The Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) has recognized a distinguished group of Michigan pharmacy professionals with awards acknowledging a range of achievements, innovations and leadership. Awards were presented at the MPA Annual Convention & Exposition, held annually the last weekend in February. [This article was originally published by the MPA.]

Paul C. Walker, Pharm.D., FASHP, of Belleville, received the prestigious Pharmacist of the Year Award, presented annually to an MPA member as the highest honor in Michigan pharmacy. Walker is a clinical professor and assistant dean of experiential education and community engagement at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy and manager of the Department of Pharmacy at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor. He has served in clinical practice and leadership roles at the Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System. Walker received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy from Wayne State University. He served a three-year term on the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Board of Directors and is currently president-elect of the organization. In addition to his extensive ASHP service, Walker has been active in leadership positions in MPA and the Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists (MSHP). He has received the MSHP Professional Practice Award, the MSHP Pharmacist of the Year Award and the MSHP Joseph A. Oddis Leadership Award. He has been inducted into the MPA Hall of Honor and is recognized as a Fellow of both ASHP and MPA. Walker has over 70 publications, including 40 peer-reviewed articles and 14 book chapters. He has been a member of MPA since 1996.

Richard Lucarotti, Pharm.D., FASHP, of Beverly Hills, Mich. was recognized as the recipient of the prestigious Bowl of Hygeia Award, presented in cooperation with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA). The Bowl of Hygeia derives its name from the Greek goddess, Hygeia, who was the guardian over the healing potion contained in the bowl. Lucarotti is professor emeritus at the Wayne State University Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Detroit. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Pittsburgh and Doctor of Pharmacy from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He served as director of pharmacy at Beaumont Royal Oak for 25 years, also joining the faculty of Wayne State University 16 years ago where he served as director of experiential education and then associate dean for pharmacy. Lucarotti has precepted 65 pharmacy residents at Beaumont Hospital and served on the ASHP Commission on Credentialing, including two years as chair. Lucarotti is a past president of MSHP and the Southeastern Michigan Society of Health-System Pharmacists. He also served as the executive vice president of MSHP for 26 years. Lucarotti is a recipient of the ASHP Award for Distinguished Leadership in Health-System Pharmacy, MSHP Pharmacist of the Year Award, MSHP Joseph A. Oddis Leadership Award, the Wayne County Pharmacists Association John H. Webster Award, and the University of Pittsburgh Distinguished Alumni Award. He has been a member of MPA since 1980.

Ghada Abdallah, RPh, of Grosse Pointe received the Executive Board Medal Award, which is given annually to an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary personal commitment to MPA. Abdallah is being recognized for her work with the City of Detroit Mayor's Office and Public Health Department. Through her consulting company, she has hired an extensive network of healthcare professionals to assist with the massive vaccination efforts at Detroit's TCF Center. Her efforts resulted in over 300,000 vaccinations and up to 5,000 citizens per day being vaccinated. Throughout her nearly 20 years as a pharmacist and business leader, she has coached and mentored pharmacists on a range of activities. Abdallah earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy and Allied Health from Wayne State University in 2002. She completed a Business Essentials for Executives certificate course from the Wharton School of Business in 2017. She has been an MPA member for more than 20 years.

Maria Young of Canton received the Excellence in Innovation Award, sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. The award is presented annually to an individual or team who has demonstrated an innovative pharmacy practice program, resulting in improved patient care or safety, advancement of the profession, enhanced pharmacy systems or other professional development. Young has contributed significant advancements to the independent pharmacist community since she opened University Pharmacy on the campus of Wayne State University (WSU) in 2008. Her first impact was during the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009 when she partnered with the WSU Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to offer and administer 2,000 H1N1 vaccines in two weeks, helping lay the groundwork for pharmacy's expansive role in the COVID-19 pandemic 10 years later. Young earned her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1996 from St. John's University in Jamaica, NY. In addition to being a pharmacy owner, Young works as a consultant pharmacist for immunization training for all new employees at the TCF Center's COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic in Detroit. She also serves as vice chair on the Michigan Board of Pharmacy and as the Michigan representative on the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Young was selected as a 2020 "Raising the Bar" Detroit Bar Legal Scholar collaborator. She has received APhA's Immunization Champion Award and was nominated a Next Generation Pharmacist and Entrepreneur of the Year by Parata and Pharmacy Times. Young has received the Michigan Society of Community Pharmacists (MSCP) Pharmacist of the Year Award and the Fred W. Arnold Public Relations award from MPA. She served on the MPA Executive Board from 2013-2017 and has been an MPA member since 2008.

Eric Roath, Pharm.D., MBA, of Lansing received the Distinguished New Pharmacist Practitioner Award. Sponsored by Pharmacy Services Inc., it is given to a Michigan pharmacist who has been licensed to practice for less than 10 years. This individual must also be an MPA member who participates in local, state or national pharmacy associations, professional programs and/or community service. Roath demonstrates involvement at every level of professional pharmacy association: locally as a member, executive board member and past president of the Capital Area Pharmacists Association; at MPA as an executive fellow, director of professional practice and executive director of the Michigan Pharmacy Foundation; and nationally as a member of the American Pharmacists Association, serving on numerous committees and task forces. Roath supports pharmacy education as an affiliate preceptor and has helped train countless pharmacists through continuing education programs, as well numerous publications. Roath graduated from Ferris State University with his Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2012 and received his Master of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M Corpus Christi in 2017. He completed his post-graduate year one pharmacy residency at PGPA Pharmacy and was the first practitioner to complete the MPA Executive Fellowship in 2014. He is originally from Iron Mountain, Mich. and has been an MPA member since 2009.

Rony Foumia of Commerce Township received the Fred W. Arnold Public Relations Award. The Award is sponsored by the Michigan Pharmacy Foundation and is presented annually to an MPA member or team of MPA members who have shown outstanding achievement and dedication to the pharmacy profession through community education and awareness. Foumia has been an advocate in combatting the opioid crisis, vaccine hesitancy, and burnout and workplace challenges in pharmacy. Foumia earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 1999 from Wayne State University in Detroit. He works for Ascension Health as the area director for continuity of care in the Michigan market. Foumia was awarded the MSCP Community Pharmacist of the Year Award in 2021 and the Dispensary of Hope Person of the Year for helping those most in need in 2020, along with many other professional awards and distinctions. Foumia has been an MPA member since 2012.

Other MPA Award Winners

Legislators of the Year
Speaker of the House Jason Wentworth (R- Clare)
Rep. Julie Calley (R-Portland)

Hank Fuhs Good Government Award
Deb Sopo of South Lyon
Kathleen Dugan of Traverse City
Drew Manson of Ann Arbor
Katie Bromm of Ann Arbor

Good Public Health Policy Award
Sen. Kevin Daley (R-Attica)
Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington)

Fellow of MPA Award
Michelle Sahr of Rockford

Ernie Koch Striving for Excellence Award
Alison Gravelin, WSU PharmD '16, of Cadillac

Distinguished Local Association Achievement Award
Capital Area Pharmacists Association

Executive Board Service Awards
Charlie Mollien of Hudsonville
Sarah Hill of Fowlerville
Doreen Kern of Traverse City

Outgoing President Award
Heather Christensen of Rockford

Michigan Pharmacy Foundation Scholarships
Maria Gonzalez Chavez of Grand Rapids
Ranem Kishmish of Sterling Heights
Drew Manson of Ann Arbor

Larry Wagenknecht Endowed Scholarship
Kiara Torres Garcia of Gurabo, Puerto Rico

Practice Section Awards

Consultant & Specialty Pharmacists of Michigan (CSPM) Pharmacist of the Year
Sahar Swidan of Saline

Michigan Society of Community Pharmacists (MSCP) Pharmacist of the Year
Sally Ngo of Rockford

Michigan Society of Pharmacy Technicians (MSPT) Pharmacy Technician of the Year
Donna Smith of Howell

MSPT Service Award
Gilbert 'Butch' Bowlby of Traverse City

This article was originally published by the Michigan Pharmacists Association, which strives to serve members by providing support, advocacy and resources that ultimately improve patient care, safety, health and the practice of pharmacy.