Lifetime Achievement

At 72, and after a 46-year career in pharmacy, people could think Dave Craig would be slowing down, retiring, or taking on fewer responsibilities. Those thoughts would be wrong, however, as Craig continues to push beyond his comfort zone and further pharmacy practice.

“He is a consummate professional, and I’ve never heard him angry or raise his voice over anything,” his nomination read. “Somehow, he maintains a relaxed, jovial demeanor at all times and that serves as a great example for his students, technicians, and other pharmacists he may work with. He comes to work each day with an energy that is difficult to match.”

Craig’s introduction to pharmacy came as a child, and he followed his father’s footsteps in the career. Craig owned and operated his own independent pharmacy for 23 years, and has been a Rite Aid pharmacist for 18 years.

As the first Rite Aid pharmacist in Colorado to take on immunizations, Craig traveled throughout the state to provide flu clinics. He also embraced medication therapy management services by actively seeking opportunities with patients and following through on those opportunities. Craig has remained at the forefront of practice innovations, embracing each change to professional practice in stride.

His dedication to quality care makes his Rite Aid location one of the designated training grounds for new hire pharmacists in Colorado. There, new hires and students learn more than filling scripts safely and accurately, by learning how to handle themselves with patients, providers, and fellow employees.

Craig also challenges his students and new hires, pushing them to further their practice with professional experience. He actively encourages those he mentors to reach out to businesses and physician offices to cultivate relationships and educate them about pharmacy services.

“Over the years, he has turned down numerous opportunities to advance his career and take on leadership roles higher up in the company,” his nomination read, “He has always respectfully declined because, simply, he loves his job and taking care of his patients.”

Craig also volunteers at community events, including the yearly American Diabetes Association Exposition, and has appeared on local morning shows where he has spoken about pharmacy immunization services.

Within West Virginia, health care access depends on community pharmacists. Patricia Johnston is ensuring that the profession meets that need and is playing a key role in patient care.

Since opening Colony Drug and Wellness Center in 1987 with her late father, Johnston has expanded services to meet the needs of her patient and community. Colony Drug and Wellness Center now offers non-sterile compounding, disease state management programs, medication therapy management for a variety of medications, and wellness screenings. Within those services, Johnston developed a statewide face-to-face program for diabetes education, as well as educational interventions to promote colorectal cancer screening. Her wellness programs include providing patients with information to prevent disease and identify conditions during early treatable stages.

Despite the recent negative press regarding compounding, Johnston’s decade-old practice provides individualized medication and dosages for patients in her local area, as well as regionally. “With the current negative publicity about compounding pharmacists, Colony Drug is an outstanding example of successful and ethical undertaking,” her nomination read.

Johnston connects with her community to offer services beyond the pharmacy, including hospice care consultation and nutritional recommendations for obese patients. Her programs reflect an ongoing commitment to preventive care, and began her colleagues’ involvement with the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency’s (PEIA) Face-to-Face Program, which allows members with diabetes to manage their disease through regular pharmacy counseling. Patients in the program meet with pharmacist counselors regularly, creating a high level of patient accountability.

As a member of the Merck Adult Vaccines Speakers Bureau, Johnston has spoken about the pharmacist’s role in adult vaccination in several states, and enabled pharmacists to refine their practice around new opportunities.

Johnston has been awarded West Virginia University School of Pharmacy’s Preceptor of the Year award in 2001 and 2007, and the Dr. James H. Beal Outstanding Pharmacist award in 2005. She also received the West Virginia Pharmacists Association and Elan Pharmaceutical Innovative Practice award in 2002 and the Bowl of Hygeia Award in 2011. She has also been recognized as Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year for the state of West Virginia in 2003.

COL William Pickard’s passion for serving patients extends past the pharmacy counter, and has brought him overseas with the Army and to service with his local sheriff’s office. Yet his greatest satisfaction comes from mentoring students at Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Services.

COL Pickard’s career began at Duke University Medical Center, following his graduation from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where he coordinated clinical trials for many medications dispensed today, including treatments for HIV and cancer. He joined the Army Reserves in 1983, after serving as a pharmacist and as chief of pharmacy at Durham Regional Hospital and at Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg. COL Pickard obtained a master’s degree in pharmacy practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993.

During his time in the Army, COL Pickard deployed to Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield/Storm, serving as chief pharmacist and company commander at a military pharmacy that served a 400-bed hospital. After September 11, 2001, COL Pickard set up multiple military pharmacies throughout Afghanistan, Kuwait, and surrounding countries to serve US service members, allies, and civilians. He retired as a colonel with the US Army Reserve Medical Corps in May 2012.

While actively serving in the Army Reserves, Col Pickard received a Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, an Army Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters, an Army Achievement Medal, an Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, service medals for operations in southwest Asia, Afghanistan, and in the Global War on Terrorism, an Army Reserve Component Service Medal with silver leaf cluster, a National Defense Medal with 1 bronze service star, and a Reserve Overseas Service Ribbon with 1 oak leaf cluster. He was also selected as the Army Reserve Pharmacist of the Year in 2010.

Despite his retirement from military service, COL Pickard continues to serve his community as a sheriff’s officer, and as a member of the Search and Recovery Team and Anticrime Narcotics Division. Within the Anticrime Narcotics Division, COL Pickard is head of the Drug Diversion Unit.

COL Pickard currently serves as chairman of Campbell University’s Department of Clinical Research, where he oversees bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in clinical research. He supervises medical, pharmacy, and nursing students and pharmacy residents. He is also an adjunct associate professor at the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy and at the Campbell University School of Pharmacy.