Alumni from Ohio Northern University’s Raabe College of Pharmacy received five awards and several appointments during the 137th Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Columbus, Ohio, from April 17-19.
John Coler, a 1995 Ohio Northern pharmacy graduate, received the 2015 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. Coler was instrumental in the development of legislation that aimed to create guidelines for fair pharmacy auditing practices. His expert testimony and efforts rallying local pharmacies were critical to the creation of SB 258, sponsored by Sen. Troy Balderson, which was signed into law last year and became effective March 18, 2015.
David Hartzell, a 2001 graduate of Ohio Northern, was honored with the Upsher-Smith Excellence in Innovation Award, which honors pharmacists who have demonstrated innovative pharmacy practice resulting in improved patient care by providing effective patient counseling. Hartzell has spent his career at St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima developing outpatient services that assist patients between physician appointments. He has driven initiatives to bring pharmacists together with nurses, dietitians, respiratory therapists and exercise physiologists to leverage their respective expertise. These staff members have helped patients transition between the hospital, long-term care, home health and independent living in 11 different outpatient clinics. This made health care easier, improved health and decreased costs. He is currently an administrator serving New Vision Medical Laboratories as the interim co-executive director.
Justin Friesner, a 2006 graduate of Ohio Northern, received the Cardinal Health Generation Rx Champions Award for excellence in community-based prescription drug abuse prevention. This award was created in 2010 by the Cardinal Health Foundation to recognize pharmacists for their work in combating prescription drug abuse. Friesner has made educating the public about prescription drug abuse his mission. He has provided presentations to students ranging in age from elementary to high school, realtor groups, government agencies, and more. He has also organized medication take-back days for Kroger pharmacies helping to properly dispose of unwanted medications. He is a pharmacy coordinator for the Kroger Company. He is also a past recipient of the OPA Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award.
Jeff Bartone, a 2008 graduate of Ohio Northern, was installed as president of the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA). He also was awarded the 2015 Pharmacy Leadership Award of the National Community Pharmacists Association. Bartone is 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.
Chester “Chet” Kaczor, a 2006 graduate of Ohio Northern, is the 2015 recipient of the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award. Additionally, Kaczor was installed as president-elect. The Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award recognizes a pharmacist who has graduated in the last 10 years and has made significant contributions to the profession of pharmacy. The award is sponsored by Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company. Kaczor has demonstrated significant achievements in patient care through expanding successful pharmacy models in his short career. Over the course of his career, he has led initiatives to start an anticoagulation clinic, coordinate the transition from hospital to outpatient for heart failure patients, and increase patient safety. His efforts have improved patient care and produced cost savings.
Jennifer Rodis, a 2002 graduate of Ohio Northern, was installed as executive committee member-at-large. Rodis is an associate professor of clinical pharmacy, director of Partner for Promotion, and assistant dean for outreach and engagement at Ohio State University. She completed an ambulatory care/community practice residency at Ohio State University. She is also a past recipient of OPA’s Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award.
Kevin Fuschetto, a 2007 graduate of Ohio Northern, was installed as a trustee, representing District 14 in northeast Ohio. Fuschetto is the clinical coordinator for Giant Eagle Pharmacy in the Youngstown, Ohio, region, coordinating medication therapy management and diabetes education services for its patients.
Zachariah Broshes, a 2001 graduate of Ohio Northern, and Craig Kimble, a 1998 graduate of Ohio Northern, were both installed as trustees. Broshes has been a member of OPA since 2002. He is a pharmacist at Rite Aid in Lima and is a past president of the Northwest Ohio Pharmacy Association. Kimble is director of experiential learning, manager of clinical support services, and assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Marshall University.
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.
Link: https://www.onu.edu/node/65681
Ohio Northern University’s quality, student-centered education distinctively combines nationally ranked sciences, arts and professional programs for more than 3,600 students in its five colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering, Pharmacy and Law.
For more than 130 years, the nationally recognized Raabe College of Pharmacy has offered distinctive, challenging and comprehensive training for some of the nation’s most talented pharmacists. This University signature program features a six-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.
