Rite Aid pharmacist earns award from PPA

CAMP HILL, Pa. Rite Aid pharmacist and regional pharmacy recruiter Donna Hazel was named the 2010 Pennsylvania Pharmacist of the Year by the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, Rite Aid announced Friday.

“I know I speak on behalf of everyone who knows and works with [Hazel] when I say she is very deserving of these honors,” stated Michele Belsey, Rite Aid VP college relations and professional recruitment. “Her passion for pharmacy and people is evident in all she does, especially so in her development of future Rite Aid pharmacists. Her talent and leadership are great examples of her dedication to pharmacy.”

Hazel received the award during the PPA’s annual meeting earlier this month. The award is given annually to the pharmacist who has demonstrated dedication to the profession, contributed time and effort to various professional organizations, furthered the profession through community services and embodies qualities that exemplify the profession.

Hazel also is the recipient of the 2010 George H. Searight Memorial Award, an annual award presented to a member of the PPA who has shown outstanding devotion and service to the organization, as well as to his or her local chapter, and who exhibits a strong commitment to high values and involvement in local community activities. Hazel currently is serving her third term as president of the Allegheny County Pharmacists Association, and also is the Southwest regional director for the PPA.

Hazel, a retail pharmacy veteran with more than 30 years of experience, joined Rite Aid in 1979 as a staff pharmacist. Since then, she has served the company in a variety of roles including pharmacy manager and pharmacy district manager before being named to her current position in 2005. As a regional pharmacy recruiter, Hazel works closely with schools of pharmacy and is responsible for interviewing and selecting both interns and pharmacists. She is a graduate of Duquesne University.