Official Newsjournal of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists
by Scott A. Meyers, Executive Vice President
I read a lot of association management articles, newsfeeds and online community postings every week and last week one particular article caught my eye. The title “Membership Hack: Recognize Long-Term Members” caused me to stop and reflect on not only my membership in ICHP but in those long-term members who have been with me on this wonderful journey!
It didn’t take long though for me to find the buzzkill to my sentimental reminiscing. ICHP created the current membership database in 1988. Just thirty short years ago. But we’ve now been around for a whopping 55 years! And believe it or not, we still have current members who helped form ICHP those 55 years ago! Not many current members, but we do have some. Of those remaining, I suspect most are honorary members but because I was only 9 years old 55 years ago, I can’t be sure.
Sister Mary Louise Degenhart was definitely a founding member of ICHP and remains an honorary member still! I’m not sure if Ron Turnbull or Patricia Moorhatch were around back in 1963 but both were early leaders of the Council and remain honorary members today. Both left Illinois long before I got involved. But another early Council leader is Harland Lee, former director of pharmacy of Evanston Hospital, now known as Northshore University Health-System, and he did have an early impact on me as did Sister Mary Louise! Both Sister Mary Louise and Harland still keep in touch even though Sister still works but on the other side of the Mississippi at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Harland has retired far north of the Cheddar Curtain in Hazelhurst, WI.
But my memories from our 30+ year members, including many of my friendships and even some of my mentors are comprised of a large cadre from the “Boomer” generation. Past Presidents that include Bill Wuller (President in 1983), Lee Simon (86), Mary Moody (90), Steve Marx (91), Bruce Dickerhofe (92), Bob Hoy (93), Kevin Colgan (96), Andy Donnelly (97), Mike Novario (98), Ed Donnelly (00), Mike Short (02), Trish Wegner (03), Mike McEvoy (04), Mike Rajski (05), Mike Weaver (06) (yes, there are lots of Mikes in ICHP), Ann Jankiewicz (07), Avery Spunt (08), Tom Westerkamp (12), and Linda Fred (14) all have at least 30 years in with ICHP if not more! And not to diminish the time spent with those other past Presidents who have served with me as the Executive Director or Executive Vice President like Jim Dorociak, Carrie Sincak, Chris Quillian, Mike Fotis, Jen Phillips, and Charlene Hope but are just too young to have the 30 years in yet!
There are so many more, in fact there are at least 71 members that I can count who have 30 years or more membership with ICHP! Many of the remaining individuals are good friends and in many ways, my teachers, so here is the list of all the ICHP members that I can determine have 30 or more years membership. If you think you should be on this list, please let me know! The initial database system was good but not perfect!
Carol Aldred
David Bartels
Susan Berg
Karen Bertch
Tony Burda
John Chaney
Donna Clay
John Coleman
Kevin Colgan
Larry Danziger
Sr. Mary Louise Degenhart
Bruce Dickerhofe
Andrew Donnelly
Edward Donnelly
Brad Dunck
Mandy Fargotstein
Doris Faught
Linda Fred
Dennis Fruin
Barbara Galler
James Gazdziak
Carl Geberbauer
Geraldine Gilmore
Starlin Haydon-Greatting
David Hicks
Robert Hoy
Nevenka Itkonen
Ann Jankiewicz
Jan Keresztes
Jacqueline Kessler
Mark Kliethermes
Mary Ann Kliethermes
Frank Kokaisl
Leonard Kosiba
Anna Charuk Kowblansky
Richard Kruzynski
Mike Lacamera
David Lamb
Harland Lee
Barbara Limburg-Mancini
Dennis Ludwig
Jamie Marshall
Steve Marx
John McBride
W. Michael McEvoy
Scott Meyers
Miriam Mobley-Smith
Patricia Moorhatch
Michael Novario
Jerome Ochab
Mary Ochab
Diana Page
Viktoras Plenys
Michael Rajski
Don Shadensack
Michael Short
Lee Simon
Avery Spunt
Raymond Stermer
Jerry Storm
Dalia Trakis
Ronald Turnbull
Donna Voas-Marszowski
Matthew Vogel
Catherine Weaver
Michael Weaver
Trish Wegner
Alan Weinstein
Thomas Westerkamp
William Wuller
Paul Zega
Thank you to all these long-term members, colleagues and friends! ICHP is proud of members like you and those following in your footsteps! The future looks just as bright!
P.S. If I missed any other original and still current members of ICHP, by all means, send me an e-mail at scottm@ichpnet.org.
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ICHP Pharmacy Action Fund (PAC)
Officers and Board of Directors
Chicago Area Pharmacy Directors Network Dinner
3rd Thursday of Odd Months
5:30pm
Executive Committee
Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
Educational Affairs
Third Tuesday of each month at 11:00 a.m.
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Third Monday of each month at 5:00 p.m.
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Third Tuesday of each month at 8:00 a.m.
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Fourth Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m.
New Practitioner Network
Second Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m.
Technology Committee
Second Friday of each month at 8:00 a.m.
Chicago Area Pharmacy Directors Network Dinner
Bi-monthly in odd numbered months with dates to be determined. Invitation only.