledge, each Editor has been charged with maintaining the caliber and significance of the journal and its financial solvency, while serving the needs of individual authors. We present five individual perspectives on the challenges and rewards of serving as DMD Editor and hope that by humanizing the job, we will encourage others to assume positions of responsibility in publication of society journals.