Alumni from Ohio Northern University's Raabe College of Pharmacy received five awards and several appointments during the 136th Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, from April 4-6.
Troy Gahm, a 1992 ONU pharmacy graduate, received the 2014 Cardinal Health Generation Rx Champions Award for excellence in community-based prescription-drug-abuse prevention. This award annually honors a pharmacist who has demonstrated outstanding commitment within the pharmacy community to raise awareness of drug abuse. It also is intended to encourage educational prevention efforts aimed at patients, youth and other members of the community. Gahm was a founding member of the Scioto County Drug Action Team and has provided drug abuse talks for more than 20 years. He gives presentations primarily to students in grades one through five, using poison prevention month as a kickoff for a topic that is relevant year round. Gahm is the owner of Gahm's Pharmacy, which has served the Lucasville community for nearly 20 years.
Stuart Beatty, a 2003 ONU pharmacy graduate from Plain City, Ohio, received the 2014 Upsher-Smith Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award. This award honors pharmacists who have demonstrated innovative pharmacy practice resulting in improved patient care by providing effective patient counseling. Beatty has been critical in the development of the Martha Morehouse General Internal Medicine (MMGIM) Clinic, a National Committee of Quality Assurance (NCQA) tier-three patient-centered medical home in Columbus, Ohio. This is the highest distinction recognized by NCQA. As the first pharmacist at the site, he pioneered the pharmacists' involvement, transforming chronic pain management, establishing diabetes and transitional care practice models, performing complete medication reviews for patients, and educating medical residents, pharmacy residents and student pharmacists in the collaborative environment.
Randall S. Myers, a 1982 ONU pharmacy graduate from Carey, Ohio, received the 2014 Beal Award for outstanding contribution to the pharmacy profession. His dedication to taking care of his patients extends above and beyond the norm. Myers has made it his pharmacy's mission to ensure that every patient has personal contact with the pharmacist and is counseled on their medications. This innovative community pharmacy has become a model of best practices for the many students he mentors and has been recognized as advancing patient care by the American Pharmacists Association, in addition to others. When he is not serving as his community's pharmacy, Myers takes his talents to various community and professional boards. He serves on the board of directors of Blanchard Valley Regional Health Center, Pharmacists Mutual Insurance, American Pharmacy Services Corporation and several others. He also serves as the president of the Ohio Pharmacists Foundation, the educational and research arm of the Ohio Pharmacists Association.
Kevin Mitchell, a 1989 ONU pharmacy graduate from Marion, Ohio, is the 2014 recipient of the Good Government Award. This award honors pharmacists who have produced major contributions to the public through government and/or legislative service/education at the local, state or national level. Mitchell has been instrumental in the development of legislation that will create guidelines to enable pharmacists and pharmacy interns to care for Ohioans in the event of a public health emergency. Through Mitchell's leadership, and the work of the OPA Disaster Preparedness Task Force, HB 44 was formed and will become law. He works for Rite Aid Pharmacy and serves as president of the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy.
Jeff Bartone, a 2008 ONU pharmacy graduate of Oakwood, Ohio, was installed as president-elect of OPA. Bartone is now the president of Hock's Pharmacy in Vandalia, Ohio. He has also practiced at Walgreens Pharmacy in Dayton and Hock's Pharmacy in Tipp City, Ohio. As an OPA member since 2007, Bartone has been an active member of the OPA Independent Special Interest Group for several years, and has shown a keen interest in issues impacting independent pharmacy practice. He has also volunteered on the OPA Finance Committee, Long Range Plan Committee, and Member Services & Development Committee. As a member of the OPA Executive Committee the last three years, Bartone worked to increase membership and increase communication between the board and the membership.
Timothy Ulbrich, a 2008 ONU pharmacy graduate from Rootstown, Ohio, is the 2014 recipient of the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award. Additionally, Ulbrich was installed as District 11 trustee. The Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award recognizes a pharmacist who has graduated in the last 10 years and made significant contributions to the profession of pharmacy. The award is sponsored by Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company. Ulbrich has served as the chair of American Pharmacists Association New Practitioner Advisory Committee and has taken a leadership role in the development of OPA's New Practitioner Experience. Ulbrich is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice and the director of pharmacy resident education at Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED). As the director of pharmacy resident education, Ulbrich has facilitated the establishment of three new residency programs, coordinated a teaching certificate program for 25 pharmacy residents in Northeast Ohio, and developed several initiatives to prepare students at NEOMED for residency training, which has resulted in a residency match rate in 2013 that was approximately 20 percent above the national average.
Chester "Chet" Kaczor, a 2006 ONU pharmacy graduate from Pickerington, Ohio, took office as vice president. He currently is the manager of ambulatory pharmacy services at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He is a previous recipient of OPA's Student Leadership Award and served as trustee for District 10 from 2010-14.
Melody (Hall) Hartzler, a 2009 ONU pharmacy graduate from Beavercreek, Ohio, was installed as a trustee. She currently is an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Cedarville University School of Pharmacy; she practices at the Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton-Cassano Health Center. She also works as a part-time pharmacist for Walgreen's pharmacy. She previously completed a pharmacy practice residency at the Chalmer's P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center with a focus on primary care.
Established in 1879, OPA represents more than 4,000 pharmacists, pharmacy educators and pharmacy students throughout the state. It is OPA's mission to unite the profession of pharmacy and encourage interprofessional relations while promoting public health through education, discussion and legislation.
