Past Winners
Past Award Winners
The Winston J. Durant Lecture Award is bestowed annually upon one past UW Hospital pharmacy resident who exemplifies success in the following areas:
- Significant contributions to pharmacy resident training and/or the mentoring of future leaders
- Advancement of pharmacy practice and health care systems
- Demonstration of leadership within the profession
Dr. MacKinnon was appointed Founding Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) in 2015. He received his BS (Pharmacy) and MS (Hospital Pharmacy) from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy, completing two-years post-graduate pharmacy residency training at University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics. He earned his PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University Chicago. He is a recipient of an honorary Doctor of Medical Sciences from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2022. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (FASHP) and Distinguished Scholar Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP).
Dr. MacKinnon leads the MCW School of Pharmacy delivering a dynamic and innovative Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. Post-graduate residency placement rates for graduates have increased the past three years from 72% to now 93%, affirming that MCW is producing PharmD graduates that aspire and are accepted in post-graduate training programs nationally. He works to expand pharmacist care models in collaborative approaches with colleagues at Children’s Wisconsin, Froedtert Health, Zablocki VA in Milwaukee, and other clinical partners.
Dr. MacKinnon has assisted in the establishment of four academic pharmacy programs, two as founding dean. He has participated in four federally funded interprofessional Training and Educational Grants involving medicine, nursing and pharmacy. His research supports expanding pharmacist care models (e.g., immunizations, primary care, pharmacogenomics) in collaborative approaches to team-based care and principles of team-science.
He advocates for pharmacist models of care at state and national levels. Dr. MacKinnon played an instrumental role in modifying immunization regulations for student pharmacists and advancing legislation that resulted in pharmacists begin recognized as non-physician providers under Medicaid in Wisconsin in 2020 and 2021 respectively. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin and Vivent Health. In 2021, he was recognized as a “Notable Heroes in Health Care,” by Milwaukee BizTimes for work in immunizations both pre- and post-pandemic.
View George's Acceptance SpeechKristin is the Medication Safety Officer at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is the PGY2 program director for the Medication-Use Safety and Policy (MUSP) residency at Froedtert. Kristin received her Bachelors in Pharmacy from the University of Minnesota. She completed the two-year administrative residency and Master’s degree program in Health System Pharmacy Administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. After her residency training, Kristin started as an Assistant Director, Clinical Pharmacy Services at Froedtert and then transitioned to the role of Medication Safety Officer in 2001. Kristin is fortunate to be in a position to combine her passion for patient safety with her expertise in residency training. She precepts PGY1 and PGY2 residents and ensures that safety is incorporated into each residents’ training.
Throughout her career, Kristin has led numerous efforts to expand and advance pharmacy practice at Froedtert Health. She has led pharmacy residency training at Froedtert Health since starting there as Assistant Director in 1991. Kristin developed and gained accreditation for their PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency program, spearheaded its redesign and expansion to a total of 11 positions by 2015, and led overall program expansion to the current total of 41 positions across 15 total residency training programs. During her time as Residency Program Director for the PGY1 program she mentored and graduated more than 100 residents. In her current role as Medication Safety Officer for Froedtert, she founded the organization’s PGY2 Medication Use Safety residency program and currently serves as Residency Program director for that program.
In addition to her residency contributions, Kristin established and pioneered the Medication Safety Officer role and has led numerous initiatives that have enhanced safe medication practices within the organization. She has led efforts to reduce continuous IV infusion and PCA pump programming errors, developed and implemented opioid prescribing policies and enhanced safety in regional anesthesia and pump selection practices, enhancing the safe care of patients for the organization. In addition, Kristin founded both the OR Pharmacy Services and Investigational Drug Services program at Froedtert Health and these services for several years. Kristin has made significant contributions to pharmacy practice, not only through her passion for patient safety and clinical research, but through her ongoing development of nationally renowned educational programs for pharmacy students and residents.
Beyond to her responsibilities at Froedtert, Kristin is actively involved in American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW), and Vizient Academic Medical Center group. Kristin is a current member on the ASHP Medication Safety Section Advisory Group. She served on ASHP’s Commission on Credentialing for six years and participates in several accreditation surveys each year. As a leader in both safety and residency training, Kristin served as a contributing author for the PGY2 MUSP Competency Areas, Goals and Objectives in 2018. Additionally, Kristin is chair of the PSW Medication Safety Collaborative and Chair for the Vizient Quality, Safety and Compliance Committee.
Watch Kristin's Acceptance Speech Read Kristin's Acceptance Speech
Wayne currently practices at Bon Secours Mercy Health in Cincinnati, Ohio, and has served the organization for over 17 years. Bon Secours Mercy Health has 51 hospitals located throughout the Midwest and Atlantic regions. In his tenure at Bon Secours Mercy, Wayne has served in numerous roles including Vice President of Care Transformation, Vice President of Clinical Support Services, and he currently serves as Chief Officer of Ancillary Services. In this role he oversees several system-wide ancillary services, including Pharmacy and Laboratory.
Wayne received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Illinois. He also completed a two-year residency and Master’s degree program in Health System Pharmacy Administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. Throughout his career, Wayne has continuously led efforts that have contributed to significant advancement of the practice and business of pharmacy. Under Wayne’s leadership, Bon Secours Mercy pharmacy department has become one of the largest integrated pharmacy delivery networks in the country, and continually provides improved outcomes for patients at reduced costs. Wayne’s responsibilities include managing over $1 billion in expenses and almost $8 billion in charges. During Wayne’s tenure he was instrumental in leading the Care Transformation Collaborative to design their electronic medical record system, bringing together over 300 physicians, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. He was integrally responsible for implementing a Computerized Physician Order Entry system across the Mercy Health System and chaired the Medical Informatics Committee for six years. Additionally, Wayne has serves as an Associate Clinical Professor within the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy where he provided lectures Additionally, Wayne has serves as an Associate Clinical Professor within the University of Cincinnati College of Pharmacy where he provided lectures and mentorship to Pharm.D. students within the college. He is considered a top national thought leader within pharmacy regarding medication and patient safety. In 2006, he developed the Mercy Patient Safety Academy which was a required bi-annual patient safety training for all Mercy hospital Presidents. Wayne has made significant contributions to the development of ASHP-accredited residency training programs in pharmacy practice, critical care, oncology and ambulatory care, and he served as Residency Program Director from 1997-1999. Wayne was the first pharmacist hired in the Mercy Health system at the corporate office. Today, all of the hospital pharmacy directors report up through the corporate pharmacy leadership team, including teams leading a standardized formulary, standardized policy and operations, 33 retail stores, and a specialty and mail order pharmacy. In addition, there is a corporate pharmacy team managing twenty 340B hospitals, employee benefits for over 100,000 lives, and a clinical pharmacy team managing population health. Wayne currently serves on the Advisory Board for the University Cincinnati College of Pharmacy and as a Board member of the Society of St. Vincent DePaul in Cincinnati. View Wayne's Acceptance SpeechJim currently practices at Froedtert and Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and has served the organization for 17 years. In his tenure at Froedtert, Jim has provided leadership in numerous roles including Director of Pharmacy, Vice President of Pharmacy and Supply Chain, Vice President of Ancillary Services, and currently the Senior Vice President of Ancillary Services. In his current role, he oversees several system-wide ancillary services, including Pharmacy, Imaging, Lab, Rehabilitation, Clinical Engineering and five Ambulatory Surgery Centers, as well as other ancillary services across all settings and the entire health network.
Jim received his Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin. He also completed a two-year residency and Master's degree program in Health System Pharmacy Administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. Throughout his career, Jim has continuously led efforts that have contributed to significant advancement of the practice and business of pharmacy. Under Jim's leadership, pharmacist roles have expanded across all sites of care at Froedtert Health, establishing one of the premier pharmacy practice models in the nation. Through his leadership at Froedtert, pharmacy FTEs and pharmacy revenue have more than doubled, the medication use process has been fully automated across all care locations and Froedtert's retail pharmacy network has expanded to thirteen sites. As VP of Pharmacy and Supply Chain, he assumed oversight, alignment and optimization of nearly $600 million of supply and contract expense across the health system. Over the past 10 years, Jim has also fostered the development of a world-class pharmacy leadership team at Froedtert. Additionally, in his time at Froedtert Health, he and his team have grown the number of pharmacy residents from four to 35 (annually) across 13 residency training programs. One of these programs is a two-year administrative residency and MHA program that has developed into one of the nation's top tier administrative residency training programs. In addition, the pharmacy team at Froedtert has been recognized by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists as a "Best Practices Award" recipient three times during Jim's tenure at Froedtert. View Jim's Acceptance SpeechRowell is currently at the University of North Carolina Health Care System in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where he serves as the System Vice President for Pharmacy Services. In his 19 years at UNC, Rowell has served in numerous roles including Assistant Director, Associate Director, and Director of Pharmacy. He also serves as Executive Associate Dean for Pharmacy Clinical Practice with the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy at the University of North Carolina.
Rowell received his Bachelors and Doctor of Pharmacy Degrees from the University of Georgia. He also completed a two-year specialty residency and Master's degree program in Health System Pharmacy Administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. After his residency training, Rowell worked as Associate Director of Pharmacy at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Rowell's areas of practice interest include transitions of care, medication policy, pharmacy clinical practice models, performance improvement, health care finance, and promoting the growth of the pharmacy profession through pharmacy residency programs. As the UNC Health Care System Vice President for Pharmacy, Rowell is now focused on enhancing pharmacy services across the health system to benefit patient care. This includes work with population health, ambulatory services, and transitional patient care services to reduce readmissions and ensure optimal patient care outcomes. His other work has included the development of a centralized Shared Services Center to help support the strategic pharmacy initiatives of the UNC Health Care System. Through his leadership, the UNC Hospitals Department of Pharmacy has developed one of the largest single site pharmacy residency programs in the nation with 37 residents. In addition, his department has received the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists "Best Practices Award" for the past six years (2011-2016). View Rowell's Acceptance SpeechArlene is currently Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Advocate Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, WI.
View Arlene's Acceptance SpeechSteve Rough is Director of Pharmacy at UW Health and Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin (UW) School of Pharmacy in Madison, Wisconsin. Steve is also Program Director for the Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency and Masters Program at UW Hospital. Steve received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from UW Madison in 1991 and 1994 respectively, and completed residency training in Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacy Administration at UW Hospital in 1994.
Following residency training, Steve worked for five years at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in the Chicago area, in the capacities of Assistant Director of Pharmacy and Director of Alternate Site Pharmacy Services. In 1999 he returned to Madison as an Assistant Director of Pharmacy at UW Hospital and became Director of Pharmacy at UW Hospital in 2003. Steve has implemented progressive pharmacy services in many settings. He has contributed several textbook chapters and papers in the pharmacy literature on a variety of management and leadership-related topics, and has been an invited lecturer for state and national audiences on these topics. Steve completed a four-year term as Treasurer of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) and has served on PSW's Board of Directors for six years. He has served the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) in a variety of capacities, including Chair, Section of Pharmacy Practice Managers; Chair, Council on Pharmacy Management; and Member, House of Delegates. In 2010, Steve was the recipient of the ASHP Section of Practice Manager’s Distinguished Service Award, and in 2015 he completed a three-year elected term on the ASHP Board of Directors. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the University Health System Consortium (UHC) Pharmacy Council Executive Committee, which leads collaborative efforts to foster pharmacy advancement and innovation across the nation's 95 academic medical centers. Steve’s practice interests include pharmacy administration, leadership development, financial management and expansion of the pharmacy enterprise. Steve was raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He is an avid Badger and Packer fan. He lives in Madison and has three children: Taylor (born in 2000), Alex (born in 2003) and Ella (born in 2005). View Steve's Acceptance SpeechAs the founding Director of the Center for Clinical Knowledge Management (CCKM), Lee Vermeulen leads a large team of analysts charged with evaluating and organizing biomedical evidence to drive clinical decisions that promote efficiency, consistency, and quality throughout UW Health (an integrated health network comprised of the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, the UW Medical Foundation and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health).
His unit is also responsible for medical technology assessment and coordinates vendor relations for the UW Health system. Mr. Vermeulen received a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from the University of Buffalo, and a master's in pharmacy administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He completed residency training in pharmacy practice and pharmacy administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, and served a fellowship in medical technology assessment at the University Healthsystem Consortium. Mr. Vermeulen conducts health services research with a focus on studies that measure the value of clinical practice tools that improve patient outcomes, and the efficient application of health care technology. His research also evaluates technology development and diffusion, and he publishes annual forecasts of the medication development pipeline and forecasts of the rising cost of medications. His previous scholarly work has focused on measuring the impact of various health system medication use policies and programs. Mr. Vermeulen is active in several professional organizations, including the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. He has a significant interest in global health, and he is very active in the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), currently serving as the Secretary of the FIP Hospital Pharmacy Section.Al holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Hospital Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin. He completed a ASHP Residency at University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. His profession accomplishments include:
- Project Specialist, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics
- Assistant Director and Director of Pharmacy, Oakwood Hospital, Dearborn, Michigan
- Director of Pharmacy and V.P. of Quality, Wheaton Franciscan St. Joseph's, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Senior Pharmacy Operations Director, Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Tom is currently Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Services at Aurora Health Care, with strategic, operational and financial responsibility for pharmacy services at 15 hospitals, one hospice and 71 retail pharmacies.
Tom earned a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and a Master of Science in Hospital Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin. He has completed a two-year residency in Health System Pharmacy Administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics. Following his residency, Tom took a supervisor position at the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinics (UMHC) and subsequently was promoted to Assistant Director and Associate Director. During his nine years at UMHC, Tom also held a faculty position at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. In 1995, Tom became the Director of Pharmacy at St. Luke's Medical Center (Aurora Health Care) in Milwaukee. Within two years, Tom assumed responsibility for the Department of Pharmacy Services, Metro Region, at Aurora. In 2008, Tom was promoted to Vice President of Pharmacy Services and assumed responsibility for all of the hospital pharmacy services across Aurora. In March of 2012, Tom was promoted to Senior Vice President. In January of 2013 Tom added responsibility for Aurora Pharmacy, Inc., a chain of 71 retail pharmacies within Aurora Health Care. Tom has always been active in state and national pharmacy organizations, including ASHP, PSW, MSHP, Premier and Apexus. Tom currently serves as a surveyor for ASHP residency accreditation teams, as Chair of the ASHP Section Advisory Group on Multi-Hospital and Health System Pharmacy Executives, and as member of the Board of Advisors of Apexus (340B Prime vendor program). Tom has contributed dozens of publications and presentations on topics pertaining to efficiency and effectiveness of pharmacy services. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists, a recipient of the Winston J. Durant Lecture Award, the 2007 ASHP Best Practices Award winner, and is a past recipient of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin Pharmacist of the Year. View Tom's Acceptance SpeechMichael Rubino, Director of Pharmacy Services, Hartford Hospital, has a broad range of experience in pharmacy administration, operations, clinical services and teaching, with more than 25 years of health system pharmacy leadership in academic and community hospitals.
Executive health-system pharmacy management positions include Director of Pharmacy for a large teaching hospital, a mid-size medical center, and a university hospital, and residency preceptorship and academic appointment at the level of associate clinical professor. After earning his bachelor's degree in pharmacy at the University of Connecticut, Mr. Rubino completed two American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited residencies and a master's degree in hospital pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a Fellow of the Leonard Davis Healthcare Institute, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a Fellow of the ASHP. View Michael's Acceptance SpeechConnie R. Peterson, RPh, MS, has served the Pharmacy Department at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics for 35 years.
Her roles have included:- Manager, Pharmacy Revenue Cycle and Reimbursement
- Assistant Director, Ambulatory Pharmacy Services, Financial Management, Reimbursement
- Assistant Director of Pharmacy Services, Ambulatory and Special Services
- Supervisor, Outpatient Pharmacy, UW Hospital and Clinics
Stan is Assistant Vice President for Pharmacy Services at NorthShore University Health System based in Evanston, Illinois. He oversees all aspects of medication use in this four-hospital system. He is also the program director of the PGY2 health system pharmacy administration residency.
He received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Science in Hospital Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin. He also completed a residency in hospital pharmacy administration at the University of Wisconsin Hospital. Stan has been active in state health-system pharmacy organizations, including service as past-president of the Wisconsin Society of Health System Pharmacists (now PSW). He received the Illinois Council of Health System Pharmacists Pharmacist of the Year Award. He has also been active in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). His service to that organization has included membership on the Council on Legal and Public Affairs, the Commission on Credentialing, the Board of Directors, as a faculty member for the ASHP Leadership Academy, a Fellow of ASHP, and he served as ASHP president from 2011-2012. His practice interests include use-of-technology to improve medication use, residency training, and leadership development. View Stan's Acceptance SpeechDoris Fishman earned her Bachelor of Science with honors in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut and Master of Science in hospital pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. Following her residency training, she served as Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy on graduate and undergraduate faculty at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. During her tenure there, she maintained a practice site along with her undergraduate experiential site at Ben Taub Hospital in Houston.
At Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, she held positions as Assistant and Associate Director of Pharmacy Services and Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services. She implemented and directed clinical pharmacy services, education and research in this 600-bed community hospital. Her next position was as Assistant Director, Pharmacy Services, at Hermann Hospital in Houston. She was esponsible for clinical services including the Drug Information Center, drug research coordination, quality assurance, and sterile products. At this 900-bed teaching hospital, she completed her tenure as Acting Associate Administrative Director of Pharmacy Services, where she managed an operating budget of $11 million, prepared and monitored an annual budget of more than $42 million and directed more than 100 professional and technical staff. Ms. Fishman held two sequential positions at Owen Healthcare - Clinical Manager at Southern Baptist Hospital in New Orleans, where she was responsible for managing clinical pharmacy services, education, and quality assurance in a 353-bed community hospital. She was also Medical Information Specialist in the corporate offices in Houston, where she provided medical information to more than 250 client hospitals in 40 states, developed written and verbal responses to medical information inquiries, prepared communication documents including new drug summaries, position papers, and protocols/guidelines, which promoted cost-effective therapeutic decisions and met JCAHO/regulatory requirements in client institutions. From Owen Healthcare, she assumed her position as Network Clinical Coordinator at Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas. Here she directed the implementation and oversight of clinical pharmacy programs at Seton Network facilities, where she merged three P&T Committees into one Network P&T Committee for adult care. She then assumed a series of positions of increasing responsibility at Medco Health in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, beginning as Director, Clinical Therapeutics and ending as Vice President, Clinical Practices and Therapeutics. In the latest position, she managed the clinical elements of drug information and programs involving individual prescription drug benefit coverage decisions, therapeutic interchange and the Corporate Library and Information Center. She directed a staff of more than 40 and served as program Director for Medco’s Managed Care Pharmacy Practice Residency, accredited by ASHP-AMCP. She provided support/guidance for legal counsel, lobbyists, client NCQA/URAC accreditation requirements and ensured Medco’s achievement and retention of URAC PBM accreditation. Ms. Fishman was accepted into and successfully completed the AMCP/University of Southern California Management Development Program in Healthcare in 1999. She also was accepted into and successfully completed the Medco Diversity Mentoring Program in 2005. She was the recipient of the Medco Health Leadership Award in 2002. In 2008, she was the recipient of the Chairman’s Award for Excellence in Leadership: Business with Integrity from Medco Health. She was the 2012 recipient of the Louis P Jeffrey Award in recognition and appreciation for sustained leadership in the training of pharmacy residents by the Eastern States Conference for Pharmacy Residents and Preceptors.Art completed his Bachelor of Science degree in 1973 and the MS/Residency at University of Wisconsin and UW Hospital in 1975.
He initiated ambulatory pharmacy services at William S. Middleton VA Hospital in Madison after completing the MS/Residency and was one of the first pharmacy practitioners in ambulatory care in the VA health care system. Art has been an ambulatory pharmacy practitioner for 40 years and currently practices in Hypertension, Rheumatology and Diabetes clinics at the William S. Middleton VA Hospital. He is the Residency Director for a PGY1 Residency with ambulatory care focus, a PGY1 General Practice Residency and PGY2 Specialty Residency in Ambulatory Care. The Ambulatory Care residency was one of the first to be accredited by ASHP in this specialty in 1984. To date, 171 residents have completed the program. He is also a Clinical Professor with the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. Art has published numerous papers and wrote the Rheumatoid Arthritis chapter for all 10 editions of DiPiro's Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach. He was on the Commission on Credentialing for ASHP in 1990-93, has served on editorial boards for "Am Journ Health-Systems Pharmacy" and "ASHP Drug Info Link." He is currently a member of the Musculoskeletal Committee for the National Quality Forum. Art assisted ASHP in development of residency standards for Ambulatory Care residency and in developing the petition to the Board of Pharmacy Specialties to recognize and certify ambulatory care pharmacy specialists. He was awarded the Pharmacy Residency Excellence Preceptor Award in 2007, which was the second year in which this award was given by ASHP Foundation. View Art's Acceptance SpeechRonald Sorkness was born September 16, 1949 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He received he Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin in 1972. He further went on to earn a Master of Science in Hospital Pharmacy (clinical option) and complete a two-year ASHP residency program at the University of Wisconsin Hospital.
After residency Sorkness became an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy at State University of New York at Buffalo and E.J. Meyer Memorial Hospital in Buffalo, New York. He then went back to Wisconsin and became a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy and the Center for Trauma and Life Support at University of Wisconsin Hospitals. Sorkness continued to escalate his academic accolades, earning a PhD in physiology with post-doctoral fellowship in allergy and clinical immunology, all at the University of Wisconsin. Sorkness continued in numerous different teaching roles at the University of Wisconsin within pharmacy and medicine before he landed in his current roles of Professor of Pharmacy, Medicine, and Pediatrics, Pharmacy Practice Division, School of Pharmacy and Allergy, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, and School of Medicine and Public Health, all at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is also a lead investigator in the Morris Institute for Respiratory Research at the University of Wisconsin. Beyond academia, Sorkness is involved in many professional organizations, including the American Thoracic Society, American Physiological Society, Society of Critical Care Medicine, European Respiratory Society, American Society of Health System Pharmacists, and Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin. His awards and honors are numerous, but most notably include the Faculty Advisor Award and Teacher of the Year award at UW School of Pharmacy. View Ron's Acceptance SpeechRuss is a 1970 graduate of the University of Wisconsin and interned at Busse Pharmacy in Watertown, Wisconsin. He completed a two-year Master’s program and residency at the UW School of Pharmacy and UW Hospital.
He served for two years in the U.S. Public Health Service, Indian Health, in Pine Ridge South Dakota and was the Assistant Director of Pharmacy at the Albert B. Chandler Medical Center at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He was Director of Pharmacy at St. Mary’s Hospital for 35 years and served as Director of Pharmacy for Dean Medical Center for 15 years, along with the position at St. Mary’s. He retired in May of 2013. Russ was active as a clinical instructor for UW students and a preceptor for residents at St. Mary’s. He was active in professional organizations serving in a number of roles, including President of the Kentucky Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Wisconsin Society of Hospital Pharmacists, and the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW). Additionally, he served as Treasurer for the PAA and PSW. Awards include the Bowel of Hygeia (2013), Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin Distinguished Service Award (2010), and the University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy Citation Award (2005). View Russell's Acceptance SpeechMichael Flagstad, entrepreneur extraordinaire, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy and received a Master of Science degree in hospital pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin. He then completed a two-year residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics.
Mike's career involved 50 years of administrative, faculty and clinical practice experience in hospitals and academic medical centers. At the University of Florida he held pharmacy faculty appointments and served as associate director of pharmacy at Shands Hospital. He also held pharmacy faculty positions at Purdue University and Drake University. He was clinical coordinator at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, and worked as a clinical pharmacist at Mercy Hospital Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Mike also was the senior vice president and chief clinical officer for Express Scripts/ValueRx and served as a long-time member of the ASHP Foundation's Board of Directors. He was the author and co-author of more than 40 publications and presented at more than 200 professional conference workshops, seminars, and invited presentations. He was awarded the 2000 Winston J. Durant Lectureship Award and was an Honorary Fellow at the Center for Health-System Research and Analysis at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. At the time Mike passed away, he was the chief executive officer of a Minneapolis-based consulting practice called Visante, Inc. Mike served as an active member of ASHP and was selected for the ASHP Foundation Board of Directors in 2008, where he served three consecutive two-year terms. Mike had passion for the Foundation's work. He was instrumental in establishing the David A. Zilz Leaders for the Future Fund to enable the significant expansion of the Foundation's leadership programs. He offered wise counsel to the ASHP Foundation staff team and led passionately around the board table. Steve Rough described Mike as "a great friend and colleague who would do anything to help others. He was loyal as they come to our profession, to the UW residency program, to the Badgers, and to the UW School of Pharmacy, and he exemplified the meaning of servant leadership. Mike was a family man, a devout father and grandfather, an entrepreneur, a mentor to many, and the consummate ambassador of our program. He was always the first to volunteer to lift a hand to help organize and lead just about anything, to provide leadership to his alma matter and to professional organizations, and he was as proud as one could be to wave the Wisconsin flag at every occasion. He never asked for anything in return for helping others. He simply liked to be around people and to make a difference. He was beloved by many." View Mike's Acceptance SpeechMr. Angaran began his pharmacy career as a U.S. Air Force pharmacy technician in 1962. He received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Drake in 1968 and Master of Science in hospital pharmacy and residency from the University of Wisconsin in 1970.
As a critical care clinical practitioner educator he served as pharmacy faculty at the University of Wisconsin (1970-76), of Minnesota (1976-1990) and of Florida (1990-95,) where he was Professor and Chair, Pharmacy Practice Department. He was elected to the ASHP board of directors in 1988. Mr. Angaran left academia to pursue his interests in delivery of pharmacy care at a distance, working for Medco Health Solutions, an e-pharmacy startup, and a specialty pharmacy, Chronimed, Inc. In, 1998, he completed a one-year, ASHP-managed care residency investigating telemedicine and telepharmacy. He returned to the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 2004 in the Office of Experiential Programs. Most recently he was responsible for a $2.5-million contract to establish a medication therapy management call center in the College of Pharmacy. Mr. Angaran has contributed to the pharmacy literature through research publications, reviews and reflective writings about the life of a clinical practitioner. He most recent awards were the 2006 ASHP Award for Distinguished Leadership in Health Systems Pharmacy and the 2012 Innovative Practice Award from the Florida Pharmacy Association. He is co-editor of Medication Therapy Management: A Comprehensive Approach. View David's Acceptance SpeechPositions Held
- 1970-1972: Chief Pharmacist, Pine Ridge Indian Hospital, US Public Health Service, Pine Ridge, South Dakota
- 1972- 1976: Clinical Pharmacist, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut and Clinical Professor, University of Connecticut
- 1973-1976: Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut
- 1976–1987: Director of Pharmacy Services, United and Children's Hospitals, St. Paul, Minnesota and Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- 1985-1986: Assistant VP, United Hospitals, St. Paul, Minnesota
- 1986-1987: VP, AMMA Minnesota, a material management company of HealthOne, St. Paul, Minnesota
- 1987-1993: VP of Pharmacy, American Healthcare Systems (AmHS), San Diego, California
- 1993-1994: Sr. Director, Fujisawa USA, Deerfield, Illinois
- 1994-2001: VP of Strategic Contracting, PCS Health Systems (last year as AdvancePCS), Scottsdale, Arizona
- 2001-2008: VP of Business Development; Bioenergy, Inc.
- 2010–2012: Consulting Manager, Huron Consulting Group, Chicago, Illinois
- 1979-1981: President Elect, President, Immediate Past President, Central Minnesota Society of Hospital Pharmacists
- 1983-1985: President-elect, President, Immediate Past President, MSHP
- Married to Sara since 1980
- Three children: Meta, Gabe and Bror
- Four grandchildren: Jasper, Solveig, Tove, Anders
Mr. Thielke is currently Emeritus Clinical Professor and Associate Director, Office of Global Health, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. Prior to that, he was Vice President, Professional and Support Services, at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics. Prior to this position he was Director of Pharmacy for 20 years at UW Hospital.
Mr. Thielke has held several state and national offices in pharmacy. He chaired the One Voice/One Vision Steering Committee that formed the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) and served as the first Chairman of the Board of this new organization. He is Past President of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and Past Chairman of the ASHP House of Delegates. Mr. Thielke was named a Fellow of the ASHP in June 1993. He was named Hospital Pharmacist of the Year in Wisconsin in 1978 and 1998. He was the Harvey A.K. Whitney Award recipient in 2005 and received the Donald E. Franke Medal for Outstanding Service to International Pharmacy in 2006. In 2008 he received the John W. Webb award for sustained excellence in pharmacy leadership. Mr. Thielke has a great interest in the role of pharmacy worldwide and has served two terms as Vice President, one term as President, and one term as Past President of the Hospital Pharmacists Section of the Federation of International Pharmacists (FIP). He was named a Fellow of FIP in 2010 for sustained contributions to FIP. Mr. Thielke received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from the University of Wisconsin, where he also completed an ASHP-accredited residency. View TT's Acceptance SpeechDavid Zilz is a Senior Consultant, Corporate Pharmacy Programs, UW Health Systems and Hospital and Clinics, and Clinical Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy. He maintains an active independent consulting practice.
His professional career at UW Hospital and Clinics was devoted to identifying and implementing innovative contemporary pharmacy practices services, training of pharmacy residents, and developing new hospital administrative services. In addition to serving as the Director of Pharmacy Services for more than two decades, he was involved in other hospital administrative responsibilities, including Central Services, Materials Management and Respiratory Care/Pulmonary Function. He was instrumental in establishing a number of key hospital programs, including home care and infusion services, a UW Hospital and Clinics technology identification and assessment organization, and the Office of Clinical Research for the University of Wisconsin Medical School capacity. His organization and association leadership roles included:- Two three-year terms as Treasurer of ASHP
- Chair of Novation Pharmacy Executive Committee
- Member of Steering Committee of Pharmacy Executive Committee, University Health Systems Consortium
- Coordinator of programs for the Directors of Pharmacy of the Wisconsin HMO Association
- Chair, Wisconsin Pharmacy Forum (triad of PSW, UW School of Pharmacy, State Examining Board)
- Board of Visitors, UW School of Pharmacy