Nelson Bermudez
Executive Director, Global Distribution
Amgen Inc.

Nelson Bermudez is the Executive Director of Global Distribution Operations for all commercial and clinical products at Amgen, Inc. He has more than 23 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. For the last 15 years, Bermudez has held multiple positions in operations at Amgen, including managing manufacturing sites in Puerto Rico, Ireland and the United States. In his current role, he is responsible for implementing serialization and e-pedigree capabilities for all Amgen commercial products, manufacturing sites in Puerto Rico and the Netherlands, as well as contract manufacturers in the United States, Canada and Europe. Bermudez holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico.

Ron Bone is the Senior VP Distribution Support for McKesson Pharmaceutical.  His responsibilities include leading McKesson's initiatives in Radio Frequency Identification/Electronic Product Code and supply chain security.  He also is the pharmaceutical business liaison with Corporate Government Affairs.  Ron has spent 37 years with McKesson Corp in various operations, sales and financial management positions. He is a member of the Business Steering Committee of EPCglobal and a member of the GS1 US Healthcare leadership team.  In addition, he is a member of the Industry Relations Committee for the US Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). Ron received his MBA from San Jose State University.

Mark de Bruin
Executive Vice President, Pharmacy
Rite Aid Corporation

Mark de Bruin is the Executive Vice President, Pharmacy, at Rite Aid Corporation. De Bruin’s responsibilities include pharmacy purchasing, managed care, operations, government affairs and clinical services. Earlier, de Bruin held several senior positions at American Stores Company, including General Manager, and served as Vice President of RxAmerica, a pharmacy benefits management company. From 2005-2006, he was appointed by Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt as a member of the federal Medicaid commission. He is a former Chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Policy Council. De Bruin is a graduate of the University of Utah, College of Pharmacy.

Ronald W. Buzzeo
Chief Regulatory Officer
Cegedim Dendrite Compliance Solutions Powered by BuzzeoPDMA

Ronald W. Buzzeo is Chief Regulatory Officer for Cegedim Dendrite Compliance Solutions, Powered by BuzzeoPDMA. Buzzeo advises manufacturers; distributors; chain, supermarket, clinic and long-term care pharmacies; hospitals and HMOs. Cegedim also specializes in federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and PDMA regulations, as well as state requirements. Buzzeo practiced as a pharmacist prior to beginning his law enforcement and regulatory career as a Narcotic Investigator with the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Narcotic Control. After several years, he entered federal service with the DEA. In 1991, Buzzeo established BuzzeoPDMA. Buzzeo graduated from St. John’s University, College of Pharmacy.

Mark Caverly
Chief Liaison and Policy Section
Office of Diversion Control
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

Mark Caverly is the Chief of the Liaison and Policy Section for the Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He has been employed by DEA as a Diversion Investigator for 27 years, and has been assigned to DEA offices in Miami, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts; Louisville, Kentucky; and at DEA headquarters. While at DEA headquarters, Caverly served in the International Chemical Unit, the Office of the Deputy Administrator, the Special Operations Section and the Liaison and Policy Section.

Brent A. Del Monte
Vice President, Federal Government Relations
Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO)

Brent A. Del Monte is the Vice President, Federal Government Relations for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO). In this role, he serves as the lead lobbyist for a trade association representing more than 1,100 members. Del Monte started his career in public policy by joining the staff of Senator John Warner (R-VA). Del Monte later served on the staff of Representative Tom Bliley (R-VA), where he held various positions with responsibility over healthcare issues. Del Monte served as a Counsel for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, with primary responsibility over food and drug issues. In this position, he successfully saw enactment of the Medical Device User Fee Act, the Project BioShield Act and the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act. Del Monte is a graduate of The College of William & Mary, and holds a JD from Georgetown University.

Jeffrey W. Denton
Director, Supply Chain Management
AmerisourceBergen Corporation

Jeffrey Denton is Director, Supply Chain Management in the Information Technology (IT) Portfolio Department of AmerisourceBergen Corporation. Denton ensures the business needs of the supply chain are supported by solution-driven results. Denton manages all aspects of the system development life cycle (SDLC). He works in a highly-complex technical environment, and lends his 25 years of experience at the organization to its continued success. Prior to his current role, Denton held a variety of positions, including management of contract and chargeback administration, OTC purchasing and rebate compliance. Denton currently is Co-Chair of the HDMA Business Technology Committee, and an active member of the HDMA Electronic Commerce Task Force.

Chris Doerr
Senior Manager, A/R & Credit
Cephalon, Inc.

Chris Doerr is the Senior Manager, A/R & Credit for Cephalon, Inc. Doerr’s responsibilities include managing Cephalon’s U.S. commercial accounts receivable portfolio, distribution services agreement compliance and scorecarding, as well as reverse logistics processes. Prior to joining Cephalon, he held positions of increasing responsibility within Procurement, Supply Chain Management and Finance at AmerisourceBergen. Doerr holds a BS in Finance from Albright College.

Anita T. Ducca
Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs and Healthcare Policy
Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)

Anita Ducca is the Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs and Healthcare Policy, for the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). She serves as the chief liaison and advocate on behalf of HDMA with federal regulatory agencies including FDA, DEA and CMS. She has been with the association since 2002. Prior to joining HDMA, Ducca was the Director of Regulatory Affairs for the American Red Cross Biomedical Services (ARC), where she was responsible for internal and external regulatory, compliance and health and safety. Anita also served in a regulatory advocacy capacity for the American Petroleum Institute. Earlier, she has also served on the staff of several federal regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration, the Office of Management and Budget and the Environmental Protection Agency. Ducca has a BA in Mathematics from Boston College, and a MS in Biostatistics from Georgetown University.

Bob Dufour
Senior Manager, Health Sciences Advisory Services Pharmacy Practice
Ernst & Young, LLP

Bob Dufour is Senior Manager at Ernst & Young, working in the Health Sciences Advisory Services (HSAS) Pharmacy practice. Dufour is a pharmacist with 24 years of experience at Wal-Mart. He has extensive experience working within the pharmacy industry covering a broad variety of issues, including mail order pharmacy, pharmacy operations, specialty pharmacy, PBMs, third-party contracting, manufacturer programs, professional services and government relations. Dufour currently is the President of the Arkansas Board of Pharmacy. He has received numerous awards and is recognized as a leader in the retail pharmacy industry. Dufour received his BS in Pharmacy from the School of Pharmacy, University of Louisiana at Monroe.

David L. Durkin, Esq.
Principal
Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC

David Durkin, Esq., is a Principal at Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz P.C. He has been with the firm since 1988. Durkin’s practice is concentrated in federal civil and criminal litigation and administrative proceedings, including court challenges to FDA, USDA, DEA regulatory and enforcement initiatives and International Trade Commission proceedings. Prior to joining the firm, Durkin served a two-year appointment as Law Clerk to the Honorable Jaime Pieras, Jr., United States District Judge for the District of Puerto Rico. He received his BA in Philosophy from John Carroll University, and his JD from the Catholic University of America.

David Evangelista
Senior Director, Contract Administration
McKesson Supply Solutions

David Evangelista is a Senior Director, Contract Administration, for McKesson Supply Solutions, and has been with the company for nine years. During his tenure at McKesson, he has held various management positions within McKesson’s Financial Shared Services Center. In his current role, Evangelista is responsible for McKesson’s pharmaceutical and specialty contracts, chargebacks, pricing corrections and contract audit functions. He has been instrumental in developing a contract administration process that yields greater than a 99.6% customer pricing accuracy rate. Prior to joining McKesson, he spent three years in the mortgage and investment banking industries as a licensed investment advisor. Evangelista holds a Bachelor’s League in Business Administration, and an MBA from Dallas Baptist University.       

Elizabeth A. Gallenagh
Senior Director, State Government Affairs
Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)

Elizabeth A. Gallenagh, Esq., is the Senior Director, State Government Affairs, for HDMA. She is responsible for state legislative and regulatory advocacy on behalf of HDMA member companies, primarily in the areas of pedigree, licensure and tax. Gallenagh also manages HDMA’s State Government Affairs efforts in all 50 states. Prior to joining HDMA, Gallenagh specialized in Medicare Part B reimbursement and coverage policy, provider appeals, competitive bidding, fraud and abuse investigations and federal anti-kickback law. Earlier, Gallenagh also served as Legislative Assistant to Congressman Tom Manton (D-NY). Gallenagh holds a JD from the George Mason University School of Law, and a BA from The George Washington University.

Timothy L. Garten
Vice President, Operations
McQueary Brothers Drug Co.

Tim Garten is the Vice President of Operations for McQueary Brothers Drug Co., and has been with the company for 19 years. Garten is in charge of the warehousing and distribution to the independent pharmacies in the company’s eight-state region. He has served on the HDMA Logistics Committee for four years, serving as Co-Chair in 2007 and 2008. Among other assignments, he has participated in the development of the HDMA Cold Chain Distribution Guidelines, which will be made available later this year. Garten received his BA from Missouri State University.

Steven T. Gran
Principal
Blueprint 57

Steven Gran is the Principal of Blueprint 57, specializing in integrating Lean Six Sigma into supply chain management organizations. Gran has led several transformation initiatives, resulting in lead time, inventory and total cost reductions. Gran is an instructor, project coach and advisor in the Ohio State University Executive Education and MBA Six Sigma Program. He also is an instructor at Saint Louis University Supply Chain Consortium and at Texas Christian University, Supply and Value Chain Center, M. J. Neeley School of Business. Before starting Blueprint 57, Gran held senior operational positions with Pilkington North America in its Aftermarket Glass Division. During this time, Gran achieved Master Black Belt certification. Gran holds a BA in Transportation and Logistics from The Ohio State University.

John M. Gray has served as the President and CEO of HDMA since 2004. In this role, Gray directly reports to the HDMA Board of Directors, and is responsible for overseeing all HDMA operations and activities. Prior to joining HDMA, Gray served for eight years as Food Distributor International’s (FDI) Executive Vice President and General Counsel. When FDI merged with the Food Marketing Institute, Gray became President and CEO of IFDA, which formed to represent foodservice distributors in 2003. From 1987 to 1994, Gray served as Vice President of Education and as Industry Affairs Counsel for the Grocery Manufacturers of America. Gray holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a JD from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Frank Harkins
Associate Director, Business and Financial Services
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Frank Harkins, Associate Director, Business and Financial Services, is responsible for accounts receivable, credit and collections for Boehringer- Ingelheim. Harkins joined Boehringer Ingelheim in 2002, and has more than 30 years experience in finance and credit and collections. He is an active member of the HDMA Returns Task Force. He has a BS in Business Administration, an MBA from Suffolk University and holds a Certified Credit Executive designation from the National Association of Credit Management.

Daniel G. Hernandez
Product Manager, WebSphere Information Center
IBM

Daniel G. Hernandez is the Product Manager for IBM’s WebSphere Information Center product, which includes a certified implementation of EPCIS. Prior to IBM, Hernandez has been leading companies to design and implement EPCIS-based track-and-trace solutions. His experience spans more than 50 product releases and implementations with clients, including the Department of Defense, top healthcare distributors and pharmaceutical manufacturers. He is a co-author of the Pharma Solution Guide, which describes an approach to pedigree law compliance using EPCIS, and serves as editor in the GS1 EPCIS/Pedigree Accessing Task Force.

Ronald M. Hoelzer
Director, Operations
H. D. Smith

Ronald M. Hoelzer is the Director of Operations for H. D. Smith in Springfield, IL, working in logistics, distribution and compliance. Hoelzer has more than 12 years of experience in logistics. Hoelzer is a graduate of Saint Louis University, has advanced certification in Consortium for Supply Chain Management Studies (CSCMS), is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt and also is certified in advanced Lean Six Sigma. Additionally, Hoelzer serves on an Advisory Board at Saint Louis University, John Cook School of Business, focused on building the academic program that will give an overview of the entire supply chain and the benefits from such operations. Hoelzer has an undergraduate degree in Business and currently is working towards his MBA from Kansas State University.

John G. Howells
Director, Industry Relations
Healthcare Distribution Management Association

John Howells is the Senior Director, Industry Relations, for the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). His responsibilities include Electronic Product Code (EPC) technical initiatives. Howells remains active in the development of EPC standards, and he serves as co-chair of the EPCglobal Healthcare and Life Sciences Industry Action Group, the Track and Trace Interest Group and the EPCglobal Data Exchange Joint Requirements Group. He has more than 20 years of evaluating and implementing emerging technologies in the supply chain. Howells previously worked for DuPont in a variety of industries, and for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where he was one of the first to successfully implement Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and SAP.

Steve Hudson
Accreditation Manager
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)

Robert E. Kashmer, Jr.
Vice President - Information Technology
H. D. Smith

Robert E. Kashmer, Jr.,  is the Vice President Information Technology at H. D. Smith. Kashmer joined the company in 1995 and has more than 26 years of healthcare distribution and retail drug chain experience. With Kashmer’s extensive information technology background, he was able to designate H. D. Smith as the first national distributor to install a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system that can track controlled substance pharmaceuticals within H. D. Smith distribution centers and customer sites. In addition, H. D. Smith also deployed an electronic tracking system for prescription medicine tracking in Florida, in compliance with the state’s pedigree regulations. 

Tom Kowalski
Director, Corporate Contracts and Chargebacks, Pharmaceutical Supply Chain
Cardinal Health, Inc.

Tom Kowalski is the Director of Corporate Contracts and Chargebacks with Cardinal Health, Inc. In 1992, Kowalski started his career with Whitmire Distribution, overseeing numerous distribution centers and performing a variety of warehouse operations functions, such as pick, pack, ship, morgue, receive and special handling. He also worked in front office roles, such as customer service, accounts payable, expense payables, drop ship processing and contract and chargeback administration. Kowalski received his BS in Business Management from the University of Wisconsin.

Michael F. LeBlanc
Director of Pharmacy, Sales & Business Development
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc.

Michael LeBlanc is the Director of Pharmacy, Sales and Business Development for Winn-Dixie Stores. Prior to being appointed to Director, he served as Manager of Pharmacy Business Development for Winn-Dixie. From 1998 to 2000, LeBlanc held the position of Pharmacy Corporate Training and Development; Pharmacy District Manager for Winn-Dixie, New Orleans; and Registered Pharmacist for Winn-Dixie, New Orleans. He has served for the past eight years on the FMI Pharmacy Services Committee, holding the positions of Co-Chair in 2004 and Chairperson in 2005. LeBlanc also is a member of the University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy’s National Advisory Board. LeBlanc received his BS in Pharmacy from the University of Louisiana, Monroe.

Susan McGuire Lowe
Senior Business Analyst
McKesson Corporation

Susan McGuire Lowe is a Senior Business Analyst at McKesson Corporation, working in the Contract Administration division. Lowe has been with McKesson for seven years, and she works on a variety of process improvement initiatives and enhances supplier relations. She has extensive experience working with EDI from a business perspective. Prior to joining McKesson, she worked for five years to support the oil manufacturing industry through special projects and EDI business assistance. Lowe has received awards and recognition for her effort in industry leadership advancing EDI opportunities for trading partners. She received her BA in Political Science and Economics from the University of Kentucky. 

Heather S. McCreary
Director of Contracts & Supplier Strategy
AmerisourceBergen Corporation

Heather S. McCreary, Director of Contracts & Supplier Strategy for AmerisourceBergen, has more than 16 years experience in supply chain management, purchasing, contract negotiations and operations management. Her experience in supply chain and contract administration leadership includes industries such as pharmaceuticals, financial services, construction/real estate, utilities and aerospace. McCreary leads IT integration strategies of ERP system financial and supply chain applications. In her current role, she is responsible for providing strategic direction to the Contracts & Chargebacks organization, including operational and process improvements, supplier management strategies, performance measures and successful customer outcomes. McCreary holds a BA in Economics from Millersville University, and an MBA from Eastern University. 

Sammie Jo McCune
Contract and Chargeback Administrator
McQueary Bros. Drug Co.

Sammie Jo McCune is the Contract and Chargeback Administrator for McQueary Brothers Drug Company. McQueary is a regional distributor serving independent retail pharmacies in eight states. McCune has been with McQueary for seven years, bringing previous knowledge from the office supply wholesale market. She has improved many of the internal contract loading processes, and is solely responsible for the Chargeback Department. She has served on the HDMA Contracts and Chargebacks Working Group. McCune received a BS in Business Administration and Management from Evangel University.

Russell McGarrity
Group Manager, Global Business Services
Procter & Gamble

Russel McGarrity is a Group Manager, Global Business Services, with Procter & Gamble, focusing primarily on the pharmaceuticals business. With more than 19 years experience, McGarrity has implemented SAP at every pharmaceutical site for Procter & Gamble, as well as numerous EDI transaction sets focused on customer orders, customer invoicing, returns processing, distributor fee-for-service/inventory management agreements and the Advance Ship Notice (ASN) for the U.S. business. McGarrity was involved in the company’s original RFID pilot, and participated in the EPCglobal/GS1 working groups for RFID and e-pedigree. McGarrity is responsible for the implementation of the California e-pedigree system for Procter & Gamble. McGarrity holds a BS in Computer Information Systems from the State University of New York.

James F. Meehan
Vice President
Sales, Marketing & Distribution
Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Jim Meehan has served as Vice President of Sales, Marketing & Distribution with Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals at their Jacksonville, Florida facility for the past seven years. Meehan has been in the pharmaceutical industry since 1970. From 1970 to 1988, he was employed by Lawrence pharmaceuticals/Foxmeyer Drug as VP/Division Manager. Prior to this, he was VP Sales at Kendall Drug Co. He then was President of HMS Sales & Marketing, which operated under contract agreements with major pharmaceutical companies in setting up generic distribution divisions. Meehan’s background includes data processing, financial reporting, distribution operations and sales management.

Jason R. Money
Director of Government Affairs
Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA)

Jason R. Money currently is the Director of Government Affairs for the Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA); a position he has held since January 2007. In this capacity, Money has developed key working relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staff and industry representatives on issues such as generic biologics and patent reform. Prior to working for GPhA, Money served a Legislative Assistant for Senator George Allen (R-VA). He was responsible for healthcare, retirement and banking issues. Preceding his Senate service, Money was a Research Analyst for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) where he performed research for various Senate races during the 2002 cycle, which aided in the recapturing of the majority. Money is a graduate of St. John Fisher College.

Erin Mullen, RPh, PhD
Assistant Vice President, Rx Response
Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers Association (PhRMA)

Erin Mullen, RPh, PhD, is Assistant Vice President, Rx Response, for the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA). She is responsible for leading Rx Response, an emergency preparedness coalition comprised of the entire healthcare supply chain––manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and hospitals. Prior to this position, she was a Clinical Assistant Professor with the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, and a Clinical Preceptor with Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy. In 2006, she became the first Public Health Preparedness Pharmacist for the Florida Department of Health, bringing her experience as a field responder and clinical care provider to better plan for public health response issues. Mullen received her BS in Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from University of Miami.

Ted Ng
Director, BTS Architecture and Strategy Group
McKesson Corporation

Ted Ng is Director, BTS Architecture and Strategy Group for McKesson Corporation. He has more than 31 years experience in information technology, and 26 years at McKesson Corporation. Ng specializes in IT applications development, applications design, systems analysis and database management. In his current position, he performs impact analysis of pedigree requirements and RFID to distribution systems. He is an active contributor to GS1 Healthcare US standards groups. Ng received his BS in Mathematics & Computer Science from California Polytechnical University, and his MA in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco.

Joseph Perri
Regional Director-East Region, Finance
AmerisourceBergen Corporation

Joseph Perri,CPA, is the Regional Director of Finance-East Region for AmerisourceBergen Corporation. Perri came to AmerisourceBergen in 1998 as an Accounting Manager, and in 2002 was promoted to Regional Director of Finance. His previous work has been in public accounting. He currently is the Chair of the HDMA Benchmarking Committee. Perri holds a B.A. from Villanova University, and is licensed to practice public accounting in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Ann Peterka is Director, Employee Health Services at Hoffmann-La Roche. She has been with the company for 17 years. In her current position, Peterka was instrumental in the development of the corporate pandemic preparedness plan, and was the primary architect of Roche’s employee protection program. She has worked with many corporations, business groups and local governments to provide insights on pandemic planning. Peterka has also been featured in a number of trade journals highlighting pandemic preparedness. She received her MD from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine, and an MA in Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Dr. Pisano is the Harry E. Figgie Jr. Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. Since joining the Harvard faculty in 1988, he has taught both MBA- and executive-level courses on technology and operations management, operations strategy, competitive strategy, product development, the management of innovation and healthcare. He is a widely-published author with more than 25 research papers in journals, such as Management Science, Administrative Science Quarterly and Harvard Business Review. Dr. Pisano has served as an advisor to senior managers at many companies, assisting them in creating business and operating strategies and in improving product development performance. He holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BA in Economics from Yale University.

Chris Quinn
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
GENCO Pharmaceutical Services

Chris Quinn is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GENCO Pharmaceutical Services (GPS, formerly Capital Returns). Quinn’s responsibilities include business development, account management, strategic initiatives and participation in industry organizations. Prior to this position, he was the Director of Manufacturer Services with GPS. Quinn has been instrumental in GPS’ growth and service offerings since joining in 2000, and he has been involved in pharmaceutical logistics since 1992. Quinn has designed numerous dedicated return programs with many of the top manufacturers, retailers, distributors and PBMs. Prior to GPS, Quinn held several senior positions at The Ballantine Group (One Box Return™) and Universal Solutions. Quinn holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

John J. Roberts
Director, Healthcare, BCEC
GS1 US

John Roberts is the Director, Healthcare, BCEC, with GS1 US. He has extensive experience in inventory management, e-business, financial and resource planning, systems design and development and product and process identification. Most recently, Roberts was the Program Manager for the GLN Registry for Healthcare®. Prior to the GLN Registry, he pioneered the adoption of DataBar, formerly known as Reduced Space Symbology and the Composite Component in USA Healthcare. He also was one of the founders of the GS1 Healthcare Users Group (HUG). Prior to his employment with GS1 US, he retired from the US Department of Defense after 26 years of service. Roberts was inducted into the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Personal Support Center Hall of Fame in 2001 for his contributions to improving supply chain efficiencies in global military medicine. Roberts has a JD from Widener University.

Isaac K. Rogers
Director, Organizational Development
Smith Drug Company

Isaac Rogers is the Director of Organization Development for Smith Drug Company, leading the Human Resource team. Most of his time is directed to company improvement initiatives involving software, automated equipment and building expansions. Rogers led the Smith Drug Emergency Response Team during Hurricane Katrina. He currently chairs the Emergency Planning Committee for Smith Drug Company, is a member of the HDMA Emergency Preparedness Working Group and participates in the Rx Response industry initiative. Rogers has been in the pharmaceutical industry for 10 years, and is a graduate of the University of Tennessee.

Lauded as “the Dr. Phil of American Politics” by The Washingtonian, Larry Sabato, PhD, was named the most accurate prognosticator of 2006 by FOX News, MSNBC, CNBC and Pew’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. The author of more than 20 books and countless essays on politics, Dr. Sabato also has served on many national and state commissions, and is the recipient of more than two dozen major scholarships, grants and academic awards. He is a chaired Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia and Director of the UVA Center for Politics, founded in 1998 to improve civic education and the political process. His latest book, A More Perfect Constitution: 23 Proposals to Revitalize Our Constitution and Make America a Fairer Country, was released in 2007. He also started “Sabato’s Crystal Ball,” a Web site dedicated to the analysis and prediction of the upcoming Governor, House, Senate and Presidential races.

Rebecca M. Shanahan
President
Shanahan Capital Ventures

Rebecca M. Shanahan, Esq., is the President of Shanahan Capital Ventures (SCV), a resource for companies in the health services and pharmacy industries. SCV supports entrepreneurial start-up, small and mid-cap healthcare companies and private equity firms seeking executive coaching, interim executive services, strategic planning, analysis and positioning for “next tier” financing, sale and/or strategic growth. Prior to SCV, Shanahan served as Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Priority Healthcare, as Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Aetna Specialty Pharmacy and participated in the positioning of OTN for sale in 2007 to McKesson. She currently serves on the Boards of Sanovia and Oncomed. Shanahan received her JD from Indiana University School of Law—Bloomington.

Larri Short
Partner, Health Law Group
Arent Fox, PLLC

Larri Short, Esq., is a Partner in the Health Law Group at Arent Fox, PLLC. Short focuses on healthcare regulatory matters, including Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement; Medicaid and state supplemental drug rebate programs; PHS and VA pricing; fraud and abuse; and sales, marketing and clinical trial compliance issues. Short has represented healthcare provider and pharmaceutical clients in qui tam actions filed under federal and state False Claims Acts, and is involved in the defense of pharmaceutical clients. Short holds a BS from the University of Michigan, an MA from Duke University and a JD from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Joe Trauger
Senior Director, State Government Affairs
Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA)

Joe Trauger is the Senior Director, State Government Affairs, for the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). He brings to HDMA a combined 10 years of experience from both the United States Senate and House of Representatives. He currently is responsible for the development of HDMA's legislative strategies and political involvement. Before joining HDMA, Trauger was a Senior Vice President at the Federalist Group, a lobbying and consulting firm. He ended his work on the Hill as Senior Policy Advisor to House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO). While with the Whip, he played a significant role in securing passage of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003. Trauger holds a BA from Minnesota State University-Mankato.

Tony Welder
Owner
Dakota Pharmacy

Tony Welder, RPh, owns Dakota Pharmacy and four other pharmacies in the Bismarck, ND, area. Welder has been involved in many pharmacy associations on the local, state and national levels. He serves as treasurer of the PACE Alliance buying group, and is on the advisory boards for a pharmaceutical manufacturer and a compounding supply company. He is past President of the North Dakota Pharmacy Association and the National Community Pharmacists Association. His awards include the North Dakota Small Business Person of the Year and the Bowl of Hygeia. Welder received his pharmacy degree from the North Dakota State University College of Pharmacy.

Bob Weston
Rx Customer Service & Logistics Manager
Procter & Gamble

Bob Weston is the Rx Customer Service/Logistics Manager for Procter & Gamble. Weston is responsible for managing warehousing, fulfillment, returns and transportation operations. Weston is a member of HDMA’s Logistics Operations Committee and has participated in several of the Association’s special projects. Weston has 33 years of experience in the healthcare industry in various disciplines, including manufacturing, human resources, initiatives management, operations planning and distribution.

Ronald S. Yakubison
Associate Director, Packaging Facilities & Equipment Technology
Merck & Co, Inc.

Ronald Yakubison is an Associate Director, Packaging Facilities & Equipment Technology, for Merck & Co., Inc. Yakubison has 16 years of experience in pharmaceutical packaging at Merck.  He has been supporting anti-counterfeiting packaging-related projects, and leads Merck's mass serialization pilot efforts. Yakubison currently is leading the GS1 Healthcare US Data Alignment Task Force within the Pedigree/EPCIS Assessment Subgroup. Yakubison has a BS in Packaging from Michigan State University.

Heather Zenk
Director, Integrated Solutions
AmerisourceBergen Corporation

Heather Zenk, PharmD, is the Director of Integrated Solutions at AmerisourceBergen Corporation. Zenk is responsible for developing and implementing track-and-trace business processes and technology that will enhance patient safety, further secure the healthcare supply chain and create broader service offerings to manufacturer partners and AmerisourceBergen customers. Prior to joining AmerisourceBergen Corporation, Zenk was employed by the Walgreen Company. Zenk has nine years of pharmacy, procurement and supply chain experience. She is licensed to practice pharmacy in Minnesota and Illinois.