Associated Food Stores Promotes 3 Pharmacy Leaders
Associated Food Stores (AFS) has made several key leadership promotions in its pharmacy division: Eliseo Faz has become SVP of pharmacy, in which role he will oversee all pharmacy operations across the company; Chris Sheard is now VP of ARO pharmacy operations, spearheading AFS’ corporate store pharmacy efforts and succeeding Shawna Hanson following her retirement; and Sam Haddadin has been named VP of AFS pharmacy operations.
“These leaders bring a wealth of knowledge, vision and energy to our pharmacy team at a critical time,” noted David Rice, president and CEO of Salt Lake City-based AFS. “Our focus on pharmacy modernization is central to our broader retail strategy, and I have every confidence that Eliseo, Chris and Sam will help us build a future-ready pharmacy operation that meets the evolving needs of our guests.”
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As Rice mentioned, the executives will guide AFS’s pharmacy modernization efforts, among them rolling out new processes and exploring such innovations as central fill automation. These initiatives will aim to streamline operations, reduce the administrative burden on store-level pharmacists and ultimately foster improved patient outcomes and more personalized care.
“Chris is a trusted and experienced leader who understands the ARO store model inside and out,” said Darin Peirce, president of Associated Retail Operations (ARO), a division of AFS. “His deep operational knowledge and passion for pharmacy make him the right choice to lead this next chapter of our exciting future.”
Meanwhile, AFS EVP Justin Atwater observed of the other recently promoted leaders: “Eliseo has been instrumental in shaping our strategic direction and ensuring pharmacy remains a trusted health care resource in our communities. Sam’s promotion reflects his strong leadership and dedication to driving continuous improvement in our store-level pharmacy operations.”
According to AFS, as it continues to invest in innovation and patient-centered care, this new pharmacy leadership team is poised to build on a strong foundation and lead the department into the future.
AFS provides complete warehouse facilities and retail services to nearly 500 grocers throughout the Intermountain West. Started in 1940, when 34 retailers banded together to fight high supplier costs and chain competition, the independent retailer-owned cooperative continues to fulfill the mission of the original member owners more than 80 years later.
