APhA Announces Plans For Executive Leadership Transition

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 24 Mar 2008 - 2:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) announced that it has been actively working on plans for an executive leadership transition. During the final session of the APhA 2008 Annual Meeting & Exposition House of Delegates, John A. Gans, PharmD, Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer announced that his time in his current position with the Association will be coming to an end in 2009, after nearly 20 years of service to the organization. Gans has been APhA's Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer since 1989. Prior to joining APhA, Gans served on the faculty and was Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science, where he earned his pharmacy degree in 1966 and his doctorate in pharmacy in 1969.

"I am proud of my years of service to patients and the pharmacy profession. Leading APhA for almost 20 years has been a sincere privilege and honor. Also, I am very proud that APhA continues to identify, create and support opportunities for pharmacists to make a difference in the lives of patients," said Gans.

"I believe that 2009 is the right time for a leadership transition for a number of reasons. The Association is operationally sound, has a superb staff and is well positioned for continued success. The pharmacy profession is poised to expand our services through programs such as medication therapy management (MTM), which allows pharmacists to work more closely with patients and other health care professionals to improve medication use and advance patient care. And, the Association will move into its new headquarters building on the National Mall in 2009 and showcase to all the strength of the profession of pharmacy and of the Association.

"For the last two decades, Dr. Gans has provided valuable leadership for APhA," said Timothy L. Tucker, president of APhA. "On behalf of the APhA Board of Trustees, I recognize John's significant leadership and accomplishments over a demanding period for APhA and the profession. He has been instrumental in facilitating opportunities for pharmacists to provide patient-focused care, leading efforts to move pharmacists toward a viable patient care model for the future, creating collaborations among professional pharmacy organizations, and raising pharmacists' stature with the government, payers and other health care entities.

"As we embark upon our search for a new leader for APhA, we look forward to building on Dr. Gans' legacy, and to leading APhA and the profession to even higher levels of achievement," said Tucker.

The Board has retained The Miles LeHane Company to manage the search for a replacement for Dr. Gans. The plan calls for the executive leader to be in place by early 2009. Additional information can be found at http://www.aphaceosearch.com

About the American Pharmacists Association

The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 63,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States.

American Pharmacists Association