Annual Meeting

The NACDS Annual Meeting is the industry’s most prestigious gathering of its most influential leaders. It is the classic “Top-to-Top” business conference, attended by industry decision makers. It will give you and your company a unique opportunity to gain new insights into today’s changing marketplace and set your course for the future.

The Annual Meeting format includes two formal business programs featuring business experts, industry panels, and renowned speakers. These sessions are followed by “strategic exchange appointments” (meetings) between retailers and associate members in the designated “strategic exchange spaces” (meeting umbrellas and bungalows), corporate village, private meeting rooms, or other designated meeting spaces located throughout the hotel.

Enhanced Security Procedures

Attendee safety is our priority for the Annual Meeting. NACDS has implemented enhanced security measures for access to The Breakers Hotel. All individuals must present a valid form of identification at the security gate entrance to The Breakers, where their Annual Meeting registration will be verified. Individuals not registered for the Annual Meeting will be denied access to The Breakers. Our goal is to ensure a secure and successful Annual Meeting for all.

Key Participants

Participation in the Annual Meeting is restricted to executives from NACDS member companies and includes Retail Chairmen, CEOs, Presidents, and Senior Vice Presidents of Marketing, Merchandising, Operations, and Pharmacy and their executive-level counterparts and decision makers from supplier companies.

About NACDS

NACDS represents traditional drug stores, supermarkets and mass merchants with pharmacies. Chains operate over 40,000 pharmacies, and NACDS’ member companies include regional chains, with a minimum of four stores, and national companies. Chains employ nearly 3 million individuals, including 155,000 pharmacists. They fill over 3 billion prescriptions yearly, and help patients use medicines correctly and safely, while offering innovative services that improve patient health and healthcare affordability. NACDS members also include more than 900 supplier partners and over 70 international members representing 21 countries.

Board of Directors

  • Steven C. Anderson, FASAE, CAE, IOM, NACDS
  • Brad Cochran, Medicine Shoppe International, Inc.
  • Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee, Inc.
  • Lynne Fruth, Fruth Pharmacy
  • Omer Gajial, Albertsons Companies
  • Rick Gates, Walgreen Co.
  • Mark Griffin, Lewis Drug
  • Kevin Host, Walmart
  • Sean Jackson, Sam's Club
  • Nimesh Jhaveri, Health Mart
  • Rick Keyes, Meijer, Inc.
  • Colleen Lindholz, The Kroger Co.
  • Robert Narveson, Thrifty White Pharmacy
  • Martin Otto, H-E-B
  • Dain Rusk, Publix Super Markets, Inc.
  • Karen Staniforth, Rite Aid Corporation
  • Sharon Sternheim, Zitomer/Thriftway Drug Corp.
  • David Warner, Kinney Drugs, Inc.
  • Michael Wysong, CARE Pharmacies Cooperative, Inc.

NACDS Honorary Board

  • David Bernauer, Walgreen Co.
  • Warren F. Bryant, Longs Drug Stores
  • Anthony N. Civello, Kerr Drug, Inc.
  • Leonard A. Genovese, Genovese Drug Stores, Inc.
  • Andrew A. Giancamilli, Snyders Drug Stores
  • Alex Gourlay, Walgreens Boots Alliance & Walgreen Co.
  • Robert W. Hannan, Thrift Drug, Inc.
  • Gerald Heller, May's Drug Stores, Inc.
  • Christopher Lane, Wakefern Food Corp./ShopRite
  • Alan B. Levin, Happy Harry's, Inc.
  • Robert D. Loeffler, H-E-B
  • David Maher, American Stores Company
  • Larry J. Merlo, CVS Caremark Corporation
  • Frank A. Newman, Eckerd Corporation
  • Mark Panzer, Alberstons Companies
  • Harvey Rosenthal, CVS
  • Thomas M. Ryan, CVS Pharmacy, Inc.
  • Mary Sammons, Rite Aid Corporation
  • John Standley, Walgreen Co.
  • Stewart Turley , Jack Eckerd Corporation
  • Gregory D. Wasson, Walgreen Co.

NACDS Board Chairs, 1934-2023

  • George H. Gales, Liggett Drug Co., 1934–1938
  • Nate S. Shapero, Cunningham Drug Stores, 1938–1941
  • Horace A. Taylor, Taylor Drug Co., 1941–1944
  • J.F. Gallaher, Gallaher Drug Co., 1944–1945
  • C.R. Walgreen, Jr., Walgreen Drug Stores, 1945–1947
  • E. Roy Albright, Albright & Wood, 1947–1949
  • Merle A. Sanders, Snyder’s Drug Stores, 1949–1951
  • Scott C. Rea, Rea & Derick, 1951–1953
  • S.J. Besthoff, Katz & Besthoff, 1953–1955
  • G.B. Burrus, Peoples Drug Stores, Inc., 1955–1957
  • Adolph Weinberger, Gray Drug Stores, Inc., 1957–1959
  • M.K. Wood, Gallaher Drug Co., 1959–1961
  • Ches B. Larsen, Cunningham Drug Stores, 1961–1963
  • Morris R. Shlensky, Katz Drug Company, 1963–1965
  • Carlyle W. Evans, Gray Drug Stores, Inc., 1965–1967
  • August F. Hook, Hook Drugs, Inc., 1967–1969
  • L.S. Skaggs, Skaggs Drug Centers, Inc., 1969–1971
  • George T. Hilden, Osco Drug, Inc., 1971–1973
  • Joseph M. Long, Longs Drug Stores, 1973–1975
  • S.H. Ashcraft, Craft’s Drug Stores, 1975–1976
  • J.A. Weinberger, Gray Drug Store, Inc., 1976–1977
  • C.R. Walgreen III, Walgreen Company, 1977–1978
  • Stewart Turley, Jack Eckerd Corporation, 1978–1979
  • Robert B. Begley, Begley Drug Company, 1979
  • Sheldon W. Fantle, Peoples Drug Stores, Inc., 1980–1981
  • Sydney J. Besthoff, III, K&B, Incorporated, 1981–1982
  • Sidney Dworkin, Revco D.S., Inc., 1982–1983
  • Henry A. Panasci, Jr., Fay’s Incorporated, 1983–1984
  • Robert M. Long, Longs Drug Stores, 1984–1985
  • James I. Harrison, Jr., Harco Drug Inc., 1985–1986
  • Alex Grass, Rite Aid Corporation, 1986–1987
  • Jack A. Robinson, Perry Drug Stores, Inc., 1987–1988
  • Stewart Turley, Jack Eckerd Corporation, 1988–1989
  • Gerald Heller, May’s Drug Stores, Inc., 1989–1990
  • Richard G. Eils, Thrifty Corporation, 1990
  • Philip E. Beekman, Hook–SupeRx, Inc., 1990–1992
  • Harvey Rosenthal, CVS, 1992–1993
  • Robert W. Hannan, Thrift Drug, Inc., 1993–1994
  • Jack Futterman, Pathmark Stores, Inc., 1994–1995
  • David L. Maher, American Stores Company, 1995–1996
  • Gerald Heller, May’s Drug Stores, Inc., 1996–1997
  • Thomas M. Ryan, CVS Pharmacy, Inc., 1997–1998
  • Leonard A. Genovese, Genovese Drug Stores, Inc., 1998–1999
  • Frank A. Newman, Eckerd Corporation, 1999–2000
  • Alan B. Levin, Happy Harry’s, Inc., 2000–2001
  • Mark E. Griffin, Lewis Drug, 2002–2003
  • Mary Sammons, Rite Aid Corporation, 2003–2005
  • Anthony N. Civello, Kerr Drug, Inc., 2005–2007
  • David W. Bernauer, Walgreen Co., 2007-2008
  • Warren F. Bryant, Longs Drug Stores, 2008
  • Andy A. Giancamilli, Snyders Drug Stores, 2008–2010
  • Larry J. Merlo, CVS Caremark Corporation, 2010–2011
  • Robert D. Loeffler, H-E-B, 2011-2012
  • Gregory D. Wasson, Walgreen Co., 2012-2013
  • Robert J. Narveson, Thrifty White Pharmacy, 2013-2014
  • John Standley, Rite Aid Corporation, 2014-2015
  • Randy Edeker, Hy-Vee, Inc., 2015-2016
  • Martin Otto, H-E-B, 2016-2017
  • Alex Gourlay, Walgreens Boots Alliance & Walgreen Co., 2017 -2018
  • Mark Panzer, Alberstons Companies, 2018-2019
  • Christopher Lane, Wakefern Food Corp./ShopRite, 2019-2020
  • Richard Ashworth, Walgreen Co., 2020
  • Rick Keyes, Meijer, Inc., 2020-2021
  • Colleen Lindholz, The Kroger Co., 2021-2022
  • Brian Nightengale, RPh, PhD, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, 2022-2023

Elevating Industry Excellence

  • April 27-30, 2024
  • The Breakers
  • Palm Beach, FL
Register for annual meeting

It is the opportunities. It is the results. It is the relationships. It is the member service. All Chain and Associate Members in good standing with NACDS are invited to register and attend the Annual Meeting.

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