Wendy future of retail top

Issues

Bartell’s Littleton wins Pratt Award

BOSTON — Bartell Drugs chief operating officer Ed Littleton was the recipient of this year’s Harold W. Pratt Award at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy & Technology Conference here. Littleton has spent more than four decades in chain drug retailing, including the last 20 years with Seattle-based ­Bartell. Prior to that, he

Sabatino succeeds Green at Walgreens

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. has named Thomas Sabatino Jr. as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. The 52-year-old Sabatino, who has previously been general counsel for United Airlines Inc., Schering-Plough Corp., Baxter International Inc. and American Medical International Inc., replaces Dana Green, who recently retired after 37 years with Walgreens. Executives praised

At ECRM, the focus shifts to Mitch Bowlus

The final goodbyes have been said, the last stories told. Only the memories of Charlie Bowlus linger, the memories of the personality behind the organization that charted new directions, opened new windows, explored new possibilities and developed new ways of doing business. Only the sadness lingers. And the laughter. Suddenly, the talk is all about

Retail Rx advances key parts of its agenda

The talk surrounding Hurricane Irene’s impact on the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Pharmacy and Technology Conference obscures what’s important. The real news coming out of the event is that the profession appears to be on the cusp of achieving some long-sought-after goals that will raise its standing and make it a more integral

NACDS, NCPA challenge Express Scripts-Medco deal

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Citing a potential anticompetitive impact on patients, consumers, the market “and the entire health care delivery system,” the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) have written to the Federal Trade Commission to formally express their opposition to the proposed merger of pharmacy benefit managers Express

Court nixes Affordable Care Act provision

ATLANTA — A federal appeals panel has struck down the core component of President Obama’s health care overhaul, shifting the question of whether Americans can be required to buy health insurance a step closer to the Supreme Court. A divided three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Congress overstepped its authority

Lo named to oversee Rx at SDM

TORONTO — Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. (SDM) has appointed Dr. Dorian Lo as executive vice president of pharmacy and health care, and in that position he will lead the company’s pharmacy department and health solutions team. Lo’s career spans health care and pharmacy in both Canada and the United States. He graduated from the University

New private label line rolled out by Walgreens

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has unveiled a new value-oriented store brand chainwide. Called Nice!, the brand includes more than 400 grocery and household products at prices up to 30% below those of national brands. The 7,750-store chain plans to have most Nice! products on shelves by early 2012. Many of the items go beyond what

Pact on user fees for generics near

WASHINGTON — The generic drug industry and the Food and Drug Administration have reached tentative agreement to establish a user fee program in which companies would pay as much as $299 million initially to hasten drug approvals and increase the frequency of FDA inspections of foreign drug plants. Since discussions between the industry and the

Keelor becomes chief merchant at Katz

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Retail veteran Ken Keelor has been named chief merchandising officer at Katz Group. In that role, Keelor will oversee all merchandising and marketing functions for the Rexall family of pharmacies. Before joining Katz, he held a number of executive positions over 10 years at multibanner Canadian grocery chain Sobeys Inc. He most

The designers who helped Duane Reade create a hit

NEW YORK — Before there is a dazzling store, there has to be a magnificent space. Duane Reade had such a space at 40 Wall Street, and it shows in the chain’s bold new drug store there. The fantastic architectural detail at the lower Manhattan skyscraper — including archways, tall windows and David Rockefeller’s office

Rx groups send Supreme Court brief in Medicaid case

WASHINGTON — Pharmacy groups have joined a pending case before the U.S. Supreme Court to determine if cuts to the reimbursement rates paid under Medicaid violate federal law. In a brief filed with the Court earlier this month, the American Pharmacists Association, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, National Community Pharmacists Association and National Alliance

Industry mourns ECRM’s Bowlus

NEW YORK — Charlie Bowlus is being remembered by chain drug and manufacturing executives as much for his disarming warmth and sincerity as for breaking new ground in retailer-supplier relations. Bowlus, founder and chief executive officer of ECRM, died this month of complications from emergency surgery. He was 64. He would not want to be

PP_1170x120_10-25-21