ACPHS Alumni News Fall 2015

fa l l 2015 i s s u e

alumni news Pharmacists Who Stepped Outside of Pharmacy also

Tobacco-Free Pharmacies John Denio Tribute Reunion Weekend

A l ban y c ollege of pharmac y and healt h sciences magazine

editor

Megan Davis

writers

John Backman Packy McGraw

photographers

Kris Qua

acphs alumni news f e at u r e s t o r i e s 04 Pharmacists Who Stepped Outside of Pharmacy Serge Shishik ’95 Pharmacist and Entrepreneur of Saratoga Courage Distillery ■ Paul Held ’83 Chemist and

Design

id29

Entrepreneur of Queen City Brewery ■ Alessio Depoli ’04 Pharmacist and Entrepreneur of multiple restaurants in Albany cover story

send story ideas, comments, letters and suggestions to:

Alumni News ACPHS 106 New Scotland Ave Albany, NY 12208 888.203.8010 alumni@acphs.edu www.acphs.edu

10 Alumni features

Sam Berardino '80 Financial planner ■ Jessica Siuta '15 Clinical Laboratory Sciences—senior medical technologist

14 update

a shift toward tobacco-free pharmacies 23 meet the provost A Q&A with Tarun B. Patel, PH.D.

twitter facebook youtube

at a g l a n c e 02 president’s message 16 john denio tribute 18 reunion weekend

20 commencement 22 campus news 26 class notes

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President’s Message

F

ormer Cornell University president Frank Rhodes wrote a book in 2001 about the American higher education system entitled, “The Creation of the Future: The Role of the American University.” In the book, Rhodes says the two key ways colleges and universities create the future is by ( 1 ) Educating students to become the next generation of leaders and ( 2 ) “Discovering” the future through scholarly work that serves as the basis for tomorrow’s world.

In recent years, a third mission has emerged: community engagement.

I am proud to say that ACPHS is doing its part to create the future. In August, the College hosted an International Nanomedicine Symposium that brought together leaders in the field for a series of presentations and workshops exploring the applications of nanotechnology in biomedical research. The Symposium demonstrated how nanotechnology-based discoveries are poised to play a key role in enabling the promise of personalized medicine.

Our new fundraising Campaign is also geared towards creating the future. The idea for the Campaign was born out of conversations with dozens of alumni over the past year, many of whom spoke of the need for students to be “practice ready.”

Currently, our students graduate with the tools to operate in today’s workplace, but we must also ensure they have the flexibility, adaptability, and entrepreneurial spirit to operate in tomorrow’s workplace—whatever form that may take. This idea led to the concept of “Beyond Practice Ready,” and that will be the theme of the Campaign.

Unlike traditional campaigns which may last 5–7 years and contain extensive lists of items, Beyond Practice Ready will be a “mini” campaign.

At $6 million and an expected duration of 12–18 months, the Campaign’s structure is one that allows for objectives to remain fresh and be implemented relatively quickly.

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The centerpiece of the Campaign will be the launch of two student operated neighborhood pharmacies to be located in medically underserved areas of the Capital Region—the pharmacies will provide ACPHS students with a distinctive and innovative experience (under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist) while at the same time improving access to pharmacy and healthcare services for members of the local community.

Similar to the model of a retail clinic—e.g., CVS MinuteClinic or the Walgreens Healthcare Clinic— plans for the pharmacies include expanded services such as blood pressure screenings, immunization therapy, cholesterol screenings, and medication therapy management. Not only will our Pharm.D. students be involved in the operation of the pharmacies, but the sites will serve as hubs for a range of community engagement activities involving all ACPHS students.

The student operated pharmacies will be the embodiment of Beyond Practice Ready as they will help prepare students to work in healthcare settings that barely existed just ten years ago, but which are playing an increasingly larger role in patient care (the number of retail clinic sites increased almost 900% between 2006 and 2014, from 200 to 1,800).

The Affordable Care Act and other legislative initiatives seeking to expand healthcare coverage have only heightened the need for pharmacies and clinics in communities that have traditionally lacked convenient access to these services. We will develop our student pharmacies to be prototypes for healthcare in medically underserved neighborhoods.

The Beyond Practice Ready campaign will not only prepare our students for an unpredictable future, but it will enrich the local community by helping foster a culture of health. With your support, the future we create together will be a better one for all.

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Pharmacists who stepped outside of pharmacy Graduate. Start out in your chosen field.

Serve the public. Move up. Build an honorable and distinguished career. Many ACPHS graduates have followed that time-honored path to success—so many, in fact, that you might think every career in pharmacy and the health sciences unfolds this way.

Don’t you believe it.

In fact, ACPHS alumni have pursued an eclectic array of careers and ventures, from HR consulting and robotic assay systems to vintage DVD sales and award-winning vodka. And that’s just three alumni. Here are their stories.

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“

As a pharmacist, of course, you’re trained to pay the utmost

attention to detail when working with ingredients. Everything must be exact—no exceptions—and we carried that mindset

”

over to our operation when making spirits.

serge shishik c l a s s of ' 95

Distiller Hits the Pick Six not long ago, at the base of New York’s Palmerton Mountains, Serge Shishik dug a well on his property. It was like many other wells, except for one thing.

The water it produced was not like any other water.

“When we started evaluating the quality and purity of the water, we knew we had something special,” Shishik recalled.

“You can only make great vodka with great water—so we started to focus on making great vodka.”

Judges and connoisseurs have attested to the “great” part of Pick Six Vodka, which Shishik and his wife Holly began making and distributing in the middle of 2014. Since that time, they have met with both sales success and critical acclaim, including medals at three international competitions.

Unlike many of his classmates, Shishik didn’t begin his career behind the bench. After graduating in 1995, he joined global healthcare leader Glaxo Wellcome (now GSK), which gave him insight into corporate functions and operations. With that knowledge, he founded Recruiting You, a placement firm that he runs to this day, while taking on a “traditional” position as a pharmacist for Rite Aid. “I very much enjoyed retail pharmacy,” he recalled. “The hours were perfect for working and at the same time running your own business. And I really enjoyed interacting with patients: it was natural for me to go a little above and beyond to help someone out.”

It’s also natural for Shishik to stay on the move, however, and in a few years he and Holly—also a pharmacist at Rite Aid—were looking to start a business with an element of fun. “That was when I

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paul held c l a ss

of ‘ 8 3

saw what was going on with craft spirits,” that won medals along with Pick Six, it he said. “I’ve always enjoyed them, and couldn’t have made us happier.”

What does all this have to do with we found a very favorable environment in pharmacy? Quite a bit, as it turns out.

New York.”

They also found the magic water. “My ACPHS experience contributed to this Thus was born Saratoga Courage Distill- venture in many ways,” Shishik said. “As ery: a play on the notion of “liquid cour- a pharmacist, of course, you’re trained to age” and an affirmation of what it takes pay the utmost attention to detail when to enter a market with global brands and working with ingredients. Everything must be exact—no exceptions—and we billions of dollars.

That courage has led to some eye-open- carried that mindset over to our operaing results. Saratoga Courage supplies tion when making spirits. We’re also regPick Six Vodka—together with its other ulated by the New York State Liquor Auproducts, Devil’s Den Moonshine in ap- thority, much like the way the profession ple pie and strawberry jam flavors—to of pharmacy is regulated, so working more than 300 establishments across a with that side of the distillery was easier than it might have been otherwise. And swath of eastern upstate New York.

Meanwhile, Pick Six (named for the having a license to practice pharmacy exotic horse wager, and the fact that gives me a stable base, allowing me to it’s distilled six times for extraordinary take calculated risks as an entrepreneur.” quality) has drawn attention from considerably farther afield. The medals started coming with a silver at the 2014 New York International Spirits Competition, followed by this year’s bronze and gold awards at competitions in Berlin and Denver, respectively.

“Less than 35 percent of all entrants Paul Held had brewed beer with his good receive a medal of any kind at these com- friend Paul Hale for more than 20 years. petitions,” Shishik explained. “When we The decision to go bigger took maybe realized that, and saw the list of brands 20 seconds.

Of Microplates and Microbrews

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“

The retail experience that I obtained as a pharmacy intern and pharmacist has helped me in the retail portion of the

”

brewery business.

“I was on a business trip in San Diego when I received a text message from Paul,” said Held. “He wrote, ‘I’m thinking about making bigger batches.’ I thought he meant larger home brew batches, but his next text indicated he wanted to start a commercial brewery. My return text simply said, ‘I’m in.’”

The two Pauls joined two other friends to launch Queen City Brewery in Burlington, Vermont, a 15-barrel brewhouse and tasting room with a select menu of original ales, lagers, and specialty beers. The Queen City menu is dotted with names like Gregarious Scotch Ale, Barge Canal Oatmeal Extra Stout, and Oktoberfest Märzen-Style Lager.

On weekends, you’ll find Held in the Queen City tasting room, behind the antique mahogany bar he refurbished himself. (He was at his post during a couple recent ACPHS alumni events at the brewery.) Off hours, he immerses himself in Queen City’s strategic planning decisions: which beer styles to brew, which fermentation vessels to buy, where in the U.S. to distribute. He also touts Queen City at craft beer festivals around the region.

His pharmacy education and experience have helped in all of this. “If I had

not gone to pharmacy school, would I have been in the financial situation to partner with friends and open a brewery?

I doubt it,” he said. “Beyond that, the retail experience that I obtained as a pharmacy intern and pharmacist has helped me in the retail portion of the brewery business.”

Held does have a day job, by the way, and a good one at that. For 23 years, he has built his career at BioTek Instruments, a global leader in the microplate instrumentation that supports life science research and facilitates the drug discovery process. BioTek’s Application Laboratory, which Held manages, works closely with a variety of partners to develop cell-based assays and create unique applications for BioTek products in lab environments.

Held’s track record at BioTek includes numerous distinctions. His team in the Applications Laboratory designed and set up robotic assay systems for avian flu testing. He has received several patents and co-authored a number of scholarly papers.

Here too, his ACPHS education has contributed to his success. “The laboratory training was top-notch and served me well in my graduate and post-doctoral training,” said Held, who earned his Ph.D.

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alessio depoli cl a ss

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in molecular biology from Albany Medical College. “Even so, the most important training that I received was actually provided by Suzanne Dumbleton. Her coursework in public speaking and written English has paid me more dividends than any other course I have ever taken.”

Held’s BioTek career has given him another perk as well: travel. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have traveled all over the world as part of my job,” he said.

“Going to different places and meeting people is very rewarding. Having visited some of the poorer places on Earth, such as Africa, has also made me appreciate what I have that much more.”

Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that Queen City Brewery has a strong sense of place and community. The styles of beer get their inspiration from Scotland, England, Germany, and other places. One of the brewery’s founding principles is a “strong connection to Burlington’s cultural and industrial heritage.” Besides using traditional brewing techniques, Queen City is committed to corporate integrity and environmental sustainability.

They’re the kind of values you might expect from four old Vermont friends who have shared a great deal over the years—including a love of craft beer.

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“i want to do a little bit of everything.”

You could say Alessio Depoli’s pharmacy career began in Venice — years before he was born.

“My mom’s best friend lived upstairs from the oldest pharmacy in Europe,” he remembered recently over a lightas-a-feather bruschetta in one of his restaurants, Capital Area American Eatery & Lounge. “Mom got to know the pharmacists there, and somehow she started wondering if maybe her kid would become a pharmacist. This was before she was even married.”

So dreams do come true. Today Depoli serves as pharmacist at the independent Lincoln Pharmacy in Albany. His work at Lincoln builds on a successful career at Eckerd, where he was poised to rise up the career ladder. He had an offer on the table to become a supervising pharmacist in the South, but he had something different in mind.

“I’ve traveled in Europe since before I was 10, and that’s opened my eyes to many different cultures, different ways of doing things,” he said. “So right from

“

I realized that if I could make

it through pharmacy school,

”

I could do anything.

the start, I knew that I wanted to be a pharmacist and other things besides.”

His venture into “other things” actually began at ACPHS, when he started RareDVDGeeks LLC, a purveyor of rare and vintage DVDs via Amazon and eBay. Years later, a trip to Europe with his good friend Chris Pratt sparked a completely different idea. “The trip opened Chris’s eyes to the differences between Europe and the U.S.,” Depoli remembered. “That got us talking about opening a Europeanstyle bar in Albany.”

Et voilà: Pearl Street Pub opened in 2009. As they soon found, Depoli and Pratt worked well not only as friends, but as partners too. Pratt was the people person, the hands-on manager, while Depoli served more as a silent partner.

He wasn’t silent, though, when he and Pratt started planning their next move. “Country music is huge here,” he said, “but there were no country bars in Albany. We saw an opportunity and went for it.” Depoli had just one request of his partner: “I told him I’d go in on the bar,” he said, “if it had a mechanical bull.” The Barrel Saloon Rock & Roll Country Bar opened in 2011, complete with Texas-style bar food, live bands on weekends, winter dart leagues, and yes,

a mechanical bull you can ride for free.

Depoli’s upscale side came to the fore in their next venture, the Capital Area American Eatery & Lounge. With its exposed brick, local artwork, and elegant menu, the restaurant caters to the influx of professionals who are moving into newly built apartments in downtown Albany. It also caters to Depoli: “I like getting dressed up,” he says.

His experience at ACPHS has proved invaluable in several ways. “Pharmacy school was the hardest six years of my life,” he recalled. “Sure, it gave me the financial ability to invest in all these businesses. More than that, though, I realized that if I could make it through pharmacy school, I could do anything.”

Depoli and Pratt are far from finished. They’ve announced the opening of Steuben Street Market, a fresh food grocery for the aforementioned downtown professionals. An idea for a restaurant/ bar app is in the works. Depoli even runs Bond Street Custom Clothier online.

“My goal in life is not to be pegged,” he said. “I want to do a little bit of everything.” He’s well on his way to achieving that goal. photography by Kris Qua

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alumni feature

A Natural in Healthcare

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You could say Jessica Siuta ’15 was destined for healthcare.

“All of my family is in the field, so I always had the idea I would be too,” said the senior medical technologist at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady.

“Like so many others, I was drawn to the idea of helping people.”

S

iuta’s third year at ACPHS started her on the course to her current work. “It was a rigorous year,” she recalled recently. “I had six courses and six labs. As it turns out, I loved the labs. The whole hands-on aspect appealed to me.”

As a Clinical Laboratory Science major, Siuta completed rotations at a number of facilities—and received a number of job offers along the way.

Her blood bank rotation at Ellis, however, stood out. “I loved the work, and I loved the people,” she said. “My rotation at the VA hospital was great, but the scope at Ellis was so much broader: children, women, all kinds of people. When I was there, they suggested I apply, so I did, well before graduation.”

At Ellis, Siuta works the second shift, which means she covers the gamut of diagnostic testing: blood bank, urine and blood gases, microbiology, hematology, and chemistry. “They might say when I come in, ‘Tonight you’re covering blood bank,’” she explained, “but being a hospital, with limited staff, you might have to do almost anything.”

Siuta’s next step harkens back to

something she’s always wanted to do: become a physician’s assistant.

Toward that end, she’s applying to graduate schools for the fall of next year. Her experience in the Ellis lab, she said, will help her as a PA, giving her deeper insights into diagnostics and the tests needed for any particular case.

While at ACPHS, Siuta took part in a myriad of activities: co-organizing the Biomedical Technology and Health Sciences Club’s career forum, serving as the club’s vice president, and establishing the Annual Physician Assistant Information Session, to name but three.

Looking back, she noted some of the positive changes that have come to ACPHS over the past few years.

“I noticed a lot more integration between the pharmacy and health sciences students while I was there,” she said. “The new student center has helped to bring everyone closer.

So have the clubs, sports, and other activities. When I worked on the Relay for Life team, we drew students from both pharmacy and health sciences to participate. In so many ways, it isn’t just pharmacy anymore.”

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alumni feature

dispensing financial wisdom

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You might think of pharmacy and financial advising as totally separate careers, but Sam Berardino ’80 doesn’t see it that way. He certainly hasn’t lived it that way.

“My career has been a continuum in so many ways, because the professions have a great deal in common,” said the Morgan Stanley financial advisor and greater Utica community leader. “The importance of confidentiality is absolute in both fields. They’re two of the most regulated industries anywhere. And I’ve found that my pharmacy degree provides a credibility that instills confidence in my financial clients.”

T

he strands of his life started weaving together early. “I’d been accepted by several colleges,” he remembered, “and when I had to decide, I chose pharmacy school—partly because I’ve always loved pharmacy and partly because it’s a great stepping stone to doing other things.” In this way, he built on the example of his father, another ACPHS graduate who worked behind the bench at Rite Aid and in pharmaceutical sales for Parke-Davis.

While at ACPHS, Berardino became interested in investments. Later, at Rite Aid, where he served eight years as a supervising pharmacist, he started a “stock club” with 7 other young pharmacists and became a client at the local office of what was then Shearson Loeb Rhoades—the same office where he now works.

In 1988 an Eli Lilly representative recruited Berardino to help in the launch of two new products. That led to a 19-year

career with the pharmaceutical giant, where he finished as a manager of B2B hospital accounts in New York City.

By that time, the travel had begun to wear on him, and “I wanted to give back to my own community,” he said. The network he had built over the years proved more than sufficient for launching his new venture in financial advising.

Berardino has made giving back to the community a mantra for his life as well as his business. He has served as chair of the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce and in board positions for many civic organizations: the Utica Industrial Development Corporation, Mohawk Valley EDGE, Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare, and the Masonic Care Community, among others.

“No matter where home is, you want it to be as good a place as possible for your children and your neighbors,” he said. “Utica’s my home, so I will do my best to give it a very bright future.”

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update

a shift toward

tobacco-free

pharmacies

The rationale for tobacco-free pharmacies is logical enough: businesses dedicated to health and wellness should not sell products that negatively affect health and wellness.

But what about the ultimate impact?

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Will tobacco-free pharmacies result in fewer users, using less tobacco?

Early signs point to yes.

I

n September, CVS Health announced the results of a study that assessed the pharmacy chain’s 2014 decision to stop selling tobacco products. The study compared states that have no CVS/pharmacy stores with states where CVS/pharmacy holds at least 15 percent of the retail pharmacy market.

In the “15 percent” states: • Cigarette pack sales declined by an additional 1 percent.

• The average smoker purchased five fewer cigarette packs.

• About 95 million fewer packs were sold in the “15 percent” states compared to the states with no CVS stores.

These findings come as no surprise to Nicole Lodise, Pharm.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at ACPHS and a certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist. “One of the goals of advocating for tobaco-free pharmacies is to limit the access and availability of tobacco products,” she explained. “With a reduction in access, there is potential to impact not only the number of products sold but also the number of individual purchasers.”

These findings resonate with the results of other research. A 2014 CVS study, analyzing longitudinal data from

the IRI Consumer Network National Consumer Panel, assessed the impact of the landmark legislation in San Francisco and Boston that prohibited the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies.

The analysis showed a 13.3 percent reduction in the number of households purchasing tobacco products after the bans were implemented. Even controlling for baseline rates of smoking over time, which one would expect to decrease, the study shows a 5.5 percent reduction in the number of tobacco users after the ban.

As Dr. Lodise sees it, the cessation of tobacco sales is only one part of the pharmacist’s expanding role in health and wellness. “Many community pharmacies have already implemented a wide range of health services, providing a convenient option for patients to address their chronic and preventative healthcare needs,” she said. “With tobacco cessation specifically, pharmacists have an opportunity to not only support prevention efforts but also serve as a core resource to help patients quit. As the Clinical Practice guidelines highlight, a clinician’s simple one-minute intervention—Ask-Advise-Refer—can have a positive impact on patients and their tobacco quit process.”

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Dedication

A Tribute to John Denio

By Packy McGraw

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On June 30, 2015, ACPHS marked the end of an era with the retirement of John Denio— our Coach, Professor, Dean, and Provost.

John began his career at ACPHS in 1977 and his previous experiences helped lay the groundwork for what was to come over the next 39 years.

Prior to coming to ACPHS, John was a star athlete in high school and college. When he was inducted into the Union College Athletic Hall of Fame, his coach described him as the best defensive player in the history of the college.

If you are familiar with athletics, you know that to excel as a defensive player you must work hard, sacrifice any personal recognition and accolades, and place the success of the team above all else. That was John.

During his time at ACPHS, he focused entirely on the success of our students, our faculty, our staff, and the College as a whole. Personal accolades meant nothing to him, though he certainly received many of them (see sidebar).

Over the course of his academic career, he taught Principles of Economics, Principles of Management, Pharmacy Administration, Business Management, Health Care Economics, Pharmacy Marketing, Organizational Management Theory, and Calculus.

As any student over the past four decades knows, John was equally active beyond the classroom, taking leadership roles with organizations that included Phi Lambda Sigma, Habitat for Humanity, and Rho Pi Phi. He was also instrumental in directing the College’s Academic Integrity Policy, the Strategic Planning process, the Career Pathway program, and the list goes on.

But what I will remember the most are all the things that John did outside of his job description to enrich people’s lives and the community as a whole. Many of these actions centered around students and his desire to make their experience at the College the best it could be.

Whether it was little things like bringing chocolate chip cookies to class or inviting students to his home for the holidays, he always had their best interests at heart.

It was not uncommon for John to go to a student’s apartment to check on him or her because someone had reported that they hadn’t been coming to class, and he wanted to make sure they were alright. No one told him to make those visits. He did it because he cared.

That was true with his teams too. John would treat the last player on the bench as good as—or even better than—the best player on the team. That may have been part of the reason his teams were so successful through the years.

For John, ACPHS really was a family. When John first began working at the College, he shared an office suite with long-time professor Varant (Naj) Najarian. John often spoke of how Naj mentored him and looked out for him in those early days.

As Naj grew older and his health began to fail, John would drive him to Newton, MA, so that Naj could spend the holidays with his family. John would also take him to the doctor, the grocery store, or just pick him up for work if he needed a ride.

And yet despite his many accomplishments and good deeds, John remained humble right up to the end of his career. When a Times Union reporter came to interview him upon the occasion of his retirement, John was puzzled. “Why do you want to write about me?” he asked.

In the article, he modestly described what he had done at the College as “plugging holes.” I would argue it was more like moving mountains than plugging holes.

But, more importantly, he moved people!

The College has had the good fortune of having some great, long-standing faculty and administrators. Those names include Joseph Lapetina, Francis J. O’Brien, Prof.

DeNuzzo, Varant Najarian, and Al White. We will now proudly add John Denio to this list of ACPHS “legends.”

John—thank you for all that you have done for the students, faculty, and staff at ACPHS, and best wishes to you and your family as you begin the next quarter in the game of life.

John De nio’s Honor Rol l

Member of the Union College Athletic Hall of Fame — Member of the ACPHS Athletic Hall of Fame — Recipient of the ACPHS Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award — Recipient of the ACPHS Administrator of the Year Award — Elected National President Advisor of Phi Lambda Sigma

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Reunion Weekend golf

June 5 Normanside Country Club

president’s brunch

June 6 Hilton Garden Inn

gala

June 6 The Desmond

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Commencement

albany

May 16 Empire State Plaza Convention Center Speaker: William S. Marth, President and CEO of Albany Molecular Research, Inc.

vermont

May 17 Champlain Valley Exposition Speaker: Former Vermont Governor James Douglas

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Campus News

Day at the Races Recap

On August 15, more than 40 alumni and friends joined us at the Saratoga Race Course for the annual Day at the Rail alumni event. Pictured here from left is Tony Laiacona ’76, Deneen Hornberger, John Ward ’76, Mary Ellen Ward, President Dewey and Cindy Dewey.

President’s Advisory Council The President’s Advisory Council (PAC) convened on October 15 for its third meeting since its inception in 2014

by President Greg Dewey. The PAC is comprised of leaders in the corporate, academic, and not-for-profit sectors. The Council's overarching directive is to offer insights into how ACPHS should respond to long term trends in the health science and healthcare industries.

PAC member Jonathan Lasch, Ph.D., Executive Director at The Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at the University of Southern California, presented findings on how his institute functions as a medical innovation center, bridging the gap between academia and commercialization. The afternoon featured breakout sessions focused on the future initiatives of the College and identified unmet medical needs as growth opportunities within the strategic agenda. The next meeting is scheduled for spring 2016.

Freshmen Forecast Health and Wellness Expo Enjoys Another Successful Year More than 500 people attended the fourth annual ACPHS Health and Wellness Expo on September 26, which was again spearheaded by APhA-ASP students. Kicking off with the Mario Zeolla '97 5K Walk/Run, the day featured a range of health related activities including free screenings, discounted flu shots, and a medication take-back program that collected 200 pounds of unused or expired medications. One of the new additions to this year's event was a holiday toy drive for members of Albany's West Hill Community that generated a great response from participants.

Students on the Vermont Campus hosted the Colchester Community Wellness Fair on October 23.

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On August 26 our newest class of 192 freshmen started the next exciting chapter of their lives here at Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Of that number, 109 are Doctor of Pharmacy students and 83 have chosen one of the Bachelor of Science programs.

109

doctor of pharmacy

83

bachelor of science

meet the provost What’s a typical day for you?

It is hard to define what a “typical day” would be like, but generally speaking, I work with the different deans, department chairs, and faculty to facilitate progress toward the goals of the College’s Strategic Agenda or to help them overcome obstacles that may be impeding progress toward these goals. I also maintain an active research laboratory.

Alumni News recently caught up with the College’s new Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Tarun B. Patel, Ph.D., to hear about his first few months at ACPHS. Dr. Patel started at the College on July 1. He oversees all areas related to academic programming, research and scholarship, student affairs, faculty development, and information technology.

Now that you’ve been at ACPHS for a few months, what are your initial impressions of the College?

From the start of the interview process through the time I accepted the position, I had the sense that the community here was very friendly, collegial, and helpful. Over the last few months, I have found all of this to be true. What I like most is that all faculty and staff, regardless of position, address each other by their first names. I really cherish this aspect of the culture since it lifts the barriers associated with “rank and title” and facilitates honest and open conversations.

Tell us a bit about your research.

My field of study is hepatocellular (liver) cancer. So in addition to my duties as Provost, I try to find time in my schedule to communicate with laboratory personnel and also read research publications and other relevant literature. I also spend time writing research articles and editing books.

I should add that I have been impressed by the overall quality of research at ACPHS. The national recognition that some of our faculty have received is noteworthy and that is important because it augments the stature and profile of the College.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

There are two pieces of advice that I received from my graduate and postdoctoral mentors that I have turned to consistently during my career: The first is: “To succeed in any endeavor you cannot take shortcuts.”

And the other is: “Honesty, transparency, respect for all, and understanding the needs of others gains the trust of the community.

That is the key to success.”

What is something about you that not many people would know?

I am African (Kenyan) by birth, Indian by heritage, English by education, and American by citizenship. The diversity of influences in my early education imparted upon me the ability to speak six languages—Swahili, English, French, Gujarati, Hindi, and Punjabi.

However, from non-usage over many years, my Swahili and French are now a little rusty.

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athle t ics u pdate SOCCER Both the Men’s and Women’s Soccer Teams earned bids to the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Soccer Championships in Asheville, NC. The men earned a #6 seed while the women, making their third straight appearance, earned a #2 seed. ACPHS student-athletes were also recognized for their performances on the field and in the classroom. Sophomore Kyle Jenkins was named USCAA Student-Athlete of the Year. Also receiving awards for the men were Jack Hanlon, who earned Honorable Mention All-American, and Zak Giorgi who was named Second Team All-American. Katie Parsels, Katie Benson, and Erin Tersegno all received First Team All-American honors, while Nicole Burline earned Honorable Mention from the women’s team. Student-athletes from both teams earned Academic All-American honors, which are presented to student-athletes who are at least sophomores and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. The following students received such honors: Kennedy Rives, Alexis Swist, Kayli Smith, Ashley Salsedo, Katie Parsels, Julia Rosenberger, Jack Hanlon, Arlo Wetherbee, Kyle Jenkins and Mina Girgis.

CROSS COUNTRY The fall season saw great accomplishments for the ACPHS Cross Country team, who earned a bid to the USCAA National Championships in Lakeland, Florida.

The following team members represented ACPHS at the men’s and women’s national meet: Jessica Monzyk, Catherine Phelps, Julia Lindsay, Katelyn Masullo, Lydia Ware, Maura Falli, Courtney Reilly, Geralyn Swald, Isabella Wolak, Matthew Kaczmarek, Dean Ostrofsky, Ryker Bodo, Joseph Lang, Dylan Davies and Matthew Cronauer.

Rich Komulainen Retires After 30 stellar seasons on the sidelines for the Panthers, Head Men's Soccer Coach Rich Komulainen announced his retirement this past summer. In his final season at the helm of the Panthers, Coach K secured one more conference championship and a lifetime of memories. From all of us at ACPHS, we thank you for your dedication and service to the College and more importantly for helping shape the lives of so many student athletes over the past 30 years. THANK YOU, COACH!

BASKETBALL The Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams kicked off their 2015-16 campaigns in late October.

For the latest news, game scores, and schedules visit acphsathletics.com.

Beyond Practice Ready Campaign Kickoff Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is embarking on a series of mini campaigns, the first of which is called Beyond Practice Ready (BPR). An official announcement was made at a special on-campus kickoff event on December 1 in the Gozzo Student Center Atrium. Beyond Practice Ready was born out of a need for our students to be versatile, adaptable, and entrepreneurial savvy upon entering the workplace. The goal of the BPR campaign is to raise $6 million by August 2016.

The Beyond Practice Ready campaign will support two student operated neighborhood pharmacies—one in Schenectady and one in Albany ($3 million); the building of three active learning classrooms ($1.5 million); professional development and certificate programs ($1 million); and a major renovation of the Pharmacy Practice Skills Laboratory ($500,000).

As of September, we had raised $2,065,240. For additional information or to support the BPR campaign go to aphs.edu/beyondpracticeready.

24 | ac ph s alu m n i n e ws

Rochester Drug Cooperative Supports Student Operated Pharmacy with anchor Gift As part of the Beyond Practice Ready mini campaign, the College recently received funding from Rochester Drug Cooperative (RDC) to support the opening of the Schenectady student operated neighborhood pharmacy. This “anchor” gift will provide the College with the support needed to launch the pharmacy and help fund its initial period of operation.

The pharmacy will be managed by a licensed pharmacist with support provided by ACPHS student pharmacists.

“Most students interested in the business of pharmacy have to learn it through on-the-job training that occurs after they graduate,” said Larry Doud, CEO of Rochester Drug Cooperative. “Through this effort, ACPHS students will be able to participate in an innovative and entrepreneurial experience while still in school, learning both advanced pharmacy practices and the business skills required to operate a successful pharmacy.”

MVP Health Care Partners with College on Student Operated Pharmacies “MVP Health Care is proud to partner with Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences as we bring the Student Operated Pharmacy initiative to Schenectady County,” said Ellen Sax, Director of Community Engagement. “At MVP Health Care, our vision is to create the healthiest communities; that goal could not be achieved without innovative, value-based community partnerships such as the Student Operated Pharmacy.” College Hometown Pharmacy will be located in Hometown Health Center on State Street in Schenectady and will provide needed healthcare and pharmacy services to an otherwise underserved population. In addition to providing services to the community, the pharmacy students working in this location will gain a valuable understanding of a diverse population with broad based needs.

President’s Cup Golf Tournament

On July 27, more than 100 golfers turned out for the 22nd Annual President's Cup Golf Tournament at the Albany Country Club. It was a gorgeous sunny day on the greens followed by a reception and dinner. This year’s scholarship recipient and PharmD Candidate, Abigail Bleir, Class of 2021, addressed the audience, along with President Dewey and Provost,

Dr. Tarun Patel. The President’s Cup Golf Tournament (formerly Dean’s Cup) was initiated in 1994 to enhance ACPHS’ ability to award merit-based academic scholarships. To date, 20 students like Abigail have received over $340,000 in scholarship funds. The President’s Cup has raised more than $675,000 since its inception.

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at a g l a n c e

1971

1983

Class Notes Patricia Chase, Ph.D., dean give us a ring (518) 694.7393

drop us a line alumni@acphs.edu

The College wants to hear from you and know more about what's going on in your world. Share your news and achievements with the rest of the ACPHS family.

of the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, has announced her intention to step down as dean and will retire from the University in 2016 after a stellar career. Dr. Chase, who was named Gates Wigner Dean of Pharmacy at WVU in 2006, also serves as president of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, which represents the 130 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the U.S. Before joining WVU, Chase was the dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Butler University in Indianapolis. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado.

Representatives from the St. Johnsville Fire Department and H.C. Smith Benefit Club gather for a check presentation with Tim Baumeister, Kinney Drugs Favorite Pharmacist of the Year (fourth from right).

For winning the customerselected award, Baumeister received $1,000 to donate to the organizations of his choice.

Chris Henderson recently

joined Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital as pharmacy manager.

Henderson’s previous professional experience includes roles at Springfield (Vt.) Pharmacy, Roberts Scarlett Pharmacy in New London, and Dartmouth College Health Services in Hanover.

1991

1976 David Stack was appointed

president of Chiasma, Inc., a U.S. privately-held biopharma company developing octreotide capsules, its lead product, for the orphan condition acromegaly.

David joined Chiasma in late 2014 as chairman, bringing more than 25 years of successful industry experience in both large and small private companies to the company. He is currently president, CEO and chairman of Pacira Pharmaceuticals, where he led the transformation of Pacira from a sustained-release injectable technology company into a fully integrated, acute care pharmaceutical company. Additional information can be found at www.ChiasmaPharma.com.

26 | ac ph s alu m n i n e ws

Congratulations to Luke Hobika, a former basketball player and member of the ACPHS Athletic Hall of Fame, whose golf game earned him statewide recognition on September 27 at Wolferts Roost in Menands, NY. Hobika, a 47-year-old pharmacist from DeWitt, birdied two of the final five holes to win his second New York State Mid-Amateur Championship. With his former ACPHS basketball coach, Packy McGraw, watching, Hobika shot a 1-over-par 71 to finish 54 holes at 2-over par.

2003 Jennifer J. Smith, MD,

PharmD, recently joined the University of Arizona, Department of Emergency Medicine, as assistant professor of emergency medicine after recently completing an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) fellowship at the UA. Dr. Smith received her doctor of pharmacy degree from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and medical degree from the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago. She completed her residency training in emergency medicine at the UA. Her research interests include prehospital medical care and pharmaceuticals, and community paramedicine. Dr. Smith will practice at Banner-University Medical Center Tucson and South, and will serve as the associate medical director for the BUMC-S Base Hospital.

2012

Longmeadow, Massachusetts, came out the victor to capture the $723,008 first-place prize, a pair of Monster DNA headphones, and a $15,400 seat into the season-ending WPT World Championship.

Stephanie N. Ball and Joseph A. Parisian, announced their engagement this past February and were married on September 19. Stephanie is employed

by Watertown Dental Health Group and Joseph is employed

by Samaritan Medical Center.

Katie M. Hall and Ryan P. Czado were united in marriage

2014

on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, at St. Mary’s Church, Ballston Spa, NY. Katie is currently employed by ShopRite Supermarkets. Ryan is pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree at the University of Missouri, St. Louis and is employed by Express Scripts as senior manager of clinical program management.

The couple honeymooned in Fiji. They reside in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Joseph Procopio and Margaret Demkow announced

2013 Cassie Lawatsch has been

employed by Wegmans since 2006, she began as a pharmacy technician and advanced into management. She was recently named pharmacy manager in Westwood, MA and in her new position Lawatsch will ensure customers are provided with the expertise and products they need to live a healthier, better life, including immunizations, prescription auto-refill, and competitively low prices on select generic prescriptions.

their engagement on September 13, 2015. Margaret holds a Master’s Degree in Education and is a teacher at Rahway High School. Joseph is a Pharmacist at Colonia Natural Pharmacy.

A spring 2017 wedding is planned.

2015

Congratulations to Brian Altman on winning the World Poker Tour Lucky Hearts Poker Open—a tournament that attracted 1,027 entries and created a prize pool of over $3.2 million at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida this past February. Altman and Mark Dube, who began the final table as the two massive stacks with 72 percent of the chips in play.

It took two hours before Altman, a 26-year-old poker pro from

Congratulations to Sarah DeRuosi Rouslin who married Jason Rouslin in April.

The couple reside in Rhode Island and Sarah is currently a pharmacist for Wal-Mart.

Students from the Class of 2015 completed their joint degree through Union Graduate College on June 13. Pictured from left to right is Brendan Linehan, Pralok Trivedi, Mark Phillips, and Ali Mohammed. Missing from the picture, but who also graduated from the dual degree program were Jin Huang, Evan Kuyrkendall, and Tyler Bogardus.

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Friends We’ll Miss 1939

1954

1962

May 30, 2014

April 9, 2015

January 9, 2015

1950

1957

Walter J. “Tom” Smith

June 22, 2015

June 6, 2015

1951

1958

July 21, 2015

July 2, 2014

1952

Ann S. Rellenbeck

Abraham Kupperberg

John Peter Togneri

Harold Jaffee

Edward Belemjian February 26, 2015

1953

John J. Millett

Alan Tubbs

Barbara J. Rindge

Richard “Dick” Marasco

Raymond Zywot April 10, 2015

Robert A. Weisman

January 19, 2015

may 14, 2013

1970

1959

Robert William Hawksby

William Finn

June 13, 2015

October 24, 2014

Ralph Maury Robert “Bob” W. Miller February 18, 2015

January 12, 2015

Carl Rosenfeld Jack B. Shingles

1963

Ernest Pelli

August 18, 2015

Paul F. Pomilio

June 17, 2015

March 18, 2015

September 15, 2012

September 8, 2015

1974

Malcolm R. “Mac” Parks September 3, 2015

1990

Keith Simmons Myott October 31, 2014

Friends of the College Sid Cohen

Joyce Ehrmann

February 11, 2015

June 9, 2015

get social with acphs ACPHS has a number of social media and online resources to keep you connected to the College and your fellow alumni.

Check them out and start liking, sharing, and tweeting today!

ACPHS Alumni Facebook Page www.facebook.com/acphsalumni

ACPHS Alumni Twitter Feed twitter.com/ACPHSAlumni

ACPHS LinkedIn Group www.linkedin.com/groups/1913669

RXinsider CareerTapp www.careertapp.com Search Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

events nov 3 0

Jan 29

M ay 14

ACPHS at PSSNY Mid-Winter Meetings

Commencement

BPR Campaign Cocktail Reception at 677 Prime

Saratoga Springs, NY

Invitation Only

Jan 30

Albany, NY

Alumni Basketball Game

Saratoga Springs, NY Ju n 3

Albany, NY dec 1

BPR Campaign Kickoff at the Albany Campus Albany, NY

Friends of Noah Sorensen ’97 & Mario Zeolla ’97 Golf Tournament

Mar 6

Albany, NY

APhA-ASP Conference Networking Reception

Ju n 3 –5

Baltimore, MD

Reunion Weekend Albany, NY

Dec 7

ASHP Midyear Conference Networking Reception

Apr 2

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Summit

New Orleans, LA

Albany, NY

Ju l 2 5

President’s Cup Golf Tournament Albany, NY

Ja n 1 6

Saturday Night Fever the Musical at Proctors

Apr 19

Athletics Hall of Fame and Sports Banquet

Schenectady, NY

Albany, NY

Visit acphs.edu for registration details, more information and a complete listing of upcoming events.

Annual Fund 2015 – 16 Your gift will make an immediate impact!

Support the College by making your gift to the Annual Fund today at acphs.edu/donate

Raised: $29,264.50 As of September 25, 2015

Goal: $250,000 June 30, 2016

’91 male

’67 ’91

male alumni

’92 ’61 ’91 ’86 ’24

can you identify this acphs alumni family?

Go to acphs.edu/legacy to submit your answer for a chance to win a $100 ACPHS bookstore gift card.

female

Are you a member of an ACPHS Legacy family?

’56

female alumni

’53

legacy tree

’85

If so, please complete the Legacy Questionnaire at acphs.edu/legacy.

’89

Help us celebrate and honor you and the great tradition of legacy families at ACPHS!

Albany, New York 12208

106 New Scotland Avenue

Office of Institutional Advancement

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