People in the News

Dave Van Howe is joining Market Performance Group, a strategy consulting and sales representation firm, as SVP and retail adviser, working on go-to-market initiatives with suppliers and retailers. Van Howe most recently served as VP purchasing and new business development for Walgreens.

Gary Downing began his new job as CEO of Insight Pharmaceuticals, the maker of such OTC brands as Anacin and Dermarest, on Feb. 15, following Insight’s announcement the week before. Previously, Downing was CEO of breast-feeding product maker Lansinoh for nearly eight years. Prior to Lansinoh, Downing was a cofounder of OTC brand marketing company Medtech, as well as serving in positions at Gillette’s Oral-B Labs and Richardson-Vicks.

Neil Donnenfeld has been named as CEO and director of Advanced Vision Research, which announced his appointment on Feb. 8. Donnenfeld, who had previously served as AVR’s SVP global sales and marketing since 2005, succeeds founder Jeffrey Gilbard, who died in a bicycling accident in August. The company is known for the TheraTears product line.

Former Rite Aid and CVS executive Phil Keough has joined LearnSomething as chief business development officer, overseeing development and distribution of compliance, operational and sales-performance products, and services for retailers. Keough had served at Rite Aid for six years as SVP pharmacy operations and most recently ran his own pharmacy management consulting company, Keoco.