Michael Ellis

Michael Ellis, corporate vice president of specialty pharmacy and infusion services at Walgreen Co., has been named as the first president of the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP).

"At Walgreens, we share NASP's dedication to serve the needs of patients living with complex, chronic health conditions and support the pharmacists they work with on a daily basis," Ellis stated.

One of the country's largest providers of injectable, infused and biopharmaceutical medications, Walgreens joined the association last year as one of its founding members.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Michael Ellis, corporate vice president of specialty pharmacy and infusion services at Walgreen Co., has been named as the first president of the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP).

Michael Ellis

NASP said Wednesday that Ellis will serve a one-year term through October 2014.

"This is an exciting time for specialty pharmacy, and I’m excited to work with my colleagues on this distinguished board of directors to advance NASP’s mission and create a stronger, more unified voice for all stakeholders," Ellis said in a statement. "At Walgreens, we share NASP’s dedication to serve the needs of patients living with complex, chronic health conditions and support the pharmacists they work with on a daily basis."

Before joining Walgreens in 2011, Ellis served as senior vice president of specialty trade relations and contracting and pharmaceutical services at CVS Caremark Corp. A licensed pharmacist, he has more than 32 years of specialty pharmacy and infusion experience, including senior-level positions at AdvancePCS, Olsten Health Services and Quantum Health Resources.

Walgreens is one of the nation’s largest providers of injectable, infused and biopharmaceutical medications, and the company joined NASP as a founding member last year.

NASP said that Walgreens, with an integrated, multichannel model inclusive of local specialty and infusion services, focuses on creating an optimal patient experience that supports improved health outcomes. The company also offers pipeline insights, custom reporting and innovative clinical and utilization management programs to help payers manage costs.

"We are honored to work with Mike as our first president, guiding NASP forward as it continues to lead the specialty pharmacy industry," stated Gary Cohen, chief executive officer of NASP, which launched last October. "Walgreens is a strong supporter of our membership and industry as a whole, and we believe Mike will provide both the vision and leadership necessary to steer NASP and the specialty pharmacy industry to the next level."

NASP represents specialty pharmacy professionals in all practice settings and, through the Specialty Pharmacy Education Center (SPEC), offers education in more than 20 therapeutic categories. SPEC also provides education for earning and maintaining professional certification via the Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board (SPCB).