Tony De Nicola, Founder and President - A pharmacist by
profession, Tony has had a long and distinguished career in the
industry. In addition to practicing retail pharmacy for twenty-five
years, he founded the United States' first group purchasing organization
owned and managed by pharmacy retailers. This group, which grew to more
than 1,000 stores during his tenure as Executive Director, became a
model for similar organizations in the U.S. and throughout the world. He
also served as COO of what was then the 12th largest wholesaler in the
U.S., prior to founding A & D Associates in 1989. During his
twelve-year tenure as President, his communications skills and industry
knowledge have helped to create a true global presence for the firm.
Michael Major, Managing Director, Europe - Born and
based in the United Kingdom, Michael's career began in the City,
London's equivalent of Wall Street. In 1982, he joined Unichem plc, then
a pharmacist-owned cooperative wholesaler, serving in a variety of
positions involving store financing and acquisitions, as well as
managing an Eastern European subsidiary of the company (based in
Russia) for five years. In 1992, Michael moved to AAH plc, Unichem's
principal competitor and became manager of their retail division, then
known as Hills Pharmacies. He saw this group through two major
acquisitions, eventually becoming Managing Director of Lloyds
Pharmacies, a 1,300-store chain in the United Kingdom, the largest of
its kind outside the United States.
Jack Furio, Senior Consultant, United States - Jack's career
began in pharmaceutical sales at Pfizer. After a five-year stint
there, he was recruited to Sudler and Hennessey, the world's largest
healthcare advertising agency, to assist in building a pharmaceutical
industry presence for that firm. Subsequent to that, Jack developed the
trade relations department for USV, a pharmaceutical manufacturer later
acquired by Revlon. Entering the wholesale drug business in 1972, Jack
was instrumental in helping to build Harris Wholesale of Cleveland,
Ohio, into the United State's largest privately-held wholesale drug
company, to more than $1 billion in sales. When the company was acquired
in 1989, Jack became a broker and distributor of OTC products to the
pharmacy trade for a number of years, then joined A & D in 1993.
Philip Derbaix, Senior Consultant, Europe - Based in Belgium,
where he was born and raised, Philip is the newest member of the A &
D team, having joined in 2000 following a five year stint at Gehe
France. Prior to that, he served as Marketing
Manager at Monsanto, based in Germany. A professional marketeer and
business development strategist, Philip has lived and worked in a number
of European countries and is fluent in five languages. At Gehe he
managed a multi-national marketing and purchasing team whose
responsibilities included developing and managing strategic
relationships for this large, pan-European wholesaler with suppliers and
distributors throughout Europe.
Steve
Wagner, Senior Consultant, United States - Steve is an experienced
marketing professional with a sixteen-year tenure in the wholesale drug
industry, having served as EVP of Sales and Marketing at Barnes
Wholesale Drug, the West Coast's largest independent regional drug
wholesaler. Concurrent with that position, he founded and developed a
nutritional products marketing company that successfully launched the
Popeye Vitamin product line. This line captured the leading position in
many large multiple retailers, pharmacies and supermarkets, by virtue of
the highly innovative marketing and advertising programs which Steve
developed on behalf of the company. During his tenure at Barnes he grew
this small, family-owned business seven-fold, to more than $200 million
in sales.
George
Savvides, Senior Consultant, Pacific Rim - A native
Australian, George has been a corporate leader in the healthcare arena
in the Pacific Rim marketplace for more than 15 years. His most recent
position was as Chief Executive of Sigma plc, one of Australia's
largest, multi-state pharmaceutical wholesalers and domestic
pharmaceutical manufacturers. Prior to that time, George served as CEO
of British Oxygen and Smith and Nephew Australia during a ten-year
period dating back to 1986. Currently, he serves as advisor to numerous
Australian healthcare companies for their domestic and offshore business
activities, and as a Director of World Vision International and other
Australian healthcare entities. His broad knowledge of both the
distribution and manufacturing segments of the industry, coupled with
his senior level corporate experience and Pacific Rim contacts make him
a valuable addition to the A&D team.
Tom
Cook, Senior Consultant, United States - Tom was born and raised in Michigan, graduating from Ferris State
University in 1967 with a B.S. in Pharmacy. He was registered to
practice during that year and remains a registered pharmacist in
Michigan to this day. After a short stint in retail pharmacy, including
ownership of his own pharmacy, Tom joined the staff of the Michigan
Pharmacists Association in Lansing. During that time, he also managed
the activities of the Michigan Pharmaceutical Service Corporation, an
early stage third party processing company owned and operated by the MPA.
In 1973, Tom joined 3PM, then a privately held company, which was
developing and marketing pharmacy management computer systems to
independent pharmacists throughout Michigan. The company grew to be one
of the market leaders in this arena, was purchased in 1985 by McKesson
and is now known as McKesson 3PM. Tom was appointed President of the
company subsequent to the McKesson acquisition and served in that role
for ten years. During that time, he met with and counseled numerous
pharmacists throughout the country about technology and their
businesses. Tom is recognized by many in pharmacy as one of the
country's foremost experts on the impact of technology and the third
party environment on retail pharmacy.
In 1995, Tom left McKesson to pursue other interests, served for some
time as President of PolyPharm Corporation, a startup company involved
in medication management, patient compliance and information services
involving high-risk patients with chronic diseases. Tom is known to
pharmacists throughout the country, has worked with them on many levels
throughout his career and has been involved in the transactional
environment on many different levels. This background provides him with
the expertise required to function in the challenging environment of
marketing today's high volume independent community pharmacies.
Marty Belitz,
Senior Consultant, Canada American born, Marty Belitz has been based in Toronto, Canada for more than
thirty years, actively involved in all aspects of the business and profession of
pharmacy and pharmaceuticals. Originally an independent pharmacy owner in New
York, Marty joined Shoppers Drug Mart in its early years, eventually accepting
responsibility for all pharmacy operations, marketing and regulatory affairs for
what grew to become the largest chain of pharmacies in Canada. Marty left
Shoppers in 2000 after the company was sold, subsequently has held professional
services and government affairs posts for a publicly held multinational
pharmaceutical manufacturer. He left that position for a full time consulting
role in early 2004. Marty is a past president of the Ontario Pharmacists'
Association, the Ontario College of Pharmacists and the National Association of
Pharmacy Regulatory authorities. In addition to his affiliation with A&D
Associates, Marty is a principal with The Marpharm Group, a Canadian-based
healthcare consulting organization.
Tony De Nicola, Founder and President - A pharmacist by
profession, Tony has had a long and distinguished career in the
industry. In addition to practicing retail pharmacy for twenty-five
years, he founded the United States' first group purchasing organization
owned and managed by pharmacy retailers. This group, which grew to more
than 1,000 stores during his tenure as Executive Director, became a
model for similar organizations in the U.S. and throughout the world. He
also served as COO of what was then the 12th largest wholesaler in the
U.S., prior to founding A & D Associates in 1989. During his
twelve-year tenure as President, his communications skills and industry
knowledge have helped to create a true global presence for the firm.
Michael Major, Managing Director, Europe - Born and
based in the United Kingdom, Michael's career began in the City,
London's equivalent of Wall Street. In 1982, he joined Unichem plc, then
a pharmacist-owned cooperative wholesaler, serving in a variety of
positions involving store financing and acquisitions, as well as
managing an Eastern European subsidiary of the company (based in
Russia) for five years. In 1992, Michael moved to AAH plc, Unichem's
principal competitor and became manager of their retail division, then
known as Hills Pharmacies. He saw this group through two major
acquisitions, eventually becoming Managing Director of Lloyds
Pharmacies, a 1,300-store chain in the United Kingdom, the largest of
its kind outside the United States. 
Jack Furio, Senior Consultant, United States - Jack's career
began in pharmaceutical sales at Pfizer. After a five-year stint
there, he was recruited to Sudler and Hennessey, the world's largest
healthcare advertising agency, to assist in building a pharmaceutical
industry presence for that firm. Subsequent to that, Jack developed the
trade relations department for USV, a pharmaceutical manufacturer later
acquired by Revlon. Entering the wholesale drug business in 1972, Jack
was instrumental in helping to build Harris Wholesale of Cleveland,
Ohio, into the United State's largest privately-held wholesale drug
company, to more than $1 billion in sales. When the company was acquired
in 1989, Jack became a broker and distributor of OTC products to the
pharmacy trade for a number of years, then joined A & D in 1993.
Philip Derbaix, Senior Consultant, Europe - Based in Belgium,
where he was born and raised, Philip is the newest member of the A &
D team, having joined in 2000 following a five year stint at Gehe
France. Prior to that, he served as Marketing
Manager at Monsanto, based in Germany. A professional marketeer and
business development strategist, Philip has lived and worked in a number
of European countries and is fluent in five languages. At Gehe he
managed a multi-national marketing and purchasing team whose
responsibilities included developing and managing strategic
relationships for this large, pan-European wholesaler with suppliers and
distributors throughout Europe.
Steve
Wagner, Senior Consultant, United States - Steve is an experienced
marketing professional with a sixteen-year tenure in the wholesale drug
industry, having served as EVP of Sales and Marketing at Barnes
Wholesale Drug, the West Coast's largest independent regional drug
wholesaler. Concurrent with that position, he founded and developed a
nutritional products marketing company that successfully launched the
Popeye Vitamin product line. This line captured the leading position in
many large multiple retailers, pharmacies and supermarkets, by virtue of
the highly innovative marketing and advertising programs which Steve
developed on behalf of the company. During his tenure at Barnes he grew
this small, family-owned business seven-fold, to more than $200 million
in sales.
George
Savvides, Senior Consultant, Pacific Rim - A native
Australian, George has been a corporate leader in the healthcare arena
in the Pacific Rim marketplace for more than 15 years. His most recent
position was as Chief Executive of Sigma plc, one of Australia's
largest, multi-state pharmaceutical wholesalers and domestic
pharmaceutical manufacturers. Prior to that time, George served as CEO
of British Oxygen and Smith and Nephew Australia during a ten-year
period dating back to 1986. Currently, he serves as advisor to numerous
Australian healthcare companies for their domestic and offshore business
activities, and as a Director of World Vision International and other
Australian healthcare entities. His broad knowledge of both the
distribution and manufacturing segments of the industry, coupled with
his senior level corporate experience and Pacific Rim contacts make him
a valuable addition to the A&D team.
Tom
Cook, Senior Consultant, United States - Tom was born and raised in Michigan, graduating from Ferris State
University in 1967 with a B.S. in Pharmacy. He was registered to
practice during that year and remains a registered pharmacist in
Michigan to this day. After a short stint in retail pharmacy, including
ownership of his own pharmacy, Tom joined the staff of the Michigan
Pharmacists Association in Lansing. During that time, he also managed
the activities of the Michigan Pharmaceutical Service Corporation, an
early stage third party processing company owned and operated by the MPA.
Marty Belitz,
Senior Consultant, Canada American born, Marty Belitz has been based in Toronto, Canada for more than
thirty years, actively involved in all aspects of the business and profession of
pharmacy and pharmaceuticals. Originally an independent pharmacy owner in New
York, Marty joined Shoppers Drug Mart in its early years, eventually accepting
responsibility for all pharmacy operations, marketing and regulatory affairs for
what grew to become the largest chain of pharmacies in Canada. Marty left
Shoppers in 2000 after the company was sold, subsequently has held professional
services and government affairs posts for a publicly held multinational
pharmaceutical manufacturer. He left that position for a full time consulting
role in early 2004. Marty is a past president of the Ontario Pharmacists'
Association, the Ontario College of Pharmacists and the National Association of
Pharmacy Regulatory authorities. In addition to his affiliation with A&D
Associates, Marty is a principal with The Marpharm Group, a Canadian-based
healthcare consulting organization.