PHARMACY PROFILE
Respected Industry Veteran Jack Fish
Retires, Honored with NACDS Award
John
L. “Jack” Fish, one of the most respected and well-liked industry professionals,
has retired after some 33 years with GlaxoSmithKline.
Fish joined GSK in 1976 as a sales representative. Progressing up through the company, at retirement he oversaw GSK’s U.S. Channel Management and Pharmacy Solutions division.
This year, at the National Association of Chain Druggists’ (NACD) National Pharmacy & Technology Conference, Fish was awarded the association’s highest honor — the Harold W. Pratt Award. In 2006, Fish was the recipient of the Healthcare Distribution Management Association’s (HDMA) highest honor, the NEXUS Award.
HealthCare Distributor, a partner of Community Pharmacy Online Magazine, interviewed Fish at the time he won the HDMA award. The following are some excerpts from that interview written by Mark Hendricks which were in the December 2006/January 2007 issue.
After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in English, Fish began what would eventually become an eight-year stint as a high school teacher and assistant principal. As time went on, finances became a bigger issue for Fish and his growing family.
“At the time, my wife, Cynthia, and I had five children and we were trying to figure out how we were going to pay for their education.”
Although ‘economics’ was probably the ‘driver’ that led him into sales, Fish is quick to point out that other factors induced him to enter healthcare and the pharmaceutical industry.
“Now this is going to sound altruistic, but I was really attracted by the fact that there’s so much good in the health care business. There’s so much good that goes on between medicine, doctors, patients, pharmacies and health care providers in general, that I was really drawn to the industry by the nature of their work.”
Along the way, Fish says, there have been many people who have influenced and inspired him.
“For me, the industry in general has been filled with role models, people trying to do the right thing for patients. I was a sales representative, so some of the physicians I called on were actually role models. Then I became a district manager and again, physicians and pharmacists in the Boston area became role models. And I’ve also met various role models in the industry at the conventions and meetings that I’ve attended.”
Fish says that, when his career comes to an end, he hopes to be remembered as someone whose hard work, honesty and integrity impacted others positively. “And I hope that whatever I’ve done, they can take and make better.”
When asked if he has any advice for someone who is considering a career in the pharmaceutical industry, Jack Fish again speaks without hesitation.
“I think the first thing that I would let people know is that this is a business and there are all types of great opportunities to work in the pharmaceutical industry and specifically as a manufacturer. They provide all kinds of opportunities for folks, whether it’s in sales or marketing or finance or research, or wherever it might be. That’s number one.
“The industry also provides a great opportunity for people to help others, because while it’s a business, our main concern is providing quality products for our patients. I don’t know if you can do any better than that; it’s an exciting career and you can help other people along the way. I think that’s as good as it gets.”
Following is the NACDS news release announcing its selection of Fish to receive the Harold W. Pratt Award.
“NACDS awarded its highest honor — the Harold W. Pratt Award — to industry leader John “Jack” L. Fish, Sr., vice president of channel management and pharmacy solutions for the U.S. for GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.
“Fish began a long and dedicated career with GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals in 1976 as a sales representative. Throughout his 30-plus years with the company, he has served in multiple leadership capacities within the sales division, and today oversees the U.S. Channel Management and Pharmacy Solutions division for GlaxoSmithKline. Originally from New York, Fish graduated from Syracuse University in 1968.
“Fish, Sr. also currently serves as a member of the NACDS Foundation board of directors, and serves on the boards of directors for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA).
“Harold W. Pratt dedicated himself to many years of service at Walgreens, becoming the industry’s first director of professional services. Over the course of his 43 years of service to Walgreens, Pratt came to be recognized as the “dean” of pharmacy professional service directors. He worked tirelessly to grow and promote pharmacy operations, and he was asked by NACDS to organize and chair its first pharmacy conference.
“The annual award that is named for Pratt, established in 1985 by the NACDS board of directors, recognizes individuals whose activities have contributed to the promotion, recognition and improvement of the practice of pharmacy within the chain drug industry.
“Jack’s outstanding commitment to the industry makes him highly deserving of the Harold W. Pratt Award this year,” said NACDS president and CEO Steven C. Anderson. “We are pleased to honor him as he retires from GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals and we thank him for his years of service to an industry that has truly benefited from his expertise and dedication.”
12/02/09