CVS/pharmacy Enters Memphis, TN

CVS/pharmacy, the nation's leading retail pharmacy, celebrated the grand opening of its first store in the city of Memphis recently. 

"We are pleased to be opening stores in Memphis and expanding our presence in the state of Tennessee," said Larry Merlo, president of CVS/pharmacy. "Our mission at CVS is to make pharmacy solutions effective and easy for our customers, so we look forward to providing high-quality and convenient pharmacy services at a great value to our new customers in Memphis." 

The new Memphis CVS/pharmacy is located at 9861 Highway 64. Additional locations on Winchester Rd. and Stage Rd. in Memphis will open later this year and more stores are planned for the market over the next few years. 

CVS/pharmacy's new stores in Memphis will feature:  

u  A full service pharmacy staffed by highly trained pharmacists and

      pharmacy staff; 

u  A complete line of health and beauty products including many brands

      exclusive to CVS/pharmacy; 

u  General merchandise and digital photo-processing; and 

u  The CVS ExtraCare Rewards Program, which offers customers money back through Extra Bucks that are earned by shopping in-store or at www.cvs.com. 

As part of the grand opening celebration, CVS/pharmacy announced that, since 2004, it has raised $16 million through its participation in St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's annual Thanks and Giving holiday fundraising campaign to support the expansion of the hospital's Rehabilitation Services Center. St. Jude will hold a ceremony to dedicate the CVS Caremark Rehabilitation Services Center following the CVS/pharmacy grand opening. 

"This new facility plays a critical role in helping St. Jude Children's Research Hospital provide care that not only saves lives, but protects children's quality of life during treatment for catastrophic diseases," said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude. "Partners like CVS Caremark help ensure that every child who comes through our doors has hope for a brighter future." 

02/24/10

Presbyterian College School of Pharmacy

Reaches First Accreditation Milestone

Presbyterian College (PC) School of Pharmacy in South Carolina has been granted pre-candidate accreditation status by the American Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), which will allow the school to admit its first class for the fall of 2010. 

Dr. Richard Stull, dean of the School of Pharmacy, said the first students were likely to be admitted as early as the first week of February as interviews got underway almost immediately upon hearing the news. Approximately 600 prospective pharmacy students have applied to the PC School of Pharmacy. Stull said he expects the pharmacy school's admissions team will interview approximately 250 of those applicants ¾ 80 of whom are expected to enroll and begin taking classes this fall. The program will be housed in a 55,000 square-foot facility in downtown Clinton which is currently on track for complete renovation in May. 

The ACPE's decision to grant the School of Pharmacy pre-candidate status was based largely on the findings of a five-person evaluation team that visited PC's campus last October. Stull said the group measured the pharmacy school's processes for planning, recruiting and developing faculty, developing a well-defined curriculum, facilities, financial resources, and plans for students, including policies and experiential and practice opportunities. 

Following a report from the evaluation team, Stull and Griffith were invited to meet with the ACPE in Phoenix, Ariz., to answer questions and clarify plans. The resulting decision based on the evaluation and the meeting yielded a decision on Jan. 25 to grant pre-candidate status.

02/24/10

Mississippi Board of Pharmacy

Frank Gammill, RPh, has been appointed executive director of the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy. Prior to his position with the board, he was employed as both a senior compliance agent and a compliance agent. He earned a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the University of Mississippi. 

Leland McDivitt, Jr., RPh, has been appointed a member of the Mississippi board. His appointment will end June 30, 2014.

02/24/10

Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy

Phillip Boyd, PharmD, MBA, has been appointed a member of the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy. His appointment will end June 30, 2015. 

Larry Ross, MS, has been appointed a public member of the same Arkansas board. His appointment will end June 14, 2014.

02/24/10

Florida Board of Pharmacy

Michele Weizer, PharmD, has been appointed a member of the Florida Board of Pharmacy. Her appointment will end February 13, 2013. 

Cynthia Griffin, PharmD, has also been appointed a member of the Florida board. That appointment will end February 13, 2013.

02/24/10

Virginia Board of Pharmacy

David Kozera, RPh, has been reappointed a member of the Virginia Board of Pharmacy. His appointment will expire June 30, 2013. 

Jennifer Edward, PharmD, was elected chairperson of the Virginia Board of Pharmacy and Brandon K. Yi, RPh, was elected vice chairperson.

02/24/10