Changes to the Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF) Board of Directors
December 10, 2019 – At the November 21-22, 2019 meeting, the board of the Community Pharmacy Foundation honored the retirement of Carlos Ortiz from the board of directors. Board President Phil Burgess recognized Ortiz’s contributions to CPF during his nineteen years of service. The board appointed pharmacist Steven Simenson, a practicing community pharmacist and a national leader in community pharmacy, to the CPF board of directors. He joins Phil Burgess, Brian Jensen, Linda Garrelts MacLean, Dorinda Martin, Randy Myers, and Matt Osterhaus.
CPF originated after a small group of independent pharmacists led by Bob Gude organized The Pharmacy Freedom Fund. This group subsequently filed a class action law suit against several major pharmaceutical manufacturers for discriminatory pricing that challenged the future of community pharmacy. The settlement of this lawsuit included $18.6 million for the establishment of a Community Pharmacy Foundation with a purpose to “Advance the profession of Community Pharmacy.”
Initially, the Community Pharmacy Foundation consisted of a 5-member board of directors, which included Carlos Ortiz. Over the years it has evolved into a 7-member board and an executive director. The founding board’s intent was to ensure the longevity of CPF, with annual grant funding dollar allocations guided by estimated annual investment income. CPF currently has over $24 million to support innovative community pharmacy advancements and has invested more than $9 million in the profession. This year the organization took a monumental step to support its desire to advance the next big idea in pharmacy by investing $3.3 million in the Flip the Pharmacy program. The multi-year program aims to move beyond filling prescriptions at a moment in time to caring for patients over time through community pharmacy practice transformation.
Carlos Ortiz, RPh – Carlos graduated from Wayne State University College of Pharmacy in 1966. After a decade of work for Cunningham Drugs in Michigan, Carlos began working for CVS in 1976 and retired in 2008 as the Vice President of Government Affairs. He was awarded the Harold W. Pratt Award from NACDS in 1998, recognizing his contribution to chain pharmacy. In 2000, he was honored by the New Jersey Council of Chain Drugstores as Pharmacist of the Year. Carlos also served on the Wayne State Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Board of Visitors, University of Connecticut College of Pharmacy, and the Massachusetts Board of Pharmacy. Carlos is passionate about supporting student involvement and advancement in the profession of pharmacy. Carlos and his wife, Jan, have been married for over 50 years and Carlos remains active in his retirement through volunteering with a local English as a second language youth program.
Steven Simenson, BPharm, FAPhA, FACA, DPNAP, is the CEO and Managing Partner of Goodrich Pharmacy, Inc., five pharmacies in Minnesota. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy where he now serves as an adjunct faculty member. Steve was the 2013-2014 President of the American Pharmacist’s Association and is on the Board of Directors of Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Companies. He is past-president and founder of the Minnesota Pharmacists Foundation and past-president of the Minnesota Pharmacists Association. Goodrich pharmacy staff are prior CPF grant recipients.
He currently serves on the Minnesota Pharmacy Alliance, the Minnesota Department of Health E-HIT Advisory Committee and the APhA Foundation Board. Steve serves as a leader for innovative practice initiatives in Community Pharmacy and Clinically Integrated Care, including Collaborative Practice, Medication Therapy Management, and Pharmacogenomics. He is actively advocating for the pursuit of Patient Access to and Coverage for Pharmacist Patient Care Services.
The board looks forward to Steve’s contributions to CPF and working with him to identify the next great idea to advance the practice of pharmacy in the community setting!
|
