The Friend of Pharmacy Award recognizes a non-pharmacist that has supported, facilitated, or advocated for pharmacists’ or pharmacy. Individuals could include a coalition leader, community leader, policy maker, physician, public health official, reporter, etc. Nominate someone here!
2026 Friend of Pharmacy Award: Jeff Hochberg
Jeff Hochberg is the owner and executive of the Smilin Steve Pharmacy Group, an independently owed group of four retail pharmacies and one long-term-care pharmacy. He is also the president of the Vermont Retail Druggists group, an association of independent pharmacy owners. He has long been an advocate for the profession of pharmacy at local, state, and national levels through community actions, political efforts, and legal challenges to large corporations that infringe on the ability of pharmacies and pharmacists to better serve their patients viably. Jeff is a frequent face in the Vermont State House providing testimony and increasing the presence of our profession in those halls. Notably, he has long strived to expand the profession’s clinical work. Jeff is always ready to be the David who will go to slew Goliath.
Jeff pictured with his wife, Jill and daughters
2024 Friend of Pharmacy Award: Dr. Susan Blish
| Congratulations to Dr. Susan Blish - our 2024 recipient of the Friend of Pharmacy Award! Dr. Blish works at Rutland Regional Medical Center where she chaired the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee. Her nominator wrote "She championed policies that allowed pharmacists to practice at the top of their license to improve patient care at the hospital. She frequently seeks out the advice of the pharmacists on staff to optimize medication regimens for her patients and places a lot of trust in their expertise. She often expresses gratitude in her progress notes for the pharmacists and gives them credit for their contributions to the patient care plan. Dr. Blish is one of the most thoughtful healthcare providers I have ever worked with. Throughout Dr. Blish's career at RRMC, she has taken a personalized and caring approach that emphasizes her belief that there is more to all of us than just our role in the hospital as a pharmacist or as a patient." Congratulations, Dr. Blish! |
2022 Friend of Pharmacy Award: Governor Phil Scott
| On February 16, 2022, we were honored to present the Friend of Pharmacy Award to Governor Phil Scott and discuss the impact pharmacists have had during the pandemic as well as the work that they continue to do for their communities. Thank you Governor for listening and supporting us as one of many healthcare partners that have been a part of the COVID response. |
2021 Friend of Pharmacy Award: Dr. Mark Levine
Congratulations to Dr. Mark Levine - the recipient of the 2021 Friend of Pharmacy Award! His nominator wrote: "Dr. Levine, Vermont Health Commissioner, has been the face of Healthcare Professional treatment of COVID-19 in Vermont for over 18 months. His public leadership has been based on solid clinical and scientific evidence, rather than political winds. During that time, pharmacists have been able to practice at a higher level. Dr. Levine has helped raised the bar for the profession of pharmacy in Vermont." Thank you for all you do for Vermonters, Dr. Levine! |