Hy-Vee switches up Amber Pharmacy leadership

WEST DES MOINE, Ia. — Hy-Vee on Monday announced a change of leadership at Amber Pharmacy. The company has named Aaron Wiese, previously Hy-Vee assistant VP and Amber Pharmacy president, to the position of Hy-Vee VP strategy/innovation, and as a result, Mike Agostino has returned to the position of president of Amber Pharmacy.

“Aaron has done an incredible job helping us to adapt Amber and Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions to the Hy-Vee system,” Hy-Vee chairman, CEO and president Randy Edeker said. “He has worked hand-in-hand with Mike to get Amber recognized as a customer service leader in specialty pharmacy, and he is the right person to keep us agile and take advantage of the industry’s fast-changing opportunities.”

In his new role, Wiese will work within Hy-Vee to develop new health, wellness and pharmacy strategies. He will also work with Agostino, the company said.

“Mike is one of the most respected voices in the industry nationwide. He has helped lead our specialty pharmacy efforts to great heights and will continue to do so while back in the driver’s seat at Amber Pharmacy and Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions,” Edeker said.

Amber Pharmacy was acquired by Hy-Vee in 2014 after the companies’ collaboration on Hy-Vee Pharmacy. Agostino has been with Amber Pharmacy since 2008, having worked previously as Walgreens’ VP managed care. He became VP of Hy-Vee and Amber Pharmacy president in 2014 and moved into his pharmacy innovation/business development role last January. He is the president-elect of the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy and instructs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s pharmacy program.

Wiese joined Hy-Vee in 1993 and served for four years as operations manager of Hy-Vee Care. Before becoming assistant VP specialty pharmacy and VP of Amber Pharmacy, he worked in health/wellness strategic planning. He became COO at Amber before becoming president in 2016.