 |
A Look Forward to What's in Store for 2018 - Meet our IACP Board Members
Part Three
|
|
|
IACP Executive Vice President Cynthia Blankenship, Esq.
|
A Message from Your Executive Vice President Cynthia Blankenship, Esq.
As we continue with the highlights of the IACP Board Members, we are sensing a theme. So many of our board members are creative, passionate and compassionate! In case you missed it, and you want to feel you know your Board members a little better check out Part One HERE and Part Two HERE. Do you have some similar connections and interests?
IACP is so pleased and thankful for our IACP Board Members.
We want to make sure you know who you elected to the IACP Board of Directors, not only as a leader, but as an individual. IACP is a member-driven Academy, and putting faces with names is important, but getting to know your leaders is just as important.
It may seem like we are making light of the positions our Board Members have, but that couldn't be farther from the truth! As individuals, we each have thoughts, opinions and different life experiences that shape us. As a group, we all need to come together for a common goal, and in my experience from working on the Hill - sometimes it helps to find common ground outside of the office. This can build a bond and remind us that we are all human, we all have a common goal - preserving patient access, and we can learn from each other while working together.
As we highlight the IACP Board Members, we hope you see them in a new light and have as much fun as we did learning about them and what brought the to the compounding industry!
|
|
Stephanie Chacon, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
| Stephanie Chacon, IACP Board Member |
|
What was your first job?
My first job was at Party City when I was 14. My mom also worked there which taught me excellent work ethic. There was no way she was letting me get away with anything!
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
I didn't so much decide to get into compounding as I accidentally fell into it. I was looking for a job right after college in 2009 and applied to be the OTC manager for a pharmacy because I had extensive knowledge of supplements. As soon as I saw the lab I knew I wanted to start compounding. It's the perfect mix of art and science so I was immediately smitten!
I love to read, draw (usually graphite or charcoal), and binge watch Netflix shows.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Spend time with my family.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
I am a huge Star Wars nerd! I spent most of high school sitting in the back of class reading Star Wars novels!
Where is your favorite place to be?
Cuddled up on the couch with my fiancé and our daughter.
How do you drink your coffee?
The only coffee I drink is cold brewed Espresso with almond milk, otherwise it's hot tea with honey.
What do you love most about serving patients?
Getting to know that I have made a positive impact on their life. Compounding is so important for so many people and animals. It's such a great feeling knowing that what I do every day is helping people and pets live better lives!
|
|
Cheri Kraemer, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
Cheri Kraemer, IACP Board Member |
What was your first job?
Waitressing was the first job I got paid for, but my father farmed so I did 18 years of fitness labor on our family farm which included farrow to finish hogs, cattle and crops to support the farm. Our farm was 30 miles out of the town we lived in. I was the endurance girl on our basketball team and I still have the greatest work ethic because of my father. I say this lovingly because he just passed away March 1, 2018. We still farm and care for his land... minus the hogs.
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
I was a retail pharmacist for 14 years before I purchased the store from my boss. I had always compounded for our region so when I owned the pharmacy myself, expanding the compounding was the perfect fit. PCCA had a rep, Pat Travis, in our area recruiting compounders so I am forever grateful for the opportunity presented to take the compounding I did to the highest level.
Fastpitch softball is my true love. I do not play anymore, and my children now play slow pitch but fastpitch is where it's at. I coached both fast and slow pitch over the years, we attended many national tournaments. The travel and team camaraderie were the best of times.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
I like to cook and hang out with my family.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
I used to be very musical. I have not played in 20 years though. My mom taught me piano, saxophone, bassoon in concert band and I regret that I said no to the harp lessons my HS band teacher wanted me to pursue. I would have driven 4 hours one way for these lessons and I would rather play sports and farm, so I said no.
Where is your favorite place to be?
To be honest, it is at work!! I love what I do, and I am blessed! My employees are family. I have had 5 new employee family grandchildren in the last year.
How do you drink your coffee?
Black with sugar free flavors. Iced more than hot but I drink both for variety.
What do you love most about serving patients?
I love the parents, mom usually, of the 1 year old that walks in unannounced and thanks our whole group with "My baby turned 1 and my child would not be here today without you!" Tears me up every time it happens. Usually for these particular children, our whole pharmacy stops what we are doing when they come to visit. We love to see them grow up.
|
|
Anthony Grzib, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
| Anthony Grzib, IACP Board Member |
|
What was your first job?
My first job was as a cashier/stock clerk in a local independent pharmacy when I was in high school.
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
I saw it as an opportunity to better serve patients by creating unique medication solutions for their unmet needs.
Not that I have much time for hobbies, but I like outdoor activities like golf and fishing.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Spending time with family.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
One summer during pharmacy school I worked at an amusement park as a ride operator.
Where is your favorite place to be?
How do you drink your coffee?
Gotta have cream and sugar.
What do you love most about serving patients?
It's rewarding to help someone feel better or live better, especially in situations where they may have thought they were out of options to do so.
|
|
Jim Perry, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
Jim Perry, IACP Board Member |
What was your first job?
My first job was working as a youth counselor at a Bible Camp in Wisconsin. I did this for five summers in a roll.
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy
I got into compounding pharmacy more as a hobby and had no intentions of this becoming my career. Within a year of buying my store, I was frustrated with the practice of community pharmacy. I wanted to leave pharmacy to become a physician, but my wife was pregnant with our first child and I was unwilling to put my family into that situation. I was always interested in compounding but did not have the tools nor education to put that into practice. After attending / joining PCCA, I thought I would be able to "dabble" with the practice of compounding. This hobby quickly became a passion, which in turn became our business.
My hobbies include music, hosting house concerts and fishing.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Serve others in our Missional Community.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
I almost left pharmacy school to tour as a drummer in a rock band.
Where is your favorite place to be?
Anywhere with my family (where I can fish).
How do you drink your coffee?
What do you love most about serving patients?
The ability to use my creativity to help solve a problem in a way that traditional medicine wasn't able to.
|
We heard your requests to update IACP events and implement new programs! In 2018, we are going to debut new programming at all IACP events!
- Debuting New Programs and Events to Recognize Members: Your Education Committee, led by IACP President-elect Jennifer Burch, has worked diligently to choose speakers who address your specific content requests, and has implemented new programs recognizing IACP Members and IACP Corporate Members. We hope you enjoyed our new programs at January's Educational Conference! We were so pleased to recognize several IACP Members and Corporate Members during the January 2018 Educational Conference held in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Storm the Hill with Your Colleagues in Washington, DC and Share Your Patients' Voices with Capitol Hill to Preserve Patient Access to Compounded Medications!
Join us in Washington, D.C. for the
Compounders on Capitol Hill
at the Renaissance Washington D.C. Downtown Hotel.
Register today for CCH 2018 to walk the halls of Congress to protect, promote, and advanced the art of compounding.
This is not the time to sit on the sidelines, we need you and your voice at CCH more than ever!
|
|
|
|
|
|
