People on the move … Nov. 2
Drug Store News has rounded up all the retail pharmacy comings and goings to help keep you informed. Here are this week’s announcements.
Walgreens Boots Alliance appoints Bryan C. Hanson to board of directors
Walgreens Boots Alliance has announced that Bryan C. Hanson will be added to the company’s board of directors. He will join the board as a director, effective Oct. 27, 2022, and will also serve on two board committees — the compensation and leadership performance committee as well as the recently formed finance and technology committee.
Hanson currently serves as president, CEO and chairman of Zimmer Biomet, a global medical technology brand with a portfolio of technologies and therapies designed to maximize mobility and improve health.
“I am pleased to welcome Bryan to the WBA Board, and I look forward to working with him,” said Stefano Pessina, executive chairman, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “I know he will bring valuable insight and healthcare industry expertise as we move into our next growth phase.”
“Bryan is a tremendous addition to our board of directors, with his leadership experience in health care and technology verticals that will continue to play a key role as part of our consumer-centric healthcare strategy,” said Roz Brewer, CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance.
Hanson joined Zimmer Biomet as president, CEO and a member of the board of directors in 2017 and was appointed chairman of the board in 2021. Prior to joining Zimmer Biomet, Hanson was executive vice president and group president, Minimally Invasive Therapies Group of Medtronic, a leading global healthcare technology company that addresses the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. As a member of Medtronic’s Executive Committee, he oversaw and provided strategic direction to Medtronic’s approximately $9 billion minimally invasive therapies business.
“Throughout my career in the healthcare industry, I’ve led companies that have been dedicated to helping people focus on and improve their health,” Hanson said. “I’m honored to have this great opportunity to work with a company like WBA that shares this vision and is uniquely positioned to help shape the future of local health care."
GNC promotes Rachel Jones to senior vice president
GNC has promoted Rachel Jones, MS, RDN to senior vice president, chief product innovation and science officer, responsible for upholding the company's standard of innovation, the company said.
"Rachel is one of the most influential leaders at GNC,” said Karlyn Mattson, executive vice president, chief merchandising officer, GNC. “Her role naturally lends itself to cross-disciplinary collaboration, but her team-first mentality enables us to achieve our goals and build community. Elevating her into this position creates an even deeper connection between our products, consumers and business strategy to help more people Live Well."
Jones joined GNC in 2004 as a project manager in the Innovation, Research and Development team. Over the course of more than 12 years in that department she contributed to or led the development of more than 2,000 GNC brand products, the company said. “She then pivoted to the company's International group where she brought a global perspective to brands, products and services across approximately 65 countries. After five years in the International team, she moved into leadership roles shaping the vision of product innovation across the enterprise.”
The company said Jones will elevate GNC's unique market positioning, while also delivering the company's investment in innovation across four key areas, including product design and development; product brand strategy; scientific affairs; and GNCX innovations.
"I'm excited to tackle the opportunities that exist for GNC as a business today and set us up for continued success in the future," Jones said. "We continue to identify new products and opportunities to deliver on our mission of Living Well through industry-leading products and ingredients that help our consumers achieve their goals."
Intuity Medical appoints industry veteran George Zamanakos president and CEO
Intuity Medical, a medical technology company with the mission of making life with diabetes easier, today announced the appointment of George Zamanakos as president and CEO. Having served on Intuity Medical’s board of directors for the past year and a half, Zamanakos brings to the role deep experience in diabetes technology as well as healthcare innovation, strategy and commercialization.
Zamanakos succeeds Emory Anderson, who led the company over the past 14 years in the development and last year’s launch of its POGO Automatic Blood Glucose Monitoring System. Anderson will continue to support the company in an advisory role.
“On behalf of the board, we are pleased to welcome George to lead Intuity Medical as we venture into the next phase of the company’s development. His substantial expertise in commercializing diabetes technologies will serve the company well at this pivotal time, as we are intensively focused on expanding access to POGO Automatic for people with diabetes,” said Rebecca Robertson, chair of the company’s board and managing director at Versant Ventures.
Zamanakos brings with him broad commercial leadership experience in glucose monitoring innovations. He previously served as divisional vice president of global strategic marketing with Abbott Diabetes, where he had global responsibilities for the company’s multibillion-dollar diabetes business and shaped the commercialization and innovation strategy for the FreeStyle Libre platform. Before that, Zamanakos was general manager of SweetSpot, a division of Dexcom, and director of strategic marketing for LifeScan, formerly a division of Johnson & Johnson. He began his career with McKinsey & Company after earning his PhD in Physics from Caltech.
“I’m honored to take the helm of Intuity Medical and help make a meaningful impact through leadership and innovation as we scale up the organization,” Zamanakos said. “More than 20 million people with diabetes rely on conventional glucose monitoring, and POGO Automatic has the potential to improve their self-care as a seamless and intuitive part of their daily routines. I’m excited to lead the Intuity Medical team into this important phase of growth and transformation.”
Dollar General Corporation adds Jeff Owen to board of directors
Dollar General Corporation has announced that Jeff Owen will be added to its board of directors upon the effectiveness of his promotion to CEO on Nov. 1, 2022.
In July 2022, Dollar General announced Owen would succeed Todd Vasos as CEO. Vasos will serve in a senior advisory position with Dollar General from Nov. 1, 2022 through April 1, 2023, at which time he will retire from the company but is expected to continue serving as a member of the board of directors.
Owen, who has been with the company for nearly 30 years, assumed Dollar General’s chief operating officer role in August 2019, having previously held the roles of executive vice president, store operations from June 2015-August 2019 and senior vice president, store operations from August 2011-July 2014.
PepsiCo appoints C.D. Glin as president of The PepsiCo Foundation
PepsiCo has appointed C.D. Glin as president of the PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the beverare, snack and food company.
Previously, Glin served as vice president of the PepsiCo Foundation and Global Head of Philanthropy for PepsiCo.
As president of the PepsiCo Foundation, Glin is stepping into a leadership role within the PepsiCo Foundation's board of directors, the company said. He will continue to oversee the Foundation's strategic direction toward a more sustainable food system through the PepsiCo Foundation's three core pillars: Food Security, Safe Water Access and Economic Opportunity.
"In recent years we've seen significant events including the pandemic, conflict and natural disasters, which have created an abundance of need across the globe," said Roberto Azevedo, chairman of the PepsiCo Foundation and chief corporate affairs officer for PepsiCo. "Through C.D.'s leadership, the PepsiCo Foundation has helped the company meet these moments through a focus on impacting communities, engaging employees and driving corporate purpose and responsibility.
Glin joined the PepsiCo Foundation in 2021 and has been instrumental in the launch and expansion of a variety of global PepsiCo Foundation philanthropic initiatives including, the Black Restaurant Accelerator program and the IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator.
"During these challenging times, I've been energized and inspired by our incredible associates and our commitment to community as a global company operating locally to positively impact people and the planet," Glin said. "I look forward to continuing my work as president of the foundation and ensuring we deliver lasting community impact as one of the world's leading food and beverage companies."
Robert M. Davis to become chairman of the board of Merck
The Merck board of directors has elected Robert M. Davis to serve as chairman of the board, effective Dec. 1, 2022. He will succeed Kenneth C. Frazier, who plans to retire on Nov. 30, 2022.
Davis, who currently serves as president and chief executive officer, became Merck’s president in April 2021 and was named Merck’s chief executive officer and a member of its board in July 2021.
“I want to thank Ken for his principled leadership, extraordinary integrity and unwavering commitment to delivering on Merck’s purpose of saving and improving lives around the world,” said Thomas H. Glocer, independent lead director, speaking on behalf of Merck’s board of directors. “For decades, Ken has embodied Merck’s core principles and values, anchored by a singular focus on creating meaningful value for our patients, employees, communities and shareholders,” Glocer added. “Ken is a once-in-a-generation leader, and his positive impact on our company and patients everywhere will reverberate for decades.”
Previously, Davis served as Merck’s president, responsible for the company’s operating divisions — Human Health, Animal Health, Manufacturing and Merck Research Laboratories. Prior to that, he was executive vice president, Global Services, and the company’s chief financial officer. Davis joined the company as chief financial officer in 2014 with additional responsibility for real estate operations, corporate strategy and business development. In 2016, his role was expanded to include responsibility for information technology and procurement, forming Global Services. He became president in April 2021 and CEO and a member of the board of directors on July 1, 2021.
“On behalf of Merck management and our colleagues around the world, I want to express our deepest appreciation for Ken’s innumerable contributions and indelible impact on our company and global health,” said Davis. “During his tenure, Ken led with conviction, advocated for patients and created meaningful value for our stakeholders. He has been an exemplar of purpose-driven leadership, vision and courage. I am honored to lead Merck as chairman and chief executive officer as we continue to build on his profound legacy.”
Holly Ockelmann takes new role as national account analyst at HRG
Hamacher Resource Group (HRG) has named Holly Ockelmann as the new national account analyst, responsible for supporting the company’s drug wholesale, independent pharmacy and convenience store clients.
She will continue managing the category reviews of the baby care, incontinence, grooming needs and batteries categories for HRG’s TEMPS Category Manager program.
Ockelmann has been in the retail industry for more than 30 years, most of them in a merchandising role. Her experience of tracking consumer behavior, following buying trends, and knowledge of creating a pleasing shopping experience are key as she works with wholesalers and retailers to provide tools that encourage consumers to shop, the company said.
“Over the four years Holly has worked at HRG as a merchandising analyst, we recognized her ability to easily relate to any stakeholder in the retail space,” said Dawn Vogelsang, president and majority owner of HRG. “Her combination of experience is valuable in this role, and her fresh perspective will be useful as we continue to enhance our offerings to these important classes of trade."