BOSTON — Hy-Vee Inc. was honored by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores for its engagement in the NACDS Political Action Committee (NACDS-PAC).

Randy Edeker (center) shows off Hy-Vee’s PEP Award with Walgreens’ Richard Ashworth (left) and NACDS chairman Martin Otto of H-E-B.

During the Political Involvement Reception at the Total Store Expo on Saturday evening, Hy-Vee chairman and CEO Randy Edeker — who was NACDS chairman from April 2015 to April 2016 — accepted the 2016 Politically Engaged Pharmacy Award, or PEP Award, on behalf of the company in recognition of its consistent and far-reaching NACDS-PAC involvement.

“Our team at Hy-Vee really has worked hard to make a difference,” Edeker told attendees. “Together, we’re stronger than we are individually. This is a nice recognition for all of our folks who have done a lot with NACDS-PAC.”

Presenting the award to Edeker was NACDS-PAC chairman Richard Ashworth, president of pharmacy and retail operations for Walgreens.

“We present the PEP award to a person — or a company — that’s made a big difference in advancing community pharmacy with policymakers, so we can do more to serve our customers and patients,” Ashworth said, adding that Hy-Vee team members have “stepped up big time” to be engaged participants in NACDS-PAC.

The bipartisan NACDS-PAC supports federal congressional candidates who advance pro-patient and pro-pharmacy policies.

In welcoming attendees to the event, NACDS chairman Martin Otto, chief merchant and financial officer at H-E-B, noted that it’s a priority for NACDS to “to tell pharmacy’s story to lawmakers and to the public.” Otto also discussed the value of electoral engagement and the success of the NACDS RxImpact grassroots advocacy program.

As part of RxImpact’s get-out-the-vote efforts, NACDS this election season is promoting two video ads, titled “Momentum” and “Effective“, that call on pharmacy professionals to volunteer and vote for the candidates of their choice.

Also at the NACDS-PAC reception was guest speaker Nicolle Wallace, a New York Times best-selling author and political strategist and former director of White House communications for President George W. Bush.