BOSTON — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has presented Bartell Drugs chief operating officer Ed Littleton with the Harold W. Pratt Award for his long-time service to the chain drug industry.

Littleton, who received the award this week at the NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference in Boston, was recognized for his continuing dedication to pharmacy. Serving more than 40 years in the industry, Littleton has spent the last 20 years with Seattle-based Bartell Drugs. Before that, he served 22 years with Pay ‘n Save.

The annual award — named for Walgreens’ Harold Pratt, considered the dean of pharmacy professional service directors — was established in 1985 by the NACDS board and honors individuals whose activities have contributed to the promotion, recognition and improvement of the practice of pharmacy within the chain drug industry.

During the presentation of the award, NACDS chairman Robert Loeffler, who is chief administrative officer at H-E-B, read a comment about Littleton from Bartell Drugs chairman and chief executive officer George Bartell. "There are few individuals as humble, considerate and as focused as Ed. His wonderful sense of humor is an added bonus," Bartell said in his remarks.

Loeffler stated, "NACDS is absolutely honored to present the distinguished Harold W. Pratt Award to Ed Littleton. He has always devoted his full energy to the business, to serving our customers and supporting the employees we count on to deliver that service — in our pharmacies and in the rest of the business. He has continually tried to learn how to improve the practice of pharmacy and has always been willing to share."

Separately, the NACDS Foundation also presented awards to community pharmacy leaders. The awards were accompanied by contributions to the NACDS Foundation from several benefactors.

Fougera presented Loeffler with the Fougera Pharmacy Scholarship Award. In his honor, Fougera has made a contribution of $25,000 to the NACDS Foundation Pharmacy Student Scholarship Program to support the education of future leaders in patient care and recognize pharmacy students who have a strong interest in pursuing a career in community pharmacy.

Daniel Salemi, vice president of pharmacy services at Supervalu Inc., received the IMS Health Pharmacy Partnership Award. The award honors a leader who values the importance of data in fact-based communication and corporate planning. A contribution of $10,000 was awarded in Salemi’s name to the NACDS Foundation.

Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., meanwhile, awarded the Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceutical Alliance Award to Deborah Garza, divisional vice president of government and community relations at Walgreens and chairman of the 2011 NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference. The award honors leadership, commitment and service to community pharmacy. Garza serves on the NACDS Policy Council and on the NACDS Foundation board. Accompanying the award, a $10,000 contribution was donated by Boehringer-Ingelheim to the NACDS Foundation in Garza’s name.

UCB Inc. presented the UCB Leadership in Pharmacy Award to Stephen Gross, sLong Island University Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy dean emeritus and special adviser to the president for pharmacy. The award recognizes leadership and actions that have had a significant impact on the pharmacy profession. A $10,000 contribution in was made to the NACDS Foundation in honor of Gross.

The NACDS Foundation also recognized leaders in pharmacy education and patient care. 

Abbott’s Pharmaceutical Products Division awarded the foundation’s Community Pharmacy Faculty Award to Dr. Melissa Somma McGivney of University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. This award was established to recognize a community pharmacy faculty member who has sustained exemplary service to help advance patient care in the community pharmacy setting. The award is accompanied by a $5,000 research stipend from the foundation to the recipient’s academic institution.

And Apotex Corp. presented the Community Pharmacy Preceptor of the Year Award to Dr. Anthony Pudlo, Kerr Health/Kerr Drug regional clinical manager and preceptor for Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The award recognizes a pharmacy preceptor who has made outstanding contributions to the education of pharmacy students in a community pharmacy practice setting. It is accompanied by a $5,000 research stipend for recipient’s designated academic institution.

"The NACDS Foundation joins our benefactors in honoring these distinguished community pharmacy leaders and educators for their significant contributions," commented Edith Rosato, president of the NACDS Foundation. "We are pleased to recognize their achievements in advancing pharmacy care on behalf of patients."