New Parata CEO to Join Pharmacy Times in Honoring Next-Generation Pharmacists

The Next-Generation Pharmacist™ Awards event will bring Parata CEO and Pharmacy Times together to celebrate the nation’s top-performing pharmacists.

New Parata CEO to Join Pharmacy Times in Honoring Next-Generation Pharmacists

Parata Systems, a leading provider of retail pharmacy automation, recently named Tom Rhoads its chief executive officer. Among his first official duties as CEO will be to formally recognize the winners of the 2010 Next Generation Pharmacist Awards, a new program launched by Parata in partnership with Pharmacy Times.

On October 25, 2010, Rhoads will take to the stage at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia to present the awards personally. He will be joined by Pharmacy Times Editorial Board member Daniel A. Hussar, PhD, professor of pharmacy at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

The event will give Rhoads the opportunity to speak directly with pharmacists who are leading the industry in new directions through innovations in technology, sustainable environmental practices, entrepreneurship, patient advocacy, industry advocacy, and civic engagement, among other categories. Although the ceremony will be the first time Rhoads has done so as CEO, it is not the first time he has ushered in a new generation of innovative thinkers in health care.

Since joining Parata in 2004, Rhoads “has distinguished himself with a bold and creative vision, strategic market insights and a relentless focus on metrics,” according to Parata’s first CEO and cofounder Jess Eberdt. In addition to his work guiding Parata into new vertical and global markets, Rhoads helped lead the company through the development and launch of its “next-generation” suite of pharmacy automation products.

Rhoads has also accepted an invitation to serve on the Pharmacy Times Editorial Board of Advisors, where his expertise will guide the journal’s coverage of pharmacy technology products and news. “We’re thrilled to count Tom among our distinguished advisors,” said Bea Riemschneider, Editorial Director of Pharmacy Times. “His knowledge of the industry is unparalleled, and will be invaluable to us as we continue to explore the intersection between technology and pharmacy practice.”

Rhoads’s previous experience in the health care industry includes Baxter Healthcare and Cardinal Health Corporation. He is a graduate of Duke University, with an MBA from The Citadel. He is a member of the North Carolina Technology Association and the Chief Marketing Officer Council, as well as an Iron Duke alumnus of Duke University. He also represents Parata with numerous pharmacy industry organizations, including the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association.

About Parata Systems

Durham, N.C.-based Parata Systems, LLC, was founded in 2001, and offers industry-leading technology that improves pharmacy practice. Parata Max® and Mini® automate prescription dispensing with high-speed and high-accuracy; and PACMED improves patient safety with unit- and multi-dose packaging that ensures patients get the right medication at the right time, every time. To learn more, call, click or visit Parata Systems at www.parata.com, info@parata.com, 1-888-PARATA1 (727-2821), and on Facebook and Twitter at “Parata Systems.”