NACDS Annual 2025

Steven C. Anderson FASAE, CAE, IOM is President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), a position he assumed in 2007. He represents and is the chief spokesperson for an industry that has annual sales of more than $1 trillion, employs more than 3.2 million individuals, and works with suppliers and other partners to help meet the health, wellness, and daily needs of patients and consumers across America. Nearly all Americans (91 percent), live within five miles of a retail pharmacy.

Anderson also serves as Chairman of the NACDS Foundation, whose mission is to utilize and support education, research, and charitable involvement to help people improve their health and quality of life through an understanding of medication therapy, and the importance of taking medications appropriately.

The influential National Journal said that Anderson has a “reputation as Mr. Fix-It” throughout the country as a result of his leadership as CEO. Association Bisnow called Anderson the “turn around man.” He has “a reputation for building brand, clout, and revenue” at the three national trade associations where he has served as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Anderson was named the “2016 Trade Association CEO of the Year,” by CEO Update magazine, the most prestigious award in the association profession. The independent panel that selected him said, “If you look up ‘trade group leader’ in the dictionary, a photo of Steve Anderson will appear. In his long Washington, D.C. career, he’s checked all the boxes. Top executive, industry advocate, association community presence. In his years leading NACDS, he’s moved his group off shaky financial ground to strong fiscal footing. And against a backdrop of a sea change in health care, he’s piloted an advocacy thrust advancing the cause and profile of retail pharmacies as primary partners in neighborhood medical care.”

Anderson was also named the “Association Executive of the Year” by Association Trends magazine. Mass Market Retailers magazine has cited Anderson as one of the “50 Most Influential People” in retail for the past 14 years. Fortune Small Business magazine selected Anderson as one of its “Power 30” in America. On two occasions, Washingtonian magazine has named Anderson as a “power player” and one of the nation’s “50 Best Trade Association CEOs.” Under Anderson’s leadership, NACDS was named as one of the “Top Places to Work” by CEO Update.

Anderson served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) from 2021-2022, and Chairman of the ASAE Research Foundation from 2020-2021. In 2020, ASAE selected Anderson as a Fellow, one of the association community’s highest honors.

Anderson served three terms on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and he currently serves on the U.S. Chamber Foundation Advisory Committee. Anderson served as Chairman of the National Board of Trustees of the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management.

Former Secretary of State General Colin L. Powell named Anderson to the Board of Trustees of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, which was founded by Powell, where he served for ten years.

Before he joined NACDS, Anderson was President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Restaurant Association for eight years. Prior to that, Anderson held several management positions at the American Frozen Food Institute before becoming the national trade association’s President and Chief Executive Officer, a position he held for ten years. Before he entered the association profession, Anderson was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives from the 16th Congressional District of Illinois. Prior to his candidacy, Anderson served as a senior staff member to Congressman John B. Anderson (no relation), the Chairman of the House Republican Conference and the third ranking Republican in the House of Representatives.

Anderson is passionate and committed to education. He currently serves on the Board of Visitors of the Wake Forest University School of Business, and Elon University’s President’s Advisory Council. Anderson was the Paul E. Wise Executive in Residence at the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. He served for ten years on the Board of Trustees of Cornell College and on the Advisory Board of Cornell’s Berry Center for Economics, Business, and Public Policy. Anderson has been a visiting lecturer and speaker at Wake Forest University, Elon University, Duke University, Northwestern University, American University, Washington State University, the University of Colorado, and Ohio Northern University, among others.

Anderson achieved a Certificate from the Harvard University Kennedy School Executive Education Program in Non-Profit Leadership. As a continuous learner, he is continuing his coursework at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Anderson is a graduate of Cornell College. While studying in England during his time at Cornell, Anderson was a clerk for The Honorable William Hamling, a member of the British House of Commons. He holds the IOM designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, and the FASAE and CAE designations conferred by the American Society of Association Executives.

Anderson has been interviewed on the “NBC Nightly News,” “CBS Evening News,” “ABC World News Tonight,” “The Today Show,” C-Span, CNN, Bloomberg, Fox News Channel, and other major television and radio outlets. Anderson has been cited in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Associated Press, and other major domestic and international publications.