ASHP Announces 2024 Award Recipients

Board of Directors Awards Honor Practice Excellence, Outstanding Contributions to Healthcare

ASHP is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2024 Board of Directors awards. The following awards will be presented this year during ceremonies at ASHP’s national meetings:

• Honorary Membership (ASHP Pharmacy Futures, June 2024)
  The ASHP Board of Directors’ Honorary Membership Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to pharmacy practice. Honorary members are elected for life by unanimous vote of the ASHP Board of Directors.

Recipients:
Max (Mick) L. Hunt Jr., BS, MS, MBA, FASHP, Associate Professor Emeritus, Northeast Ohio Medical University; Director of Pharmacy (ret.), University of Kentucky Hospital and Assistant Dean (ret.), UK College of Pharmacy, Lexington, Ky.
Mr. Hunt is a distinguished pharmacy leader, administrator, and educator. His contributions to pharmacy practice, strategic leadership, and volunteer service to ASHP and the ASHP Foundation have been instrumental in advancing the profession and elevating the role of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Billy W. Woodward, BSPharm, RPh, FASHP, Clinical Associate Professor, University of Texas at Austin and Corporate Director of Pharmacy (ret.), Scott & White Health System, Temple, Texas
Mr. Woodward is an accomplished and esteemed leader and educator. A pioneer in pharmacy management, his countless contributions to the profession have been instrumental to advancing health-system pharmacy practice both nationally and Internationally.

• Award of Excellence (ASHP Pharmacy Futures, June 2024)
  The ASHP Award of Excellence recognizes a recent, singular, nationally significant achievement or contribution that has advanced the ability of pharmacists to serve the needs of patients.

Recipient:
Kevin B. Sneed, PharmD, FNAP, FNPhA, Professor and Founding Dean, University of South Florida (USF) Health Taneja College of Pharmacy and Senior Associate Vice President, USF Health, Tampa, Fla.
Recognized as a leading pharmacist voice during the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Sneed worked tirelessly to address patient concerns, combat misinformation, and overcome vaccine hesitancy, particularly within the African-American community. His leadership and vision during the global public health crisis allowed clinicians to meet evolving community needs and equipped patients to make informed health decisions.

• Award of Honor (59th Midyear Clinical Meeting, December 2024)
  The ASHP Board of Directors’ Award of Honor recognizes individuals outside the pharmacy discipline who have made extraordinary national or worldwide contributions to the health field.

Recipient:
Richard J. Pollack, President and CEO, American Hospital Association, Washington, DC
Mr. Pollack is a distinguished national leader and valuable ASHP collaborator who exemplifies effective advocacy and leadership on behalf of our nation’s hospitals, the patients and communities they serve, and the healthcare professionals those organizations support. His foresight, influence, and wisdom have been instrumental in guiding efforts to improve quality and patient safety, eliminate disparities in care, and promote diversity in healthcare.

• Distinguished Leadership Award (59th Midyear Clinical Meeting, December 2024)
  The ASHP Board of Directors’ Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes contributions to excellence in pharmacy practice leadership in acute and ambulatory care settings.

Recipients:
Bruce Canaday, PharmD, FASHP, FAPhA, Dean Emeritus, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, Mo.
Dr. Canaday is an esteemed leader, educator, and staunch advocate for the pharmacy profession. A respected colleague and mentor, his strategic leadership and vision for pharmacists practicing at the full extent of their education and training helped advance pharmacy practice and ushered meaningful improvements in patient care, development of enhanced delivery models, and expansion of the pharmacist’s role in the interprofessional healthcare team.

William L. Greene, PharmD, FASHP, FCCP, BCPS, Member and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (ret.), Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Professor, Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Translational Science, University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy, Memphis, Tenn.
Dr. Greene is a respected leader, educator, mentor, and advocate. A longtime preceptor and champion for post-graduate residency training, his contributions throughout his career have shaped and transformed the profession in countless ways and continue to positively influence and guide future generations of pharmacy practitioners.

• Donald E. Francke Medal (59th Midyear Clinical Meeting, December 2024)
  The ASHP Board of Directors’ Donald E. Francke Medal honors pharmacists who have made significant international contributions to advance pharmacy practice.

Recipient:
Rosalyn Cain King, PharmD, BSPharm, MPH, FNPhA, Program Founder and Manager, Office of International Programs (ret.), Howard University Continuing Education and Director, Pharmaceutical Care and Continuing Education (PACE) Center (ret.), Howard University, Washington, DC
Dr. King is a trailblazer within the pharmacy profession. A leader in global pharmacy for over 50 years, she has devoted her career to finding unique ways to leverage pharmacists’ expertise within the healthcare team to address pharmacy and public health needs in underserved populations throughout the United States and internationally.

• Pharmacy Champion Award (59th Midyear Clinical Meeting, December 2024)
  The ASHP Board of Directors Pharmacy Champion Award recognizes leadership in advocacy and public policy that contributes to significant improvements in patient care, drug safety, medication-use outcomes, and advances the vital roles pharmacists play as patient care providers.

Recipients:
Magdi H. Awad, PharmD, MSA, RPh, Director of Pharmacy, AxessPointe Community Health Center and Associate Professor, Pharmacy Practice, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio
Dr. Awad is a staunch advocate for the expansion of clinical pharmacy services, reimbursement for pharmacist-provided patient care, and provider status for pharmacists. He has avidly worked throughout his career to integrate pharmacists into sustainable care models to reduce barriers to access, improve patient outcomes, and advance pharmacy practice. He regularly shares his vast knowledge and experience with others to expand the reach of these critical services.

Dele Solaru, PharmD, MBA, Chief Pharmacy Officer, U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC
Dr. Solaru’s vision, leadership, and influence were essential in establishing pharmacist provider status under the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. The decision to require reimbursement for pharmacists’ services by insurance carriers builds upon ASHP’s advocacy to expand pharmacist recognition as clinical care providers by Medicare, commercial health plans, and state Medicaid programs and expands access to essential clinical services for millions of patients.

• Pharmacy Technician Excellence Award (59th Midyear Clinical Meeting, December 2024)
  The ASHP Board of Directors Pharmacy Technician Excellence Award recognizes contributions to excellence in the role of pharmacy technicians, advancement of the pharmacy technician workforce, and advancement of pharmacy practice.

Recipients:
Chelsea D. Jones, RN, CPhT, CSPT, Pharmacy Training Program Manager, University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio
Ms. Jones is an exemplary pharmacy technician, educator, and leader dedicated to elevating and expanding the role of pharmacy technicians. Most recently, she spearheaded a system wide, tuition-free pharmacy technician training program that cultivates an empowered pharmacy technician workforce armed with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to confidently take on new and existing challenges and advance the profession.

Hope Ballard Presley, CPhT, Former Program Director, Technician Education and Training, Fortis Colleges and Institutes, Instructor, ASU-Beebe Campus Pharmacy Technician Program, and Pharmacy Technician, Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Cookeville, Tenn.
Ms. Presley is a respected pharmacy technician, educator, and leader. A tireless advocate for technician excellence, her vision and commitment to developing a highly skilled pharmacy technician workforce continues to enhance the professionalization of pharmacy technicians, elevate their role within the pharmacy team, and advance the pharmacy profession.