Business team takes second

Beating out 27 other college of pharmacy teams, UA COP students took second place in the national Pruitt-Schutte Business Plan Competition. The team, which competed in New Orleans over the weekend, earned $2,000 for the UA chapter of the National Community Pharmacists Association, and $2,000 for the college.

The group was made up of second-year PharmD students Ashley Sweaney, Benjamin Guthrie, Rachael Mead and Kara Herko. Together, they presented the plan they developed in “Concepts in Pharmacy Business: Entrepreneurship,” taught by Rebecca Jackowski, clinical assistant professor. Their audience was made up of four judges and approximately 300 pharmacists and pharmacy students.

The plan they demonstrated was to transform Tom’s Pharmacy in Ajo, Ariz. into a nonprofit organization, reinvesting the money into the community to fund medication management programs, wellness programs and community health fairs.

“We’re very proud and excited to have placed second in the country,” says Sweaney, the team captain. “We hope that our innovative idea of a nonprofit pharmacy will have an influence within our profession.”

This is the second year in a row that the COP team has made it to the top three. Last year, under the direction of Kevin Boesen, clinical assistant professor, the COP team took first place for their plan to buy out Payson Apothecary Pharmacy in Payson, Ariz.

“We are also grateful to Dr. Jackowski and Dr. Boesen for supporting us through the competition,” Sweaney says. “And giving us the opportunity to learn so much about independent pharmacy.”

Boesen also had kind words: “I’m personally very proud of the hard work and professionalism you demonstrated,” he wrote the team. “Again, outstanding work!”

Photo cutline: (from left) Benjamin Guthrie, Ashley Sweaney, Kara Herko and Rachael Mead.

Posted Oct. 22, 2009