University of Arizona College of Pharmacy salutes alumni, Cunningham

Tucson—The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy honored three alumni and a recent member of the governor’s staff during Homecoming celebrations Oct. 24.

Tucsonan George Cunningham received the college’s Findley E. Russell Distinguished Citizen Award, which goes to a non-alumnus who has helped to further the mission of the college. A former UA administrator and state legislator, Cunningham retired in July 2008 from his position as Gov. Janet Napolitano’s deputy chief of staff for finance and budget. He was recognized for his longstanding support of the college, including helping build college facilities and backing the college’s expansion to the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

Alumni Carl Trinca and Hal Wand each received the Jack R. Cole Distinguished Alumnus Award.

Trinca, now a financial consultant, was the first clinical faculty member hired by the College of Pharmacy and the first head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science. A past Arizona Pharmacist of the Year, he held multiple leadership positions in the college and nationally in the profession and administrative positions at Western University of Health Sciences in Los Angeles. He graduated from UA with a bachelor of pharmacy in 1970, and a master’s of science in pharmacy in 1974.

Wand is the executive director of the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy and a volunteer faculty member in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science. He is being honored for his statewide leadership in professional and regulatory affairs, and for his many years of representing the College of Pharmacy on the national board of the UA Alumni Association. Wand graduated from UA with a bachelor of science in pharmacy in 1979.

Alumnus and instructor David Lee received the Danny and Rae Jacob Award for Pharmacy Practice, established to recognize an outstanding pharmacy practitioner affiliated with the college. Lee teaches pharmaceutical calculations and pharmacy practice lab and lecture to first-year pharmacy students, practices at University Medical Center and Kindred Hospital, is faculty advisor to the Phi Delta Chi fraternity, and has supported the MedCamp, MedStart and PharmCamp academic outreach programs.

Released Oct. 30, 2008