ARLINGTON, Va.— NACDS on Monday presented the 2021 Harold W. Pratt Award – its high honor commemorating service to pharmacy – during the Business Program this morning at the virtual 2021 NACDS Annual Meeting. In a unique twist that reflects the nature of the past year, NACDS bestowed the award – collectively – on the teams of each and every NACDS chain and associate member company rather than on one individual.

“Right along with other healthcare heroes and essential workers, they are serving the public at a crucial time,” NACDS President and CEO Steven Anderson said. “And they are showing the value of this industry and of this profession. In the spirit of Harold W. Pratt, they have pioneered, they have persevered, the have led, they have inspired, and they are the face of neighborhood healthcare and the face of health and wellness.”

The Harold W. Pratt Award was established in 1985 by the NACDS Board of Directors and recognizes individuals whose activities have contributed to the promotion, recognition and improvement of the practice of pharmacy in the chain pharmacy setting.

Harold W. Pratt – for whom the award is named – dedicated himself to many years of service at Walgreens and was the industry’s first director of professional services. Over the course of his 43 years of service to Walgreens, Pratt came to be recognized as the “dean” of pharmacy professionals. He was a pioneer for the industry who worked tirelessly to grow and promote pharmacy operations.