PALM BEACH, Fla. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores presented Tim Hayes, former president of Bayer Consumer Health, with the Robert B. Begley Award at the 2016 NACDS Annual Meeting.

Bayer’s Tim Hayes at the NACDS Annual Meeting awards ceremony.

Hayes received the award Tuesday evening before colleagues, friends and family at the Annual Meeting dinner and awards ceremony.

In his nearly 25 years at Bayer, Hayes led the Bayer Consumer Health unit as president for 15 years. Throughout his career, he has held positions of increasing responsibility in sales, business development, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic business management.

In presenting the award to Hayes, new NACDS chairman Martin Otto, chief merchant and chief financial officer of H-E-B, quoted Hayes’ successor, Bayer Consumer Health president Erica Mann, on her reaction to her colleague’s award: “There are a few, very special times when you receive news that makes you stand up and cheer … because it is so good and so right,” she said. “As much as your business accomplishments, the Begley award recognizes your personality, leadership style, wit, kindness and winning spirit. And this is why no one deserves the honor more than you do.”

Established in 1980, the Robert B. Begley Award is named in memory of former NACDS chairman Robert Begley and honors an individual who possesses qualities of great personal warmth, generous spirit and longtime service to the industry.

Last year, NACDS presented the Begley Award to two industry veterans: David Heist, director of industry affairs and customer relations at Bayer Consumer Care, and Lou Martire, vice president of trade and industry development for Energizer Household Products.