BOSTON — Executives from Katz Group North America, Rite Aid Corp. and H.E. Butt Grocery Co. were honored this week by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores at the 2009 NACDS Pharmacy & Technology Conference.

The awards were accompanied by contributions to the NACDS Foundation from several companies.

Andy Giancamilli, CEO for Katz Group North America, which operates Snyders Drug Stores in the United States and Rexall pharmacies in Canada, received the Fougera Pharmacy Scholarship Award.

In his honor, Fougera contributed $25,000 to the NACDS Foundation Pharmacy Student Scholarship Program to support the development of future leaders in pharmacy and recognize students pursuing a career in community pharmacy. David Klaum, Fougera general manager and Nycomed senior vice president, presented this award to Giancamilli, who also is NACDS chairman.

Bill Wolfe, group vice president for managed care and government affairs at Rite Aid, was presented the IMS Health Pharmacy Partnership Award by James Hunter of IMS Health. A contribution of $10,000 was made in Wolfe’s honor to the NACDS Foundation.

The award recognizes an individual or group that values the importance of data in fact-based communications and corporate planning. Wolfe oversees Rite Aid’s pharmacy benefit management division, Rite Aid Health Solutions, and is responsible for the maintenance and development of relationships with state and federal regulatory agencies, policymakers and legislators, NACDS said.

Dennis Wiesner, senior director of privacy, pharmacy and government at H.E.B., was given the Novartis Pharmaceutical Alliance Award, which recognizes leadership, commitment and service to the chain pharmacy industry. Accompanying the award, presented by Michael Conley of Novartis, a $10,000 contribution was donated in Wiesner’s name to the NACDS Foundation.

The 2009 Pharmacy & Technology Conference chairman, Wiesner serves on the NACDS Policy Council, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and as a member of the Texas Federation of Drug Stores.

"We are pleased to join our award sponsors in honoring these industry leaders and their outstanding contributions to community pharmacy and the patients they serve," Edith Rosato, president of the NACDS Foundation, said in a statement.

Also at the conference, NACDS awarded its highest honor — the Harold W. Pratt Award — to John “Jack” Fish, vice president of U.S. channel management and pharmacy solutions at GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals.

In his 30-plus years at the company, Fish has served in multiple leadership capacities within the sales division. He also currently serves as a member of the NACDS Foundation board and on the boards for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance.

Fish was presented the award by former NACDS vice president of pharmacy affairs Len DeMino, a previous Pratt Award recipient.

DeMino, who retired from his NACDS consulting role in June, was also presented with a recognition award for his leadership and service to the industry. DeMino joined the NACDS staff as vice president of pharmacy affairs in June 1989 and retired from his staff position in September 1996. He has served as a consultant to NACDS since October 1996. Previously, DeMino had a 33-year career at Peoples Drug Stores.