NACDS honors two chains for political advocacy

Above: Jim Spencer of Kinney Drugs and Mike Duteau and Bridget-ann Hart of KPH Healthcare Services

with Steve Anderson of NACDS and Craig Painter of KPH Healthcare Services

Below: Steve Anderson of NACDS with Dan Salemi of Albertsons/Safeway

DENVER — The National Association of Chain Drugs Stores celebrated Albertsons/Safeway and Kinney Drugs for the companies’ political advocacy and grassroots activities at NACDS Total Store Expo, Friday evening at the NACDS Political Involvement reception.

Albertsons/Safeway was tabbed for the NACDS RxImpact “Leader of the Year” award for its efforts to inspire advocacy and leadership development through the annual NACDS RxImpact Day on the Hill program. Dan Salemi, group VP pharmacy services for Albertsons/Safeway, accepted the award.

According to NACDS, Albertsons/Safeway represents more than 10% of the members enrolled in NACDS’ new RxImpact Key Contact Plus leadership development webinar program, which trains pharmacy advocates on relationship-building to promote pharmacy policy priorities. Since the launch of RxImpact, the company has consistently engaged in its advocacy programs, including hosting in-district meetings, pharmacy tours and town hall meeting exchanges — hosting more than ten in the last year, NACDS noted.

In the seven-year history of the program, more than 450 pharmacy tours and nearly 2,500 Capitol Hill meetings have been conducted by NACDS members through RxImpact.

Kinney Drugs was honored with the NACDS Political Action Committee’s “Politically Engaged Pharmacy” award. Craig Painter, executive chairman of the board; Bridget-ann Hart, president and CEO; and Mike Duteau, VP business development and strategic relations for KPH Healthcare Services, as well as Kinney Drugs president Jim Spencer were there to accept the award, which is presented to a company/individual who demonstrates exceptional commitment to the advancement of pharmacy through political engagement.

“Grassroots and political involvement is an essential element of political advocacy,” said NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “We congratulate Albertsons/Safeway and Kinney Drugs for their commitment to helping to reinforce the theme of pharmacy as the face of neighborhood health care.”