PSSNY Congratulats Team Members -
SPSSNY President and Team Captain Kathryn Jones & SPSSNY Members Alexandra
Centono and Liliana Yohonn and fellow team member Christina Ramsay along
with their advisor Karl Fiebelkorn on a job well done!!
A team of pharmacy students from the University at Buffalo was named the
winner of the National Community Pharmacists Association's (NCPA) 2007
Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition. A team from Washington
State University came in second, and a team representing the University of
Washington finished third.
"The growing interest in independent pharmacy among students is extremely exciting. Every year the number of teams in the competition has increased," said NCPA Executive Vice President and CEO Bruce Roberts, RPh. "and all of them are winners."
The three finalist teams made live presentations of their business plans before the competition judges and an audience during NCPA's 109th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition held Oct. 13-17 in Anaheim, California. NCPA President John Tilley announced the results of the competition during the Opening General Session. The teams were honored at the NCPA Foundation's Award Ceremony.
The Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition is the first national competition of its kind in the pharmacy profession and is named to honor two champions of independent pharmacy, the late Neil Pruitt Sr. and H. Joseph Schutte. The competition is supported by the Pruitt and Schutte families, the NCPA Foundation, and Covidien (formerly Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals).
This is the fourth year the competition has been held. This year's competition drew entries from 32 schools and colleges of pharmacy—nearly one-third of all U.S. pharmacy schools. The University at Buffalo finished in second place two years ago.
"It is encouraging to see so many pharmacy students with an interest in exploring the myriad of entrepreneurial opportunities in pharmacy through the competition and the faculty who have demonstrated the kind of leadership that have helped prepare tomorrow's pharmacy entrepreneurs for a successful future," says Sharlea Leatherwood, the new NCPA Foundation President.
Team members from the University at Buffalo State University were Alexandra T. Centono of Rome, team captain Kathryn Jones of Rochester, Christina Ramsay of Clarence and Liliana Yohonn of Fairport. Karl D. Fiebelkorn was the team's advisor. The team receives $3,000 for its NCPA student chapter, and an additional $3,000 is contributed to the school in the dean's name to promote independent pharmacy. The team members, team advisor, and the dean will receive complimentary registration, travel, and lodging to NCPA's Multiple Locations Pharmacy Conference in Cancun in February 2008.
Team members from Washington State University were Jacqueline Eide, Iris Kim, David White, and Andrew Yancey. Linda Garrelts MacLean served as the team advisor. They receive $2,000 for their NCPA student chapter, and a contribution of $2,000 is made to their school in the dean's name.
Team members from the University of Washington were Ellen J. Smith, Marlo Murray, and Janelle Wilde. Jacqueline Gardiner was the team's advisor. They receive $1,000 for their NCPA student chapter, and a contribution of $1,000 is made to the school in the dean's name as well
The judges for this year's live competition were: Jim Vincent, Vincent Drugs; James Rankin, Family Care Pharmacy; Chuck Prieve, Amerisource Bergen; Ed Hesterlee, Covidien; John Carson, Oakdell Pharmacy, Diana Courtney, Lakeshore Pharmacy; and Daniel Strause, DeForest Pharmacy. For more information about this competition, visit the NCPA Web site at www.ncpanet.org.
The NCPA Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3)
organization established in 1953 to honor former NARD Executive Secretary
John W. Dargavel. Contributions to the NCPA Foundation are tax-deductible to
the extent permitted under federal tax law. The Foundation supports the
growth and advancement of independent community pharmacy through
low-interest educational loans and scholarships to pharmacy students in
need, critical research and programs to improve the success of independent
pharmacy, and financial assistance to community pharmacy owners for their
recovery in the event of disaster, accidents, illness, or adverse
circumstances.