NABP Honors Leaders in the Pharmacy Profession at Association's 102nd Annual Meeting

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy® (NABP®) honored leaders in the pharmacy profession at the Association's 102nd Annual Meeting, held April 8-11, 2006, in San Francisco, CA. Each year, the Association presents awards to members of the pharmacy profession who have served with dedication and commitment, and reflect the mission of NABP to protect the public health.

Those honored leaders include 2005-2006 Honorary President William A. Fitzpatrick; 2005-2006 NABP President Dennis K. McAllister; Lester E. Hosto Distinguished Service Award recipients Gene Martin and Carl W. Aron; Lester E. Hosto Inspector Distinguished Service Award recipients Rosalie Marie Baran and Sara Helen Lowe; the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and Compliance Staff and the Indiana Board of Pharmacy, winners of the Fred T. Mahaffey Award; and Henry Cade Memorial Award winners Leonard J. DeMino and Indiana State Senator Marvin D. Riegsecker.

Abbreviated biographies for the award winners follow:

Honorary President: William A. Fitzpatrick, RPh

Over the years, William A. Fitzpatrick has shown his commitment to the Association's mission and goals through his service to public health, his dedication to NABP and the boards of pharmacy, and his unshakable integrity and selfless dedication to patient care. A licensed pharmacist since 1965, Mr Fitzpatrick served as a member of the Missouri Board of Pharmacy from 1989 to 1997. Mr Fitzpatrick has served on and played an integral role in several NABP task forces and committees including the Task Force to Study Pharmacists' Workload, the Task Force on Therapeutic Interchange, and the Pharmacy Practice Committee. Presently, he serves as a corporate compliance officer for Omnicare, Inc. He received his bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from St Louis College of Pharmacy.

NABP President's Award: Dennis K. McAllister, RPh

Dennis K. McAllister has been a driving force behind NABP as it has looked inward to enhance its existing programs and continue the pursuit of its mission to protect public health. Mr McAllister took the initiative to take a hard look at NABP's programs and services and commissioned NABP membership surveys to determine how the Association's programs and services could be improved to further support NABP members, candidates, and the profession. NABP's core programs have also seen growth under his leadership with pharmacists seeking licensure transfer as well as candidates for licensure reaching a record high. One of NABP's major successes this year is the launch of the Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributors™ (VAWD™) program. Through it all, Mr McAllister has been an energetic leader, guiding and supporting NABP as these initiatives have been implemented. He received a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Minnesota.

Lester E. Hosto Distinguished Service Award: Carl W. Aron, RPh

A pharmacist for more than 30 years, Carl W. Aron joined the family business, Aron's Pharmacy in Monroe, LA, in 1968 and then took ownership in 1971. Since then he has contributed much to the profession as well as to his patients. A member of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy since 1971, Mr Aron currently serves as president. Mr Aron has also shown dedication to ensuring that NABP's examinations remain valid and effective, serving on the Advisory Committee on Examinations (ACE) from 1999 to 2005, and, in 2004, he served as chair of ACE. Other awards Mr Aron has won include the Bowl of Hygeia, the Northeast Louisiana University Meritorious Achievement Award, and the Merck, Sharp, and Dohme Outstanding Achievement Award. He earned his bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Mississippi in 1961.

Lester E. Hosto Distinguished Service Award: Gene Martin, PharmD

Gene Martin has served as a pharmacist in both retail and hospital settings, and is currently licensed in Florida. During the course of his career, Dr Martin has also served in the academic setting moving through the ranks to become an associate dean at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy from 1984 to 1987. Dr Martin's commitment to the Association is exemplified in his extensive service on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination™ Review Committee, which he has been a member of since 1979. Dr Martin earned his master and doctorate degrees in pharmacology from the University of Tennessee.

Lester E. Hosto Inspector Distinguished Service Award: Rosalie Marie Baran, RPh

Rosalie Marie Baran has exemplified the mission of NABP through her vigilance as an inspector for the Michigan Board of Pharmacy and a nursing home monitor for the state of Michigan. Currently, Ms Baran is the director of pharmacy at Felpausch Pharmacies, and also is an adjunct faculty member for pharmacy law and ethics at the Ferris State University College of Pharmacy. Before moving to her present positions, Ms Baran had a 17-year career with the Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services Bureau of Health Systems. She has consistently volunteered her time to pharmacy organizations, including serving on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination® Review Committee for six years. Ms Baran graduated with a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from Ferris State University College of Pharmacy in 1971.

Lester E. Hosto Inspector Distinguished Service Award: Sara Helen Lowe, RPh

Sara Helen Lowe has been a senior pharmacist with the Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance and Investigative Services/Board of Pharmacy for the past 15 years. Since 1990, she has significantly contributed to the health of Florida's citizens and visitors by ensuring that the pharmacies under her jurisdiction are operating within the laws and rules of the state of Florida, and often consults with local, state, and federal criminal investigation units. Before joining the Board, Ms Lowe was director of pharmacy at several hospitals including the Capital Regional Medical Center, West Florida Hospital, and the John R. Flippin Memorial Hospital. She received her bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Mississippi in 1970.

Fred T. Mahaffey Award: Indiana Board of Pharmacy

The Indiana Board of Pharmacy worked tirelessly to promote and enact legislation that combats the threat of counterfeit drugs in the United States drug supply and win the support and confidence of stakeholders. The legislation ultimately passed and has strengthened the supply chain in Indiana. The new law establishes the authority for the Indiana Board of Pharmacy to recognize NABP's VAWD program and also requires pedigrees. It also lays the groundwork for the Indiana Board to establish an electronic pedigree program. Since passage of the legislation, the Board has worked to implement rules and regulations that would protect the public health without putting undue restrictions upon wholesale distributors. The Board's hard work continues as the state's wholesale distributors begin processing paperwork to comply with the new law. Marty Allain, director of the Board, accepted the award.

Fred T. Mahaffey Award: Louisiana Board of Pharmacy

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy and Compliance Staff saw much tragedy after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region and severely crippled the distribution of medicines. The Board worked in adverse conditions to coordinate hundreds of Louisiana pharmacists as well as pharmacists who obtained emergency licensure transfers to provide medicines to patients exposed to hazardous conditions. Citizens of Louisiana not only needed critical maintenance medications and drugs to treat existing illnesses, but also were in need of medicines for conditions caused by a lack of essentials, inoperable sewage systems, standing water, and consumption of spoiled food. The Louisiana Board overcame the obstacles created by damaged infrastructure and inoperable communication systems to ensure that legitimate pharmacists were available to dispense medications to patients. Malcolm J. Broussard, RPh, executive director of the Board, accepted the award.

Henry Cade Memorial Award: Leonard J. DeMino, RPh

This year marks Leonard J. DeMino's 50th year as a registered pharmacist. During his extensive career Mr DeMino has not only served patients, but he has also taken an active role in the pharmacy profession. Mr DeMino was the first chain drug employee appointed to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy, which he served on for 15 years. At that time, he also served on numerous NABP committees. Mr DeMino joined Peoples Drug Stores in Washington, DC, as a staff pharmacist immediately following graduation from college. While at Peoples Drug, he worked his way through the ranks to become vice president, director of pharmacy. Mr DeMino retired in 1989, but that did not last long and he joined the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) as vice president of pharmacy. He retired again in 1991, but continues to serve as a consultant for NACDS. Mr DeMino received his bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the George Washington University School of Pharmacy.

Henry Cade Memorial Award: Indiana State Senator Marvin D. Riegsecker, RPh

Senator Marvin D. Riegsecker introduced the Indiana bill that strengthened wholesale distributor requirements to combat the threat of counterfeit drugs in Indiana. The Senator believes that pharmacists are the last line of defense before patients receive their medications. Senator Riegsecker has served as an Indiana Senator for District 12 since 1988. He serves on the Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee, is the ranking member of the Governmental Affairs and Interstate Cooperation Committee, and is also chair of the Health and Provider Services Pensions and Labor Committee. In addition to serving his constituents through government, Senator Riegsecker is a practicing pharmacist. Since 1967 he has helped patients as a pharmacist at Walgreen Drug Stores. The Senator is also a member of the Elkhart County and Indiana Pharmacists Association Exchange Club as well as a former board member of Goshen General Hospital. He also held the position of Elkhart County Coroner from 1977 to 1984. He received his bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Colorado.

NABP is the independent, international, and impartial Association that assists its member boards and jurisdictions in developing, implementing, and enforcing uniform standards for the purpose of protecting the public health.

Larissa Doucette

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