University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy team wins NCPA business plan competition
ORLANDO, Fla. — A business plan developed by a team of pharmacy students from Oklahoma has won an award from the National Community Pharmacists Association and Good Neighbor Pharmacy.
The NCPA announced Monday that the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy team was named the winner of the 2013 Good Neighbor Pharmacy National Community Pharmacists Association Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition. The runners-up were the team from the Stockton, Calif.-based University of the Pacific, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Pharmacy. In all, 39 teams competed.
"All of the business plans were well-done," NCPA president and Anniston, Ala., pharmacy owner Donnie Calhoun said. "The three finalists not only presented excellent written business plans, but followed up with outstanding live presentations. I want to congratulate this year's winning team from the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy for their impressive efforts."
The NCPA said the contest was the first national competition of its kind in the pharmacy profession and is now in its 10th year, named in honor of two champions of independent pharmacy, the late Neil Pruitt and H. Joseph Schutte and supported by Good Neighbor Pharmacy.
The three finalist teams made live presentations of their business plans before the competition judges and a large audience, and were honored at the NCPA Foundation's award ceremony Sunday. The results of the competition were announced during the opening general session of the NCPA's 115th annual Convention and Trade Exposition, which began Saturday and lasts through Wednesday in Orlando, Fla.
The University of Oklahoma team won $3,000 for their local NCPA chapter and $3,000 contributed to the school in the name of dean JoLaine Draugalis to promote independent pharmacy. The University of the Pacific team received $2,000, and the University of Arkansas team received $1,000.