CEO Corner

LIFE RETURNING TO “NORMAL” – “WHERE’S MARK?” TELLS THE STORY

BY MARK GLASPER,

I didn’t think starting my “Where’s Mark?” social media posts would be anything more than fun photos depicting my travels to meet with Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) members. Looking back on just four months of the posts, they help to chronicle how COVID-19 restrictions have loosened, albeit with a wary – but hopeful – eye cast upon the future.

MPA offices “opened” back up June 1 after state officials allowed employers to invite employees back to on-site work. We decided on a hybrid approach that let staff work on site three days per week and two days remotely. Our dedicated professional staff had demonstrated they could work effectively during the previous 15 months of working remotely, so it was a way to ease staff back into working on site. My first “Where’s Mark?” photo showed me getting my COVID vaccine shot from Sue Arens, Pharm.D., co-owner of PGPA Pharmacy Inc. in Okemos. That opened the door to my travels.

Back to Business

I didn’t stray too far away at first. It was just nice to get out to see and work with members again! No work has been more important in 2021 than getting our pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform legislation, House Bill 4348, passed. President Heather Christensen, Pharm.D., lent her expertise in testimony before House and Senate committees. MPA Director of Government Affairs Brian Sapita and MPA Director of Professional Development Farah Jalloul accompanied me to hear President Christensen’s Senate testimony in June.

CEO Mark Glasper, Director of Government Affairs Brian Sapita, Director of Professional Development Farah Jalloul and President Heather Christensen attend Senate testimony for House Bill 4348 at the Michigan Capitol in June.

American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer Scott Knoer underscored our advocacy work with a visit to MPA in July. It was our first meeting with a guest since the pandemic started in March 2020! Scott briefed us on APhA’s advocacy efforts and offered his assistance in whatever Michigan needed to get HB 4348 across the finish line. MPA member and APhA Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Practice & Government Affairs Ilisa Bernstein joined Scott, staff and me for a photo commemorating his visit. I’m also extremely pleased to announce that Scott Knoer will be our Keynote Speaker at the MPA Annual Convention & Exposition (ACE) in 2022! You won’t want to miss his presentation as ACE becomes a hybrid event for the first time. We plan to hold the event in person and offer live streaming of select presentations. However, you’ll want to attend Scott’s dynamic presentation in person to get the full effect!

APhA CEO/EVP Scott Knoer, APhA Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Practice & Government Affairs Ilisa Bernstein and MPA staff, board members and CEO Mark Glasper take a selfie in front of MPA headquarters in Lansing during APhA’s visit in July.

Our work back at the office also got a shot in the arm over the summer with new staff additions, including Director of Membership Scott Walsh, Director of Marketing & Communications Bryan Freeman and Director of Finance & Administration Jennifer Mora. Their association management and non-profit experience completes an effective Management Team at headquarters that helps me guide the work of the organization.

Looking to the Future

We held a Strategic Planning Retreat in July at MPA headquarters for our second in-person meeting since reopening the office. Fifty participants from every group under the MPA umbrella met to discuss and formulate a strategic plan for 2022-2024. Our work continues this fall as the final touches of the plan are added and staff begin to work on an implementation plan. I couldn’t resist taking a selfie with this hard-working group of members!

CEO Mark Glasper takes a selfie at MPA’s Strategic Planning Retreat with nearly 50 members and staff from every MPA component organization.

Our future is bright with the incoming classes to our colleges of pharmacy. I had the pleasure of attending and speaking at the Wayne State University and Ferris State University White Coat Ceremonies. Nothing energizes me more than visiting the campuses and meeting our student pharmacists. I look forward to visiting the University of Michigan, too!

CEO Mark Glasper speaks at the White Coat Ceremony at Wayne State University in August in front of WSU’s 2021 P1 students.

MPA’s Pharmacy Day at the Capitol at the end of September was our first in-person event away from headquarters and brought together approximately 200 member pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and student pharmacists. We descended on the Capitol en masse to educate our legislators about the importance of PBM reform and the need for HB 4348 to pass.

Pharmacy Day at the Capitol on Sept. 28 brought together pharmacy volunteers and student pharmacists to run a medication takeback event on the Capitol lawn, as well as attend meetings with legislators to discuss PBM reform and other vital healthcare policies.

Let’s be Hopeful

As I glance at my calendar, I’m excited by the “Where’s Mark?” photo opportunities to come. The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) held its first Annual Meeting in two years when community pharmacists from all over the country met in Charlotte, NC this October. I was there as well to meet with exhibitors about attending ACE – networking with colleagues and taking selfies galore! It is also National Pharmacists month in October with Michigan Pharmacists Week scheduled for Oct. 18-22.

Our local associations are beginning to meet in person again, and I hope to visit as many upcoming meetings as possible. My schedule is open to meet with as many members as possible before hunkering down for the winter. Let’s get YOU on my schedule and into my “Where’s Mark?” social media posts!

“My schedule is open to meet with as many members as possible before hunkering down for the winter. Let’s get YOU on my schedule and into my “Where’s Mark?” social media posts!”