WEST DES MOINES, Iowa  — Hy-Vee chairman, CEO and president Randy Edeker has been presented with the 2021 Legislative Champion Award by the Iowa Pharmacy Association.

Randy Edeker

Edeker was recognized for his role on Iowa’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board Public Health and Healthcare Workgroup, which was formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Edeker showed exemplary leadership displayed in championing the role of pharmacy in advancing public health and responding to the pandemic, the association said.

“Randy Edeker’s dedication and advocacy for the profession of pharmacy is greatly valued and this award recognizes that important work,” IPA executive vice president and CEO Kate Gainer said.

Hy-Vee has more than 1,000 pharmacists who are serving patients across its eight-state region in the Midwest. The company has been providing pharmacy services for more than 50 years.

“The work that our pharmacists are doing every day to serve our Iowa communities has never been more important than now,” Edeker said. “Because of the pharmacy network we have throughout Iowa, we have been able to increase COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccine distribution, while also providing the traditional pharmacy services that so many Iowans rely upon. When we allow our pharmacists to perform at the top of their license, then we can provide the best care to Iowans across all communities.”

The Legislative Champion Award was established in 2020 to recognize an IPA member who has shown exemplary service by partnering with IPA to advance the profession of pharmacy through advocacy.