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OPA Award Recipients

During the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) Annual Conference and Trade Show, OPA recognizes pharmacy excellence throughout the state. Any OPA member may nominate any eligible member for the awards. Below are the award descriptions as well as lists of recipients for each award. The name of the recipient for this year is in bold font. The online award solicitation form(s) are available on the OPA website during the nomination periods.

The nomination period for the Online Award Solicitation Form is June through September.

The Media and Under 40 Awards Online Forms are available June through February. 

Beal Award 

In accordance with the wishes of the founder of the award, Dr. James Beal, the award honors any person who has given service beyond the call of duty and who has done the most for pharmacy during the year, or whose contributions to the advancement of pharmacy within the State of Ohio over a period of years, has been most outstanding. There are to be no public calls for nominations of the Beal Award.  This award was introduced in 1948.

Charles Young Frederick G. Herbst Robert C. Russell Joseph R. Sabino, Jr. Ernest Boyd Bella Mehta
Abe Butnik Glenn E. Hotaling Joseph R. Sabino, Sr. William Armbrecht Christine Murphy Andrew Roecker
L.W. Funk, Sr. M. Eugene Schafer Fred J. Cermak Joel Adelman Gary Rutherford  
Victor L. Keys Nick Avellone James F. Halloran Walter Ritzman Marialice Bennett  
Arthur P. Wyss Rupert Salisbury A. Milton Cohen Paul Wherry Martin Davis  
Harry Fraiberg David E. Ott Ed Briner Metta Lou Henderson Ken Hale  
Rudolph H. Raabe Raymond Quillen Irving S. Feuer Ralph Foster Randy Myers  
J. Frank Gallagher Frank E. Kunkel William J. Marks Frank Wickham Bill Sheridan  
William P. Murray John F. Kirwin Max A. Myers Norman Billups Tom Kier  
J. E. Cowden John W. Mannino Forrest Pack, Sr. Wayne Miller Kathy Karas  
Rudolph L. Puls Eugene B. Imholt Alva Rubenstein Lori Woodson Don Bennett  
Harry Baskind Merrill J. Insley Amy Bennett Karen Kier Dick Wuest  
Loyd E. Harris LeRoy D. Beltz Suzanne Eastman Charles Broussard Milap Nahata  
Gilbert H. Siegel Ervin W. Pierstorf Richard Marlin Verne Mounts Jen Rodis  
Lloyd M. Parks Anne M. Feuer Charles Brading Bob Bryant Stu Beatty  


Bowl of Hygeia Award

The Bowl of Hygeia Award, sponsored by NASPA and the APhA Foundation, honors pharmacists who have contributed to the progress of their communities. The award was introduced in 1963. Nominations are accepted July through September. Criteria includes:

George M. McCann William J. Marks Richard L. Lewis Richard Yost Marialice Bennett
William C. McKinley H. Norman Dingeldein Jerome M. Cohen Joel Levitan Debra Parker
Gilbert H. Siegel, Sr. Raymond E. Walter James Staker Wayne Miller Dan Karant
Merrill J. Insley Bernard J. Kurlander Daniel Waitzman Leonard Holman Nnodum Iheme
Carl F. Thornton John A. Nees James Dorsey Bob Mabe Troy Gahm
Richard H. Brading James H. Thompson Edwin Murphy Jerry Marlowe David Burke
Joseph P. Dworkin J. Raymond Specker Larry Schieber Martin Davis James Tallman
David E. Ott George G. Murrah Gregory Krieger Jeff Allison Laura Jo Miller
Donald House Ronald Seigla Alan K. Webster Mark Dominik Karen Kier
Charles R. Brading Everett L. Daniels William Derry Mimi Hart  
John P. Cook Frank V. Aruta Paul Wherry Ken Alexander  
Robert H. Waldorf James P. Myers David Purdy Jim Liebetrau  
Ervin W. Pierstorf Wendell Cohen David Fettman Danny Bentley  


Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award

The goal of the Pharmacists Mutual Young Pharmacist of the Year Award is to encourage pharmacists beginning practice to participate in association and community activities. The award was introduced in 1988. Nominations are accepted July through September. Criteria includes:

Don Harrington Troy Gahm Jennifer Rodis Kelly Kroustos
John B. Godar Steve Burson Sonya Sebastian Brigid Groves
Steven Fettman Doc Lamberjack Jeffery Steckman Emlah Tubuo
Gregory Fox David M. Ford, Jr. Stacy Walker Kelli Barnes
Christine Ritzman Marc Sweeney Justin Friesner Lauren Castle
Thomas Ohliger Sara Bockhorn Huff Kristen Sobota Aimee O'Reilly
Michael Hoar Kristen Lamberjack Cathy Kuhn Jangus Whitner
Wayne Cohen Greg Braylock, Sr. Tim Ulbrich Cory Coffey
Eric Hals Teresa Hoffmann Chet Kaczor T'Bony Jewell

 

Upsher-Smith Excellence in Innovation Award

This award recognizes a pharmacist who has demonstrated innovative pharmacy practice resulting in improved patient care, emphasizing the very important role that pharmacy has in providing patient counseling. OPA displays recipients’ names in the OPA office. Nominations are accepted July through September. The award was introduced in 1975.

Randall Myers Kevin Gahm Allen Nichol Aaron Clark
James DiCello Brad Roseborough Kevin Fuschetto Sarah Adkins
Jeff & Sujata Potter Kristin Casper Mike Rush Sue Paul
Danny Bentley Anthony Buchta Joe Dula Alexa Valentino
Judy Ann Knapp Tara Green Stu Beatty Dustin Carneal
Debra Parker Mark Johannigman Dave Hartzell Jacquelyn Kissel
Max Peoples Kristen Lamberjack Doug Cornelius Alison Cook
Michelle McDonough Matthew Buderer Erin Thompson  

 

Keys Award

The Executive Committee is responsible for the selection of the Keys Award recipient. The award may be given to any person who has made an outstanding service contribution to OPA. There is no public call for nominations of this award. The award was introduced in 1949.

E.W. Stepfield Fred J. Cermak Roger L’Hommedieu J. Richard Wuest Marc Sweeney
Chester A. Kaliski Robert C. Russell Forrest Pack, Sr. Dominic Bartone Harles Cone
Merrill J. Insley Eugene B. Imholt Harold Klawitter Marc McQuaid Jim Turner
C.S. Stonebraker John W. Mannino  Helen Kuhn Mike McKeown Ralph Foster
W.O. Rowland Glenn E. Hotaling Suzanne Eastman Richard Marlin Mike Wascovich
Nick Avellone Dale T. Cochran Jack Statler Robert Parsons Steve Burson
James H. Merritt Max A. Myers Tom Allen Kathy Karas Karen Kier
William F. Potthoff Jack Karlin Hunter Russell Paul Wherry Dee Dee Myers
Joseph R. Sabino, Sr. Ed Briner Philip Rogers Donald Bennett Larry Schieber
Frederick G. Herbst Rupert Salisbury Kenneth Alexander Bob DuPont, Sr. Jennifer Rodis
M. Eugene Schafer James F. Halloran Phyllis Forrest Debbie Lange Antonio Ciaccia
James L. Marshall Irving S. Feuer Ernest Boyd Amy Bennett Kathy Nameth
Harold K. Emerson Rinaldo A. Brusadin Gary Rutherford Curt Black Marialice Bennett
Gilbert J. Rea Henry E. Agin Wayne Miller Joseph Sabino, Jr. Jeff Steckman
David E. Ott LeRoy D. Beltz C. Robert Blake Andrea Wall Aimee O'Reilly


Generation Rx Award

This award is presented to recognize a pharmacist who has demonstrated commitment to education and prevention efforts for prescription drug abuse and misuse in the community. Nominations are accepted July through September.

Larry Schieber Troy Gahm Micah Sobota Lauren Spoltman
Jeff Polzin Justin Friesner Joe Jeffries Ruth Emptage
Michael Milks Nick Saltsman Kelsey Schmuhl Stacey Poling
Rose M. Allen Charlie Broussard Shelly Metzger  


Good Government

This award recognizes a member of the Ohio Pharmacists Association who has made major contributions to the public through government and/or legislative service/education at the local, state or national level. This activity must have raised pharmacists’ awareness of legislative issues impacting the profession, and impacting the passage of favorable legislation for pharmacy. Nominations are accepted July through September. The award was introduced in 2003.

Tom Whiston Debbie Lange Jon Sprague Tonya Dauterman
Norm Dingeldein Eric Graf Tara Green Doug Cornelius
Kathy Karas David Burke Mark Kratzer E. Michael Murphy
C. Robert Blake Kevin Mitchell Eric Pachman Maria Coyle
Deirdre Myers John Coler Randy Myers  

 

Pharmacist Public Relations Award

This award recognizes a member pharmacist of the Ohio Pharmacists Association who has made major contributions to the public through continuous service to the community in public relations activities for the profession of pharmacy. This may be accomplished through television, radio, newsprint or community presentations on careers in pharmacy, poison prevention, medication safety, etc. Nominations are accepted July through September. The award was introduced in 2005.

Eric Hals Jarrett Bauder Steve Burson Natalie DiPietro Mager Eric Geyer
Vickie Brink Larry Galluzzo Cynthia Solomon Michelle Musser Jennifer Wick
Norb Kinross Dan Karant John Stanovich Jason Briscoe  
Chad Worz Paul White Amy Fanous Karen Kier  

 

Under 40 Award

The UNDER 40 Award Recognition Program grants young pharmacists the unique opportunity to have their professional achievements highlighted, and allows them to join the ranks of top-notch professionals from a variety of careers who have earned an UNDER 40 award. The award was introduced in 2018. Click on the Under 40 Award headline linked above to view the full story of the honorees. Under 40 nominations are accepted July until February. Criteria includes: 

2024 Jason Bester Marilee Clemons Zachary Fettman Mitchell Howard Rebecca Lahrman Brittany Long E. Michael Murphy Courtney Myers Michael Pleiman Ariel Williams
2023 Kunal Amin Andrea Brookhart Anna Gehres Linda Gutierrez Hope Hill Ashley Johnson Nira Kadakia Nicholas Newman Kelsey Schmuhl Jennifer Wick
2022 Rachel Barhorst Brenda Barnes Lauren Castle Lia Frost Kevin Fuschetto Andrea Kowalski Aimee O'Reilly Emily Vrontos Jangus Whitner Dana Wilkerson
2021 Kelli Barnes Aleda Chen Cory Coffey Emily Eddy Eric Geyer Jennifer Sabatino April Shaw Trey Tietz    
2020 Ben Aronson Paul Casebolt Justin Coby Jennifer Emerson Allison Haas Cathy Kuhn Bryce Lifer Jason Martinez Nick Saltsman Logan Yoho
2019 Stu Beatty Amy Fanous Justin Friesner Austin Hilverding Jessica Hinson Diana Issacs Kelly Reilly Kroustos Chelsey Smith Jeffrey Strouble Tim Ulbrich
2018 Brandon Craig Kevin Day Brigid Groves Melody Hartzler Michelle Musser Lindsey Peters Jen Rodis Michael Rush Ryan Schneider Kristen Sobota

 

Media Award

Awards are presented to persons in the media promoting medication safety or pharmacy issues to the public. Media award nominations are accepted July through February.

2024 Leah Alsept, The Courier

 

     
2023 Terri Sullivan, WSYX-ABC 6

Donny Sobnosky, WSYX-ABC 6

J Swygart,

Lima News

Shelby Reeves, Chillicothe Gazette  
2022 Joseph Gastaldo, MD, OhioHealth

Gary Huggenberger

Wilmington News Journal

     
2021 Amanda Fay
WTOL 11 Toldeo
Mac Cordell
Marysville Journal-Tribune
Mary Kuhlman Ohio News Connection Robert McGraw

Chillicothe Gazette
 
2020 Tim Feran
The Columbus Dispatch

Barrett Lawlis Lancaster Eagle Gazette

     
2019
Marty Schladen, The Columbus Dispatch Lucas Sullivan, The Columbus Dispatch Catherine Candisky, The Columbus Dispatch Darrel Rowland, The Columbus Dispatch Lauren Wilson, WEWS News 5 in Cleveland
2018 Monica Robins, WKYC 3 in Cleveland Joel Riley, 610-WTVN radio in Columbus Katie Wedell, the Dayton Daily News Sara Arthurs, The Courier in Findlay-Hancock County  
2017 Glenn McEntrye, WBNS 10TV Columbus Bill Adams, Senior Focus TV Michael Cooper, Springfield News-Sun    
2016 Dawn Kendrick,  WKYC in Lorain County Scott Wegener, WCPO in Cincinnati Todd Dykes, WLWT in Cincinnati Encarnita Pyle, The Columbus Dispatch  
2015 Jon Rudder, WTOV News 9 in Steubenville Barrett Brunsman, Cincinnati Business Courier Janet Podolak, The News Herald in Lake and Geauga Counties    
2014 Danielle Cotterman, WFMJ NBC in Niles Ohio Ted Hart, NBC 4 Columbus Daryl Kirkland-Morgan, ABC 13 in Toledo Mary Kuhlman, Public News Service  
2013 Loren Genson, Medina-Gazette Online Gail Hogan, Daytime Columbus, NBC 4      
2012 Marcey Goulder, 10 TV in Columbus Candice Lee, WCMH TV, NBC 4 Rose Russell, The Toledo Blade Cheryl Powell, Akron Beacon Journal  
2011 Brent Davis, WOSU Public Media Ben Sutherly, Dayton Daily News Diane Suchetka, The Cleveland Plain Dealer Kathy Lynn Gray, The Columbus Dispatch  
2010 Gabrielle Enright, WHIO-TV Dayton Fred Griffith, WKYC TV in Cleveland Justin McClelland, Dayton Daily News Suzanne Hoholik, The Columbus Dispatch  

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