New leadership emerges at NACDS

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced a successor for Larry Merlo as its new board of directors chairman, along with several other elected officers, at its 2011 Annual Meeting.Robert Loeffler, who serves as H-E-B's chief administrative officer, will replace Merlo, who is CVS Caremark president and CEO, as NACDS board chairman. Additionally, Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson was elected vice chairman, while Thrifty White president and CEO Robert Narveson was named treasurer.

“I congratulate Bob Loeffler on his election as NACDS chairman of the board,” said NACDS president and CEO Steve Anderson. “During his service as an officer, on the NACDS board, as chairman of the NACDS Political Action Committee, and as an active participant in the NACDS RxImpact grassroots advocacy program, Bob has demonstrated his unyielding commitment to pharmacy. We all look forward to working with him in his new role with NACDS in the coming year."

In addition to the election of the new officers for one-year terms, NACDS members also elected two new executive committee members, which included Narveson and Michael Kaufmann, CEO - pharmaceutical of Medicine Shoppe International.

Four new board of directors members also were elected: Jose Barra, SVP health care and beauty at Target; Jerry Cline, SVP retail sales and marketing of Good Neighbor Pharmacy; Lynne Fruth, chairman of the board of Fruth Pharmacy; and Steve Kaczynski, Navarro Discount Pharmacy CEO. These four new board members will join the other 21 members of the NACDS board of directors to develop NACDS’ policies and priorities, the association said.