Family Pharmacy Selects Winners Of Prestigious ‘Pride Of The Family’ Award

July 27, 2001

VALLEY FORGE, PA. July 27, 2001 – Four independent pharmacies were the recipients of this year’s prestigious Family Pharmacy “Pride of the Family Awards.” The awards, which recognize the top Family Pharmacy member in four categories, were announced at the 16th annual AmeriSource Conference and Exposition, held July 25-29 in Nashville, Tenn.

The award winners are selected by AmeriSource’s Family Pharmacy network each year from more than 2,500 Family Pharmacies nationwide.

This year’s winners were:

The Chairman’s Award: Eastgate Drug, Idaho Falls, Idaho, and owners Doug and Corey Smith. The Chairman’s Award is presented to the store that exemplifies the highest standards in the independent pharmacy field and represents a model for other independent retail pharmacies to emulate. This includes high marks in the three other Pride of the Family Award categories – Family Pharmacy Brand (Private Label), Health Care Services and Merchandising – as well as working closely with other Family Pharmacy members to help them succeed.

“Eastgate Drug was selected to receive our most prestigious award for their ongoing commitment to all the principles of the Family Pharmacy Program,” said Bruce Kneeland, Vice President, Family Pharmacy. “They have contributed greatly to their community by donating free professional services, supporting sports and math programs in the local school district, serving as a sponsor of American Indian Services, a scholarship program for Native Americans, as well as supporting local charitable events.” In 2000, Eastgate Drug received the Best Pharmacy in Idaho Falls Award in a reader poll in the Post Register. Each month, the pharmacy provides free pharmaceutical counseling services to four nursing homes and free medication sets for the local health department to help needy or elderly members of the community manage multiple medications. Pharmacy Manager Kim Kohler serves as a volunteer board member for a local hospice in Idaho Falls.

The Family Pharmacy (Private Label) Award: North Bay Pharmacy, Tomahawk, Wis., and owner Charlie Jarvis. This award is presented to the store that has developed strong and successful programs to inform employees and customers about the benefits of the Family Pharmacy private label brand products. North Bay Pharmacy has accomplished this through an outstanding promotional program that includes store displays, providing consumers with free copies of The Family Health Guide magazine, newspaper and radio advertisements, and distributing thousands of copies of the Family Pharmacy Private Label circulars. In addition, North Bay Pharmacy was selected for its one-on-one interactions with customers. “Charlie Jarvis and his employees let customers know that he and his staff truly believe in the Family Pharmacy brand and its ability to meet the individual needs of the consumer and help them save money too,” said Kneeland.

Health Care Services Award: Davila Pharmacy, San Antonio, Texas, and owners Rudy Davila, Rosette Davila and Rudy Davila III. This award is given for community service efforts and the use, implementation and integration of a variety of Family Pharmacy and other AmeriSource programs. The Davilas were cited for their “commitment to making the most of the pharmacist’s role in healthcare today” and offering a number of Family Pharmacy programs to support this effort, particularly in the areas of diabetes prevention and treatment, immunizations and respiratory care.

“Davila Pharmacy, which has been family-owned for 46 years, has been an excellent provider of diabetes care in an area where diabetes is a very significant problem,” said Kneeland. “Their staff is caring and well-trained and they are a very important resource within their community.” The Merchandising Award: Davies Pharmacy, Canton, Ohio, and owner David Fettman. This award is given to the Family Pharmacy that has successfully integrated and implemented effective and creative merchandising techniques into its operations. Davies Pharmacy was credited with excellent use of in-store signage and displays, innovation in trying new programs and remodeling their store to better serve their customers. “They are an excellent example of a pharmacy that successfully utilizes a wide variety of merchandising tools and programs that complement each other,” notes Kneeland.

About Family Pharmacy
Family Pharmacy, an AmeriSource company, is a network of 2,500 independent pharmacies that have joined together to enhance profitability and achieve many of the benefits of a larger organization, such as buying power, consumer programs, advertising discounts and private label programs, while still maintaining their community focus, independent status and unique identities.

About AmeriSource
AmeriSource Health Corporation, with approximately $14 billion in annualized operating revenue, is a leading distributor of pharmaceutical and related healthcare products and services, and the industry’s largest provider of pharmaceuticals to the acute care/health systems market. Headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, the Company serves its base of about 15,000 customer accounts through a national network of more than 20 strategically located distribution facilities. For news and additional information about the company, visit its web site at www.amerisource.com.