Alumni Updates

Badger pharmacists are moving around, getting new jobs, expanding their families, taking trips, and even retiring. Stay in touch with your fellow UW–Madison School of Pharmacy alumni across the state and the country by checking (and sharing) class notes in each DiscoveRx digital magazine issue.

Here’s what our alumni have been up to since the Fall 2019 Class Notes. For more updates, see our full Winter 2019 DiscoveRx.

Job Updates

Jerad Simmons (BS ’14, PharmD ’18): “After completing a PGY1 residency with the University of Minnesota Medical Center-Fairview, I was able to move back to Madison and started as a clinical inpatient pharmacist with UnityPoint-Meriter.”

Ian Miller (PhD ’18): “Since graduating in 2018, I have been working as a staff data scientist in Josh Coon’s Lab at the NIH National Center for Quantitative Biology of Complex Systems (on UW–Madison’s campus). My work in Professor Coon’s lab spans a number of interesting and interdisciplinary projects, one of which may be relatable to many people: the development of a smart toilet. We just published a paper in npj Digital Medicine on a small pilot study where we integrated health data collected from smart phone applications with urine metabolomics data generated by mass spectrometers.”

Josh Rekoske (PharmD ’11): “When I started out as a pharmacy practice resident at SSM Health – St. Mary’s Hospital, I had planned for a long clinical career. In 2015, I decided to make a change and focus on administration and began working as the pharmacy operations manager. I am currently completing an MBA program from Concordia University with a focus on Health Care Administration. In early October, I was promoted to be the director of pharmacy. I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead our pharmacy department!”

Megan Coder (PharmD ’09): “Two years ago I launched the Digital Therapeutics Alliance — a non-profit trade association dedicated to defining and bringing clarity to this emerging new category of medicine. Digital therapeutics represents an area where pharmacists will play an increasingly valuable role in how patient care is accessed and delivered.”

Tony Peterangelo (PharmD ’03) joined the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board in September 2019.

Jeff Boogren (BS ’90): “Celebrating 28 years working as a clinical pharmacist at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. I also work closely with the University of Minnesota Cystic Fibrosis Center.”

Accomplishments & Awards

Ryan Crass (PharmD ’15) won the 2019 Pharmacotherapy Paper of the Year award from the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists for “Renal Dosing of Antibiotics: Are We Jumping the Gun?“

Phil Brummond (MS ’09) was elected as chair-elect for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Section of Pharmacy Practice Leaders.

James Hoffman (MS ’04) earned the 2019 Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Section of Pharmacy Practice Leaders.

Ajna Hamidovic (PharmD ’02) earned an R21 award from the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Mental Health for her proposal, “Late Luteal Phase Reactivity to Stress.”

Andrew Wilcox (PharmD ’01) was named the 2019 Pharmacist of the Year by the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin.

Lisa Holle (BS ’93, PharmD ’95) received the 2019 Fellowship of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) award at the ISOPP Symposium in October 2019.

Mike Gillard (BS ’93, PharmD ’05) has been elected as president of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin for the 2019-20 term.

Gary Matzke (BS ’73), professor emeritus in the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy in Richmond, Virginia, received the inaugural C. Edwin Webb Professional Advocacy Award at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s 40th Annual Meeting in October 2019. This award is given only when a particularly noteworthy candidate is identified who has made outstanding contributions to the visibility and value of clinical pharmacy in national policy, intraprofessional, and/or interprofessional arenas and has a record of mentoring others.

Norman Campbell (PhD ’72) was inducted in October 2019 into the University of Rhode Island (URI) College of Pharmacy Hall of Fame. He retired from URI in 2001 following 31 years of service and continues to be an emeritus professor and college ambassador.

Philip Schneider (BS ’70) earned a 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from The Ohio State University College or Pharmacy for outstanding life-long accomplishments in pharmacy, pharmaceutical sciences, or public service.
He was also The Ohio State College of Pharmacy convocation speaker for the Class of 2019 Doctoral Convocation Hooding and Awards Ceremony, and earned the 2019 Joseph A. Oddis Award for Exceptional Service to the International Pharmaceutical Federation for exceptional and distinguished service.

Marianne Ivey (BS ’67) received the 2019 David A. Zilz Leadership award from Vizient at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ Midyear Conference.

Bill Scharringhausen (BS ’56): “I was honored and humbled to have received special recognition at the recent National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) convention in San Diego. I served as President of NARD (now NCPA) in 1991-92 and was recognized for over 25 years of being chairman of the Credentials Committee and over 30 years of organizing the Sunday morning Ecumenical Worship Service at the convention. I’m happy to report I’m alive and well and ‘keeping on keeping on.'”

Personal Updates

Jeff (PharmD ’16, MS ’16) and Torie (PharmD ’16)(Grover) Engle: “We got married! Since graduating, we moved to Minneapolis for pharmacy residencies. Torie completed her PGY1 at Children’s Minnesota and now works as a pediatric clinical pharmacist at University of Minnesota Children’s Hospital. Jeff completed his PGY2 in hematology/oncology at the University of Minnesota Medical Center and is now a hematology/oncology clinical pharmacist at M Health Fairview Specialty Pharmacy and Masonic Cancer Clinic. Outside of work, we both enjoy boating, gardening, and football tailgates every fall.

Kristin Holmgren (PharmD ’08): “We welcomed twin babies, a girl and a boy, in March 2019! I then dropped from full-time to half-time at the UnityPoint Health Meriter Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy, which has been a wonderful balance of family and work life! I am also still guest lecturing for the UW–Madison School of Pharmacy.”

Peter Lloyd (BS ’92): “This year I celebrated 35 years with the Walgreen Company, 26 years as a pharmacist. In 1992, I started my pharmacist career working third shift in Milwaukee. I jumped at an opportunity to move to Rhinelander in 2004. Now I travel to stores all over the Wisconsin Northwoods as a relief pharmacist. I am fortunate to live in a place I love, in a profession I enjoy, for a good company for most of my adult life. Retirement is only a few years away.”

Bernie May (BS ’79): “After graduating from UW and interning, I completed an ASHP residency and master’s degree in Minneapolis/St. Paul and then went to work at University of North Carolina Hospitals. After working there for a few years, I spent the majority of my career working in health care electronic medical records and population health. Most recently, I won an NIH grant with a close friend doing advanced analytics to improve the detection of drug diversion in health systems. I live in Atlanta, Georgia, married into the South and have two children the youngest of which just completed college.”

Michael Minerath (BS ’75, MS ’77): “We’ve had a really good time so far. I retired as assistant chief of pharmacy for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I’ve lived here for 40 years, also served as an adjunct clinical professor of pharmacy for the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy from 1980 to 2012. My daughters are impressive professional women, working in Verona, Wisconsin, at Epic and for Steelcase in Washington, DC. We love visiting Madison and going to the Union Terrace, Rathskeller, and Babcock. The Union Sailing Club gave me my start in one of the most exciting and rewarding pastimes of my life. Go Bucky!”

Jay Bubrick (BS ’71): “I now work as a standardized patient for the School of Pharmacy at the Medical College of Wisconsin. I am very proud that I just finished my sixth season volunteering at the Hunger Task Force Farm (aka Pharm).”

Jerome (Jerry) Kern (BS ’71): “Recently relocated to Forest Grove, Oregon, near Portland, to be closer to our children and grandchildren. Both of our children ended up working in the Portland area so this was a logical decision. Having a great time in Oregon but will miss seeing our beloved Badgers live…but the winters are much milder. On, Wisconsin!”

Mary Kaye Asperheim Favaro (BS ’56): “Currently semi-retired. I work one day a week in a local clinic as a physician in the morning and as a pharmacist at the clinic pharmacy in the afternoon. I enjoy keeping both licenses active.”

Arden Thorsbakken (BS ’54): “Retired 25 years from my dental practice and wrote two children books: ‘Ozzie the Spider’ and ‘Ha Ha There’s Rainbow All Over My Face.‘”

Kenneth Salzsieder (BS ’69): “Now retired from cardiology practice and live near my son and family in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. My best friend was my classmate Ruebin Adams who has unfortunately passed.”

Philip Lutgen (BS ’68): “I am a survivor of the 1967 DOW chemical riot and could not get into the pharmacy building for a while. I owned my own drugstore until 1989, and became a manager and consultant for several pharmacies. I retired in 2012 to care for my wife and am now living in the great Northwoods of Wisconsin.”

Retirements

Steve Bartz (BS ’82): “This year I had to medically retire as an assistant professor of family medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where I served on the Admissions Committee, precepted residents and medical students, taught geriatrics, and had a clinical practice. I was able to complete my term as president of the Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians. As health allows, Tracy and I are doing some travel. We have had a longtime wish to see the Christkindlmarkts in Germany so are traveling there for this Christmas season.”

John Gloss (BS ’74): “Recently retired as hospital administrator and president from Shriners Hospitals for Children St. Louis and BJC HealthCare. I was appointed as the founding advisory board chairman for the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Pharmacy and am still involved as an advisory board member.”

Robert Hubbard (BS ’73) has retired.

Michael Milosh Marcetich (BS ’67): “I recently retired after 52 years at Jerome Drugs in Muskego and Big Bend Wisconsin. My wife, Nada, and I celebrated our 43rd anniversary in September of this year while visiting our two sons, Adam, in Alexandria Virginia, and Matthew, in Washington D.C. I still manage to keep in touch with old and new pharmacy colleagues via monthly luncheon meetings with the Milwaukee Veteran Pharmacists Association. I have the fondest memories of the years at UW–Madison and the School of Pharmacy.

Sally Ann Woock (Anderson) (BS ’54): “Just retired after 13 years as a traffic judge in Florida having gotten my law degree in 1979; kept my pharmacy license for over 50 years ‘just in case.'”

In Memoriam

Lisa Ganske (BS ’92, MS ’94) passed away in November 2019. She was the policy and compliance officer with Fairview Pharmacy Services for 25 years, and was an active volunteer and community member.

Curtis Mueller (BS ’57) passed away in October 2019. In addition to completing pharmacy school, Mueller played basketball at UW–Madison and combined both of those passions to start a business selling athletic first-aid products, Mueller Sports Medicine, which grew into a global company. Mueller was very dedicated to his profession, his community, and his family and served in the Army Medical Service Corps as a medic.

Joseph Gwidt (BS ’57) passed away in October 2019. He was an active member of the Wisconsin Pharmacy Association, Bascom Hill Society, and the School of Pharmacy’s Board of Visitors for many years. He served with the Arm Medical Service Corps and the Army Reserve and was an avid pharmacy preceptor. He and his wife, Kathleen, owned several pharmacies, including Moody Drug Store and Winkel’s Drug Store, and he was a pharmacy consultant for the Tigerton Hospital, Stockbridge Clinic, and the Homme Home for the aging.

Rueford LaVon Bork (BS ’50) passed away in November 2019. He served in the Army-Air Corps as a radar operator on B24 bombers during WWII and was a partner in the Bork and O’Neil Drugstore in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, until he retired.

Tom Leupold (BS ’68) passed away in July 2018 after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Leupold was a longtime pharmacist with Walgreens and member of the Wisconsin Pharmacists Association and National Association of Retail Druggists. He also loved volunteering with youth sports teams, golfing, and tailgating for the Badgers.