GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. — Bridget-ann Hart will retire as president and chief executive officer of Kinney Drugs operator KPH Healthcare Services Inc. at the end of the year. She will continue to serve on the board of KPH, a national provider of health care services with more than 4,000 employees across four divisions. In addition to Kinney, KPH operates pharmacy benefits manager ProAct Inc., specialty pharmacy Noble Health Services, and Health Direct Institutional Pharmacy Services.

Bridget-ann Hart

Hart, who over a 40-year career has played a key role in the diversification, growth, and rebranding of upstate New York-based Kinney, will be succeeded by KPH executive vice president of commercial divisions David Warner, effective November 1. Warner first joined the company as a Kinney pharmacy intern in Vermont. His 30-year-plus career has encompassed all four KPH divisions, beginning with retail operations, where he served in various positions from staff pharmacist to regional pharmacy manager. He then gained experience in both technology and human resources management, first as vice president of pharmacy development and then as vice president of corporate development, both at Kinney. Named president of the PBM, he took it from startup to what is now the largest employee-owned PBM in the country.

In his current role he has direct oversight of all commercial divisions, and has been deeply involved in both specialty and long-term-care pharmacy operations as well as ProAct. In April, Warner was elected to the KPH board of directors.

Kinney has nearly 100 stores in New York and Vermont, filling close to 8 million prescriptions annually. A year ago the chain launched tHRiVe Rewards, a points-based loyalty program.

David Warner

“On behalf of the KPH board and employees, I would like to recognize Bridget for her unconditional dedication, her exceptional leadership skills and the many remarkable accomplishments our company has experienced under her direction,” said executive chairman Craig Painter. “We have been very fortunate to have her as our CEO these last six years, and she will be missed.”

“We are also extremely pleased to have Dave Warner step into her role,” said Painter. “The breadth and depth of Dave’s experience — encompassing administration as well as all aspects of retail pharmacy, pharmacy benefits management, mail order pharmacy, specialty pharmacy and long-term-care pharmacy — will help KPH identify and take advantage of growth opportunities across our complementary businesses, and to discover and explore promising new opportunities. I would like to extend our thanks and best wishes to Bridget as she heads toward retirement and our congratulations to Dave as he begins this new chapter with the KPH family of companies.”

Hart holds a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Services, where she has been named distinguished alumna and has served three consecutive terms on the board of trustees.