Haggen names pharmacy team for rapidly expanding operation
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — As West Coast regional grocer Haggen acquires and converts stores in Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona during the first half of 2015, its pharmacy business is growing from 17 pharmacies to 106 pharmacies, the company reported Monday. To support this growth, Haggen is expanding its pharmacy management staff from six to 28 to manage the 470 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who will make up the Haggen Pharmacy team.
As Haggen continues its unprecedented 146 store acquisitions across five states, the pharmacies are committed to minimizing any downtime during the intense 40-hour-plus store conversions. The pharmacy conversion team at each store works diligently from the 6 p.m. store closing time to 11 a.m. the next morning to ensure the current pharmacy guests and future Haggen guests have access to their prescription medications while the rest of the store is closed for the conversion.
"We want to make this transition a seamless experience for both our guests and our associates,” stated Guy DiPasqua, corporate SVP, pharmacy of Haggen. “While we’re making a lot of changes behind the scenes to our pharmacy management and point of sale systems, our pharmacies are staffed by the same great pharmacy associates who deliver the same great level of care. We hope our service and care will keep shoppers returning to their new neighborhood pharmacy at Haggen,” he said.
“Haggen prides itself on providing genuine and caring service, a commitment that is evident in our associates’ resilience and adaptability through the conversion process. After 17 hours, we open a freshly painted, new Haggen Pharmacy with the same great team, a completely new Pharmacy Management system, and many new best practices and routines to be executed," DiPasqua added. "Even while the store is undergoing its own makeover, our pharmacists are ready to fill our guests’ prescriptions on day one. It’s been a great, team process.”
The Haggen pharmacy business will continue to be led by DiPasqua, who joined Haggen in 2012 after 25 years at Albertsons and six years at Target. DiPasqua will lead two division VPs, Mike Arndorfer, promoted from his director of pharmacy position and Stewart Edington, who joined Haggen in March 2015.
Arndorfer will oversee the Pacific Northwest division, which includes 53 pharmacies in Washington and Oregon. Arndorfer brings a great deal of pharmacy experience to Haggen, having served in a number of store- and management-level positions in Community Pharmacy as well as director-level positions with Amber Specialty Pharmacy in Omaha and Harrison Memorial Hospital in Kentucky, prior to joining Haggen as director of pharmacy.
Edington will be responsible for the 53 pharmacies in the Pacific Southwest which includes California, Arizona and Nevada. Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South Africa, Edington moved to the United States 13 years ago with his wife and three children to work for Albertsons. Edington served in a variety of roles there ultimately rising to VP pharmacy for Albertsons LLC from June 2011 through the end of 2013, leaving the Company to own and operate Jupiter Compounding in Jupiter, Fla.
Both Arndorfer and Edington are building out their regional teams, with each hiring two regional pharmacy managers. In the Pacific Northwest, Schontel Delaney will oversee the 36 pharmacies located in the state of Washington. She worked for Albertsons Savon Pharmacy for 18 years, starting as a pharmacy technician. She has been a pharmacist since completing pharmacy school in 2007.
Haggen is filling positions for the additional regional pharmacy manager positions, seven pharmacy operations specialist jobs and other support positions within the pharmacy team.
To date, 38 pharmacies have been converted to Haggen Pharmacies.