Last week, I received an e-mail message from Bill Ellis, the head of the APhA Foundation. He pointed out the opportunity to participate in honoring Women in Pharmacy. Many of you may have received the same message. I’ll quote a bit of it below, along with the links that help you connect if you’re interested.

I was proud to be one of the early contributors to the cause, and I encourage you to do the same. My good friend Karen Reed will help you out if you contact her via the email address below. This initiative got me thinking about Sarah Haverstraw, the first female pharmacist I knew, who practiced at Phillips Pharmacy in Sistersville, WV. She was a wonderful mentor to me.

Women have played an increasingly prominent role in the evolution of pharmacy and currently impact virtually every area of the profession and continue to be an increasingly powerful force in healthcare. While we cannot recognize the numerous contributions made by each and every woman who has positively impacted the practice of pharmacy, we can collectively recognize their contributions by establishing the Conference Room within APhA Headquarters on the 6^th floor, overlooking the Lincoln Memorial.

The recently launched fundraising campaign is the first of its kind: created and run by APhA members who are all women pharmacists. This is your opportunity to recognize the female role models, mentors, trailblazers and innovators who have influenced or supported your career in pharmacy:  your professor, teacher, wife, mother, supervisor, colleague, sister, or yourself!

For more information, to donate or volunteer, please contact Women in Pharmacy Conference Room chairperson, Karen Reed, who can be reached at klr@suddenlink.net,  304-255-0766, or online at www.aphafoundation.org. The first 250 contributors who donate $1,000 or more will be named and recognized as Founders of the Women in Pharmacy Conference Room.

Time is running out to vote in the 2010 APhA election—the deadline is tomorrow at noon Eastern time. You can find biographical information and a campaign statement for each candidate on pharmacist.com.

Remember—the deadline for casting your ballot is 12:00 noon, EDT, July 17, 2010.

I was recently contacted by an editor of a magazine for association professionals who was preparing a story on association CEOs who blog. Those following this blog might be interested in my response, and I’d be interested in hearing how well these reasons match up with your motivation in following the blog. Just click on “comments” and let everyone hear from you!

Why do I blog? Let me count the ways.

APhA is a membership organization. As such, we are more relevant if we are well connected to our members. In this world of overcommunication, we no longer have the luxury of assuming that just because we prefer a particular “channel” of communication, that it is also the preferred channel for all of our members. To reach as many members as possible, and to do so on topics “in the moment,” I blog. The blog brings a level of immediacy that may get lost in print journal editorials, as those tend to be much more stiff and academic. The blog can show a side of the organization and its exec that may not be apparent in these other media or channels.

I blog because I want my members, each of them, to know that I am approachable and interested in the same things they are. If they perceive that I am not, we’ve given them a channel to express their concerns freely and without the need for letterhead.

We are also highly interested in leadership. That means that we sometimes grapple with tough questions. Having the blog allows me to throw ideas or dilemmas out to see if we strike a chord with anyone. I know, for example, that many of our members have workplace issues that might not appear to be on our radar screen. Comments on the blog and Facebook gave me some interesting feedback that we’ve been able to use to our members’ advantage.

Last Friday, APhA hosted an all-staff luncheon to recognize the service and accomplishments of those who have served the Association for 5, 10, or 15 years. The luncheon was funded by a former APhA Trustee who, during his lengthy service, maintained a strong and supportive relationship with staff, and  continues to see the value in celebrating their accomplishments.

Staff members recognized this year were as follows:

Five Years

Ryan Abel

Lori Bickel

Marcie Bough

Tammy Hoff

Doug Lobdell

Carli Richard

Ten Years

Mallery Hobbs

Fifteen Years

Kathy Anderson

Mitch Rothholz

The luncheon took place on Odyssey, an excursion boat that plies the Potomac from the DC waterfront to Georgetown. The weather and the atmosphere were perfect complements to our celebration, which included peer recognition of each honoree’s work and a few good-natured jabs as well.

I continue to be gratified by the excellence of our staff, which was largely recruited by John Gans, my predecessor. I give myself a pat on the back for having the wisdom to stay the course and continue to build on the team members already here. And I am thankful for membership growth and a diverse association that works so well with our staff, all in the best interests of pharmacy and the patients we serve.