2015 Rising Star of the Year Finalists

2015 Rising Star of the Year Finalists

Pharmacy Manager, Walmart

Baltimore, MD

Kelechi Aguwa, PharmD, manages the Wal-Mart Pharmacy in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the first African American to win the APhA National Individual Practitioner Award. In his market, he leads all pharmacists in expanded vaccinations. Kelechi has quickly established relationships with senior centers in Baltimore, and after 2.5 years of practice, he is approaching 1000 dispensed vaccinations.

Greatest Achievements

Recognition as the American Pharmacist Association National Immunization Champion and Next-Generation Pharmacist^TM finalist.

Source of Inspiration

The rosary and my grandfather Elder Nwoka Mecha Eche. The parables from the rosary inspire me to serve my customers with humility and passion. My late grandfather Elder Nwoke Mecha Eche taught me the stern lesson that everything flows from hard work and to fashion myself into a blessing.

Personal Philosophy

Smile. The harder the tribulation, the greater the reward.

Vision for Pharmacy

Pharmacists are leaders at implementing plans that help reduce health disparities among the underserved population.

Patient Care Pharmacist, Palmetto Primary Care LLC

North Charleston, SC

Paul Fleming, PharmD, is a patient care pharmacist with Palmetto Primary Care Physicians LLC, in North Charleston, South Carolina. “Through his commitment to improved patient care and ability to build collaborative relationships, he was successful in developing and sustaining a viable business model for pharmacists in team-based care delivery,” his nominator wrote.

Greatest Achievements

I was recently honored with the 2015 South Carolina Pharmacy Association Excellence in Innovation Award for my work as part of a pilot project to develop sustainable billing models.

Source of Inspiration

My fellow pharmacists inspire me daily. Their commitment to promoting our profession and talent for providing outstanding patient care motivate me to continually hone my skills as a patient care provider.

Personal Philosophy

Lead by example. Hard work, forward thinking, and outspoken advocacy on my part will advance the profession.

Vision for Pharmacy

Through leadership, activism, and a dedication to patient care, pharmacists will be recognized and compensated for the quality care they deliver and the outcomes they improve.

Director of Commercial Contracting, Walmart

Bentonville, AR

Evan Schnur, PharmD, is the director of commercial contracting for Walmart’s Health & Wellness division. He focuses on managing relationships between the retailer’s pharmacies and a myriad of health care payers. “Evan has consistently focused on being abreast of the latest trends in pharmacy and health care,” his nominator wrote.

Greatest Achievements

Every day, I’m privileged to work with an incredible group of people at Walmart and across the community pharmacy industry.

Source of Inspiration

I’ve been fortunate to have many role models that have supported me throughout my career. Their achievements and wisdom provide great motivation as I expand my own knowledge.

Personal Philosophy

Nothing sums it up better than this quote from Sam Walton: “High expectations are the key to everything.”

Vision for Pharmacy

With the expanding scope of services being offered by pharmacists, pharmacy has an opportunity to be an expanded player in the growing landscape of provider collaboration aimed at improving quality and lowering costs.