National Pharmacist of the Year
Throughout his career, Thomas Marks R.Ph. and Martin Avenue Pharmacy have won their share of awards, but to be named National Pharmacist Of The Year by the Professional Compounding Centers of America is truly an honor.
Local Pharmacist Named 2003 National Pharmacist Of The Year
(Naperville): In a January 15th ceremony in Houston Texas, Thomas Marks, R.Ph. and founder of Martin Avenue Pharmacy in Naperville, was named 2003 National Pharmacist of the Year by the Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA).
Founded in 1981, PCCA today has more than 3,000 pharmacist members located throughout the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe and New Zealand. The organization is dedicated to the advancement of the art and science of compounding and the strength of the independent pharmacist.
The National Pharmacist of the Year award is given annually to one Pharmacist based on the following criteria. First and foremost, a Pharmacist of the Year is an ambassador for the independent compounding pharmacist. To accomplish this, he / she:
- Practices pharmacy compounding with the utmost in safety and quality standards
- Gives of his / her time and technical know-how to all PCCA compounding pharmacists
- Attends both International and Regional Seminars
- Attempts to meet all the compounding needs in their community and is not a single-therapy specialist
- Demonstrates the highest ethical and professional standards
- Has contributed in an innovation that has significantly benefited the compounding profession
- Is successful but necessarily “huge”
- Has a giving spirit
Thomas Marks R.Ph. received his pharmaceutical degree from the University of Illinois in 1971 and since then has become a legendary figure within the pharmaceutical community. Some of Marks’ most notable awards include being named PCCA pharmacist of the month in September of 1998 and in January of 2000 becoming just the 72nd pharmacist to become initiated as a Full Fellow in the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists.
Marks continues his innovative work at Martin Avenue Pharmacy under the belief that a community pharmacy could provide state-of-the-art care while maintaining the personal attention and trust often lacking in larger scale corporate drugstores. Although times have changed and Martin Avenue Pharmacy has experienced unprecedented growth the ideal of Marks’ vision still holds true today.
Contacts: Matthew Marks
Marketing Director of Martin Avenue Pharmacy, Inc.
10 West Martin Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540
Phone: 630-355-6400 ext. 21#
Fax: 630-355-6522
Website: www.martinavenue.com
PHARMACIST OF THE YEAR SPEECH
For more than 40 years, Dr. M. George Webber dedicated himself to pharmacy, impacting thousands of patients’ and pharmacists’ lives with his compassion and knowledge of compounding. The individual who receives PCCA’s Pharmacist of the Year award, named in honor of Dr. Webber, epitomizes his commitment to meeting patient needs and upholding the highest quality and ethical standards in pharmacy compounding.
For 2003, we are very pleased to recognize a pharmacist who has become one of our profession’s best ambassadors. He is known for his constant willingness to network and share with fellow compounders, and for his tireless commitment to protecting and advancing your right to compound. Tonight, I have the pleasure of introducing PCCA’s 2003 Pharmacist of the Year — Tom Marks of Martin Avenue Pharmacy.
As we honor Tom this evening, we’re proud to have several of his colleagues here to offer in their own words what his friendship has meant to them.
LIST OF PAST “PHARMACIST OF THE YEAR” WINNERS
Charlie Armstrong, R.Ph. 1987 Robert Boudreaux, R.Ph. 1996
Newton King, R.Ph. 1988 Jerry Boudreaux, R.Ph. 1996
Mark Binkley, D.Ph. 1989 Robert Horwitz, Pharm. D. 1997
Bruce Ruckenbrod, R.Ph. 1990 Dick Holm, R.Ph. 1998
Gary Lee, R.Ph. 1991 Peter Ford, B.Sc.Pharm. 1999
Bob Scarbrough, R.Ph. 1992 John Preckshot, R.Ph. 2000
Marty Jones, R.Ph. 1993 Joe Wise, Jr., R.Ph. 2001
George Roentsch, R.Ph. 1994 Eric Everett, RPh 2002
Evelyn Timmons, R.Ph. 1995 Tom Marks, RPh 2003
For more than 40 years, the late Dr. M. George Webber dedicated himself to pharmacy, impacting thousands of patients’ and pharmacists’ lives with his compassion and knowledge of compounding. Dr. Webber was very instrumental in PCCA’s development, helping to form our Consulting Department which was renamed in his honor, along with the Pharmacist of the Year award.
The pharmacist who receives this award epitomizes Dr. Webber’s commitment to meeting patient needs and upholding the highest quality and ethical standards in pharmacy compounding.
PCCA Names Thomas Marks, RPh, FIACP, Pharmacist of the Year
HOUSTON (January 30, 2004): Professional Compounding Centers of America (PCCA), has named Thomas Marks, RPh, FIACP, Martin Avenue Pharmacy in Naperville, Ill., as its M. George Webber Compounding Pharmacist of the Year, an award which is presented annually to an independent pharmacist who has demonstrated service excellence to patients, healthcare providers and pharmacy colleagues. Compounding is the pharmacy method of preparing customized medications to meet each prescriber’s and patient’s unique needs. The late Dr. Webber, for the whom the award is named, was a long-time professor with the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, and was instrumental in the formation of PCCA in 1981.
L. David Sparks, PCCA’s president/CEO, presented the award to Marks during the company’s International Seminar held in Houston. “Tom has helped to continue a legacy of compounding pharmacy, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to patients and the highest in quality and ethical standards throughout his pharmacy career.”
Marks is chief pharmacist and president of Martin Avenue Pharmacy in Naperville, Ill., a community pharmacy he has owned since April 1973. He is a 1971 graduate from the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy in Chicago, Ill., with a bachelor’s of science degree in pharmacy. During his career, he has won several awards including: the Innovative Pharmacy of the Year 2000 presented by the Illinois Pharmacists Association; and the Pharmacy Patron award by the Illinois Pharmacy Foundation. In addition, he is a Full Fellow of the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists and an Elected Fellow of the American College of Apothecaries. Marks is a member of organizations including the American Pharmaceutical Association, National Community Pharmacists Association, Illinois Pharmacists Association, and Du Page County Pharmaceutical Association.
Serving independent, community pharmacists since 1981, Houston, Texas-headquartered PCCA provides the bulk pharmaceuticals, equipment, devices, Accreditation Council on Pharmaceutical Education-accredited training courses and seminars, and technical consulting assistance necessary to allow compounding pharmacists the ability to compound unique dosage forms according to the patient’s individualized medication needs and the physician’s prescription. PCCA currently has more than 3,000 pharmacist members throughout the United States, Canada and Australia.