 |
A Look Forward to What's in Store for 2018 - Meet our IACP Board Members
Part Four
|
|
|
IACP Executive Vice President Cynthia Blankenship, Esq.
|
A Message from Your Executive Vice President Cynthia Blankenship, Esq.
In our fourth installment highlighting the IACP Board Members, we are blown away by these amazing people we are grateful to call our Board. Many of them have pharmacy in their family and are multi-generation pharmacists. In case you missed it, and you want to feel you know your Board members a little better check out Part One HERE, Part Two HERE and Part Three HERE. Do you come from a pharmacy family or is pharmacy your family now?
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!
|
|
Jennifer Burch, IACP President-elect
|
|
|
| Jennifer Burch, IACP President-elect |
|
What was your first job?
I grew up working in my dad's pharmacy. I remember as a 10 year-old filling blister cards with the heat sealer at a Long Term Care facility on some busy evenings. When I turned 16 years old, I didn't think it sounded cool to work for your dad, so I got a summer job at a grocery store as a cashier. My hours were less than desirable, and I usually had to work on Saturday nights when my friends were out having fun. Needless to say, I only worked at the grocery store for one summer and worked at the pharmacy every other summer/holiday break throughout my teenage years and throughout pharmacy school.
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
I am a second-generation pharmacist, so compounding was always a small part of the business. When I was in my last year of pharmacy school, my parents asked me what I planned to do when I graduated. I told them plan was to come back to the family business. My dad politely said that I could work there until I got a job because we didn't need another pharmacist at that time. I stayed on for my first 3-4 years doing a "residency" as I call it and making the salary of a resident! For the first few years I was working on growing the business, so I could support my salary. I worked on patient care services and expanding compounding during that time. Compounding grew drastically with some marketing especially in the women's health and veterinary space.
I am a college sports fan and love attending the University of North Carolina (UNC TarHeels) basketball and football games. I own an ATV and enjoy some weekend riding adventures with friends. I love to travel and see different places. I love photographing my adventures and am always looking for that perfect photograph.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Get outside in the fresh air for a walk or a hike with my dogs. On a rainy day that may turn into a cuddle up on the couch and watch tv/movies kind of day.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
Where is your favorite place to be?
How do you drink your coffee?
What do you love most about serving patients?
Solving their problem and getting a big "thank you" from them!
|
|
Alexander Pytlarz, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
Alexander Pytlarz, IACP Board Member |
What was your first job?
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
Perfect balance of being able provide clinical services to our patients and utilize my passion for operating a business.
Golf, travel, exercise, music, and wine.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Hit the gym in the morning, grab some breakfast and a coffee, play a round of golf, drink some wine and eat a great dinner.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
Had total hip replacement surgery when I was 37 years old.
Where is your favorite place to be?
Wherever the sun is shining and I'm laughing and smiling with friends and family.
How do you drink your coffee?
What do you love most about serving patients?
Putting others first and taking care of patients in need.
|
|
Jeffery Bray, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
| Jeffery Bray, IACP Board Member |
|
What was your first job?
I grew up working on apartment buildings with my grandparents. I did a little bit of everything from cleaning the building, painting, plumbing, electrical, carpeting and my all-time favorite activity roofing. I still have distinct memories of tar, yellow jacket roofing fabric and gravel. It was an improvement when we moved the aluminum roof coating paint, but I would come home covered in paint that was impossible to clean off. I was probably not the best handyman, but I learned many great life lessons and the importance of hard work during this time from my grandparents.
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
It started out as a side job during school as a pharmacy technician. I was fortunate to have two incredible pharmacists, Sandra Sheppard and Salvador De La Cruz, who not along taught me all about compounding, but taught an amazing amount of life lessons as well. Their work ethic and core values were such a great example as a young technician and they were responsible for helping, teaching and mentoring me and a significant amount of others in compounding and in life. I owe them a significant amount and I am deeply appreciative of what they taught me. Over twenty years later, I am happy to still be involved in compounding and witnessing another generation of talented pharmacists, technicians and support staff using their talents and skills to help patients.
I enjoy reading, history, collecting French coins and scuba diving.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Day off? I enjoy trying to keep up with my two beautiful and talented daughters, Samantha and Anais, who are passionate about their own pursuits in athletics, academics and being great people. I learn a significant amount from them and I am a proud father.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
You will find me in a suit most of the time and people are always surprised to learn about my tattoos. I discovered tattoos later in life and somehow have worked up to over 30 tattoos. They are all on my legs and represent important aspects of my family on one leg and my personal interests on my other leg.
Where is your favorite place to be?
Any place I can enjoy a good book.
How do you drink your coffee?
I am not a big coffee drinker as I prefer Chai Lattes. When I do drink coffee, I do not have any strong preferences.
What do you love most about serving patients?
I am fortunate enough to see all of the customer feedback that comes to us from patients and I always enjoy seeing the positive impact compounding makes in people's life. Patients are taking time to write back to thank the pharmacists and technicians who helped them with their prescriptions and answered their questions. It is also fun to see and hear patients explaining the benefits they receive and why compounding is important to them and their personalized healthcare needs.
|
|
Erika Fallon, IACP Board Member
|
|
|
Erika Fallon, IACP Board Member |
What was your first job?
My first job was at Chuck E. Cheese. Everyone had to be Chuck E. from time to time, myself included.
Why did you decide to get into compounding pharmacy?
It's in my blood! I'm a third-generation compounder, my grandpa and dad before me.
Hiking, skiing, playing in the sun (beach, pool or boat), live music.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
Something outside and active with my 2 kids.
What is something that we would be surprised to know about you?
I perform karaoke twice a week and I love it.
Where is your favorite place to be?
With my family OR napping in the sun.
How do you drink your coffee?
Black, or a frilly latte with lots of espresso.
What do you love most about serving patients?
Knowing that I have made a real difference and provided a unique service where the patient gets real results. I really enjoy being able to serve patients "outside the box" and create individualized medication solutions.
|
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!
|
|
|
|
|
|
