2012 ICHP Awards Program
by ICHP
September 21, 2012
One of the highlights of the Annual Meeting is the Awards Program. ICHP’s most prestigious award, the ICHP Pharmacist of the Year, was awarded to Trish Wegner. Trish is the Vice President of Professional Services for ICHP. Trish started her pharmacy journey as a student at Purdue University where she received her bachelor of science in pharmacy and her doctor of pharmacy degrees. She then completed a pharmacy practice residency at Lutheran General Hospital. Prior to coming to ICHP she served as the Clinical Coordinator at Christ Hospital and Medical Center, the Assistant Director of Clinical Services at Cape Fear Medical Center in North Carolina and then Clinical Manager at Edward Hospital in Naperville. Starting with her residency, Trish got involved in almost every aspect of ICHP as a volunteer so it made sense that she eventually came to work for us in 2005. In the mid-80’s she was heavily involved in the development of ICHP’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. The success of that test and the Michigan version helped create the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, Inc. which has now certified over 450,000 pharmacy technicians nationally! For the prior six years in the 21st century, Trish served as ICHP’s appointee to PTCB’s Certification Council, the group that develops the exams, creates eligibility policy, and more. In her final year (2011) on the Council, Trish served as its President. Her interest with pharmacy technician education, training and certification continues today serving as Vice-Chairman on the PTCB Conduct Appeals Committee. Trish was the pharmacology instructor for the pharmacy technician program at South Suburban College from 1985 to 1994. She also taught pharmacology for the Christ Hospital and Edward Hospital Paramedic Training Programs. She served as a preceptor to both pharmacy students and residents throughout her career. In the 1990’s Trish shifted her involvement in ICHP to Educational Affairs becoming the Division Director in 1996-1998 for which she received the Outstanding Division Director award. From 2000-2002 she served as ICHP’s Secretary as well as NISHP President for which she received the Outstanding Affiliate Chapter award. Trish then moved into the highest office as a Presidential Officer from 2002-2005 and received the ICHP President’s Award in 2008. She is also active in ACCP, ASAE and ASHP. Trish was recognized in 2008 as a Fellow of ASHP where she now serves as Vice Chair of the Pharmacy Support Services SAG. Outside of pharmacy, Trish is active in the community with political activities and holds office in a local women’s organization. She is also active in her church serving in a leadership capacity in three different ministries.
Trish’s acceptance speech centered on the importance of mentorship and recognized the many mentors in her life. She dedicated her award to Dr. Amy Lodolce from UIC who passed away this year, stating that Amy was a shining example of how to be a mentor to students, residents and fellow colleagues.
President Chris Rivers gave out the President’s Award to Carrie Sincak. The recipient of this award is selected solely by the current President of ICHP for outstanding dedication and contributions to the Council during the President’s term of office. Carrie is Vice Chair of Acute Care and Associate Professor at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. She received the Golden Apple Award in 2009 and Teacher of the Year many times from her PS3 students. Within ICHP Carrie has served as the Director of both Marketing Affairs and Organizational Affairs, Secretary, and as a Presidential Officer from 2009-2012. She received the Outstanding Division Director Award in 2006 and the New Practitioner Leadership Award in 2005. Carrie is active on the national level as well with AACP and ASHP where she sits on the Commission on Affiliate Relations and has been an ICHP delegate to the ASHP House. She was recognized as a Fellow of ASHP this year.
The ICHP Outstanding Volunteer Award is presented by the Executive Committee to the volunteer leader of ICHP who has stepped up and made an outstanding effort and achieved accomplishments on behalf of the Council. The 2012 recipient is Jennifer Phillips, ICHP’s Director of Professional Affairs, President of NISHP and Assistant Editor of the KeePosted. Jennifer is a Drug information pharmacist at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital and Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy. Jennifer oversees the activities of the Division of Professional Affairs which this year reviewed, revised all or most of ICHP’s 31 position statements and created at least two or three new ones. The Division also created a staff development toolkit, an interview skills toolkit, and a REMS Resource toolkit. The Division, under Jennifer’s supervision, created the criteria for ICHP’s first student chapter award and selected the first recipient.
The 2012 ICHP New Practitioner Leadership Award is presented by the ICHP Board of Directors to a new practitioner who has met the following criteria:
1.) Earned his/her first pharmacy degree within the last 10 years, 2.) Encourage and support ICHP by membership, meeting attendance, and participation, 3.) Demonstrate a consistently high level of professional achievement, 4.) Has developed, is working in or is working towards the development of an innovative practice in Health-System pharmacy practice, 5.) Exhibit strong leadership qualities, and 6.) Possess a strong commitment to the advancement of the pharmacy profession.
Kristi Stice meets all these criteria. Kristi is 2006 Doctor of Pharmacy graduate of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and completed a pharmacy practice residency at Sentara Healthcare in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Kristi is currently the Clinical Development Coordinator, at Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb. She has been a member of ICHP since 2006 and a member of the New Practitioners Network for that entire time. She just completed her term as the NPN Chair. As the Chair of the New Practitioners Network she developed a strategic plan for that group that is consistent with the 2012 ICHP strategic plan. As a member of the Division of Educational Affairs, Kristi collected a list of all Illinois-based pharmacy technician training programs, both ASHP accredited and not, which has been helpful to ICHP and at the national level as the debate over the mandatory requirement for accredited education for pharmacy technicians wages on. Kristi has served as a member of ICHP’s Division on Organizational Affairs since 2009.
The ICHP Past President Award goes to Chris Rivers which recognizes her for her dedicated service to ICHP over the past year. Being President of ICHP is a serious responsibility and requires dedication, commitment and enthusiasm. Chris has been a great example to the entire membership of ICHP. She has led ICHP through another successful year and it is a privilege to thank her for what she has done as our leader. ASHP Past-President Stan Kent also presented Chris with recognition from ASHP for her efforts as affiliate president.
This year, upon recommendation from the board, the Division of Professional Affairs designed criteria for a student chapter award. The purpose of this award is to recognize a student chapter that has distinguished itself by promoting the mission of ICHP. This award has several purposes: 1.) To encourage student participation in their chapter. 2.) To focus student chapters on activities which promote the mission of ICHP. 3.) To provide opportunities for professional development among the students in the chapter. 4.) To enhance a student’s understanding of the value of professional organization and societies. 5.) To promote continued participation in professional organizations after students graduate from pharmacy school.
Several applications were submitted and the selection committee was thoroughly impressed with the quality of all of the applications. However, there was one chapter that differentiated itself from the others by virtue of the number of students participating in chapter meetings and events, the number of community service events organized, and the strong and sustained presence at ICHP events.
The first annual ICHP Student Chapter Award went to the University of Illinois at Chicago-Rockford student chapter.