DSN Women Leaders 2014: Eileen Howard Boone, CVS Health

CVS Health president and CEO Larry Merlo once told Eileen Howard Boone: “Never give up on success. Stay committed to winning, and don’t be deterred by obstacles. They make you stronger and more creative. Be persistent and do what it takes to win — the right way.” 

These words have proven invaluable in her professional development, Howard Boone told DSN.

While she has been in the consumer sector for her entire career, Howard Boone started in retail pharmacy in 2004 when she joined CVS/pharmacy as VP of corporate communications and community relations. Today as SVP, corporate social responsibility and philanthropy for CVS Health, and as president of the CVS Health Foundation, she oversees the foundation’s charitable giving and strategic nonprofit partnerships.

What keeps her excited about the business? “Helping people on their path to better health is the foundation of our corporate social responsibility platform and serves as a guidepost for all of our programs, partnerships and the work we are doing to build healthier communities across the country,” Howard Boone said. “It is also wonderful to see the dedication of our CVS Health colleagues who are actively involved in their own communities through volunteerism and the commitment of our nonprofit partners who share in our mission to build healthier communities nationwide.”

Today, one of Howard Boone’s biggest areas of focus is the company’s “CVS Quits” initiative. The retailer, which pulled tobacco from its store shelves in September, is working with a number of tobacco control organizations and those providing cessation and prevention services. The initiative aims to reach not only those who smoke but also those who don’t smoke to help ensure they don’t start. 

There’s no denying that Howard Boone’s schedule can get a bit hectic, to say the least, and finding the right work-life balance is essential, but she points to a quote by Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, that she says struck her as a fundamental truth for leaders on balance, in general: “Balance becomes easy when you are passionate about something. Nothing feels like work.” 

To view the full DSN Women Leaders 2014 report, click here.