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KPhA Awards
The Kansas Pharmacists Association presents the following awards yearly at the KPhA Annual Meeting and Trade Show, which generally takes place the final weekend in September. For questions regarding awards, call 785.228.2327.
Award Recipients
Vaccinator of the Year
COVID-19's impact on all facets of life has been tremendous, and during this time, pharmacies have risen to the occasion. Among all of the regular responsibilities and in the middle of figuring out how to provide services to patients safely, at the beginning of 2021, Kansas pharmacies were at the forefront of providing new, life-saving COVID-19 vaccines at unprecedented rates. More of our friends, family, patients, and community members are alive today because of these efforts. In light of this impact, the KPhA Board of Directors decided to present a new award this year – the Kansas Vaccinator of the Year.
2021 Dared & Renee Price, owners Price Pharmacies – To date, their staff have administered 19,000 COVID-19 vaccinations through in-store vaccinations and over 60 offsite clinics.
Distinguished Young Pharmacist
Presented by Pharmacists Mutual and the Kansas New Practitioner’s Network. Selected by the KPhA Board of Directors Executive Committee.
- 2022 Julie Keeton
- 2021 Erica Wilkinson
- 2020 Nick Schulte
- 2019 Jorden Gagnebin
- 2018 Matt Morrison
- 2017 Kynan Gibson
- 2016 Lance and Sloane Freeman
- 2015 Ashley Shogren
- 2014 Jody Reel
- 2013 Emily Prohaska
- 2012 Amber Haag
- 2011 Sue Ann Kollhoff
- 2010 Robert Wenzl
- 2009 Amber and Joseph Woehl
- 2008 Taylor Gill
- 2007 Joan Kramer
- 2006 Melissa Hulse
- 2005 Brian Barnes
- 2004 Michael Coast
- 2003 Jeffrey Pierce
- 2002 Jon and Jena Brunswig
- 2001 Cesar Miller
- 2000 Suzanne Schrater
- 1999 Michael Dieker
- 1998 Greg Burger
- 1997 Mary Kate Blankenship
- 1996 Lisa Whipple
- 1995 Rene Altman
- 1994 Mary Whitley
- 1993 Eric Witmer
- 1992 David Mahanna
- 1991 Judy Hawkins
- 1990 Jeanie Brown
- 1989 Ron Ragan
- 1988 Mark Woods
- 1987 Doug Pederson
Excellence in Innovation
Presented by National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations and sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.
- 2022 Mary Beth Dameron
- 2021 Larry Davidow
- 2020 Emily Prohaska
- 2019 Dared and Renee Price
- 2018 Sandie Kueker
- 2017 Molly Aldrich
- 2016 Brett Kappelmann
- 2015 Merlin McFarland
- 2014 Amanda Applegate
- 2013 Lisa Everett
- 2012 Brian Williamson
- 2011 Glenn Harte
- 2010 Frank Weinhold
- 2009 Sam Boyajian
- 2008 Mike Conlin
- 2007 Mark Gagnon
- 2006 Kenneth Mishler
- 2005 Jeff Denton
- 2004 Steven Charles
- 2003 Jonathan & Jena Brunswig
- 2002 Carrie Lane
- 2001 Lynn Quiring
- 2000 Rusty Ryan
- 1999 Dennis Hendershot
- 1998 Maura Conry
- 1997 Patrick Parker
- 1996 Lou Greenhaw
- 1995 Bob Haneke
- 1994 Steve Smith
Bowl of Hygeia
Selected by previous KPhA Bowl of Hygeia winners.
- 2022 Randall Smith
- 2021 Doug Funk
- 2020 Mike Bellesine
- 2019 Vicki Schmidt
- 2018 Brian Caswell
- 2017 Merlin McFarland
- 2016 David Schoech
- 2015 Robert Nyquist
- 2014 Richard A. Bieber
- 2013 Leland Hansen
- 2012 Marvin E. Bredehoft
- 2011 Julie Perkins
- 2010 Steven Charles
- 2009 Joseph Brummer
- 2008 Geraldine Liebert
- 2007 Roger S. Bellas
- 2006 Sam Boyajian
- 2005 Scott Patterson
- 2004 Jim Kerr
- 2003 Stephen L. Smith
- 2002 James E. Coast
- 2001 Harley Russell
- 2000 Terry W. Kepka
- 1999 Max M. Heidrick
- 1998 John J. Witmer
- 1997 Stanley Byrne
- 1996 Kenneth Esau
- 1995 Gomer Stukesbary
- 1994 Don A. Hill
- 1993 David Butler
- 1992 Don Wheeler
- 1991 Betty J. Alderson
- 1990 Nyrle “Cy” Merriweather
- 1989 Joseph Shalinsky
- 1988 Don Greenhaw
- 1987 Alf T.H. Oleson
- 1986 Andrew Struble
- 1985 James DeGoler
- 1984 Larry Courtney
- 1983 Marie Wyckoff
- 1982 Jim Enyart
- 1981 Noel Nyman
- 1980 Alan Probst
- 1979 Kathleen Mahanna
- 1978 Clarence J. Hamm
- 1977 Robert Mahanna
- 1976 Jacob W. Miller
- 1975 Hugh T. Polson
- 1974 George L. White
- 1973 Roy C. Cheek
- 1972 Robert E. Nichols
- 1971 Paul M. Pflasterer
- 1970 Vernon D. Martin
- 1969 Roger Miller
- 1968 John W. Schrepel
- 1967 James Brock
- 1966 O.D. Harris
- 1965 G. Allen Hibbard
Pharmacist of the Year
Selected by the KPhA Board of Directors.
- 2022 Kevin Vohs
- 2021 Joe Heidrick
- 2020 Renee Price
- 2019 Lisa Gales
- 2018 Carol (Dee) Swafford
- 2017 Sandie Kueker
- 2016 Don Hill
- 2015 Jody Reel
- 2014 Brian Caswell
- 2013 Kelley Melton
- 2012 Jean Abeita
- 2011 Max Heidrick
- 2010 Harold Godwin
- 2009 Mike Coast
- 2008 Jeanine Brizendine
- 2007 Brian Caswell
- 2006 David Schoech
- 2005 Sherry Denton
- 2004 Curtis Woods
- 2003 Don Hill
- 2002 Merlin McFarland
- 2001 Dennis Hendershot
- 2000 Barbara Woods
- 1999 Jeff Denton
- 1998 Gene Hotchkiss
- 1997 B.D. Ehler
- 1996 Steve Smith
- 1995 Bob Haneke
- 1994 Ed Boyd
- 1993 P. Lou Greenhaw
- 1992 Mike Pflughoeft
- 1991 Jim Pessetto
- 1990 Galen Morris*
- 1989 Rich Bieber
- 1988 Larry Courtney
- 1987 Gary Coleman
- 1986 Jere Matchett*
- 1985 Harley Russell*
- 1984 Roger Miller
- 1983 Marily Rhudy
- 1982 Harold Godwin
- 1981 Joe Shalinsky*
- 1980 Jim Brock
- 1979 Gary Charter
- 1978 Jacob Miller, Sr.
- 1977 Sara White
Champion of Pharmacy
Selected by the KPhA Government Affairs Committee.
- 2022 Award not given
- 2021 Matt Morrison
- 2020 Rep. Jene Vickrey
- 2019 Micha Bastian
- 2018 Rep. Roger Marshall
- 2017 Steven Charles
- 2016 Greg Burger
- 2015 Michael Burns
- 2014 Robert Moser
- 2013 Peter Stern
- 2012 Lynn Jenkins
- 2011 Debra Billingsley
- 2010 Jerry Moran
- 2009 Bob & Janie Nyquist
- 2008 Nancy Boyda
- 2007 Vicki Schmidt
- 2007 Don Hill
The Bill Bays Award
Selected by the Committee on Impaired Pharmacy Practice.
- 2022 Kelly Rockers
- 2021 Award not given
- 2020 Steven Burghart
- 2019 Katie Foster
- This was previously known as the Cardinal Health Generation Rx Award
- 2018 Adam Henn
- 2017 Bobbi McGrath
- 2016 Morris Faiman
- 2015 Vicki Whitaker
- 2014 Ralph Holbrook
- 2013 Sarah Browning
- 2012 William Bays
Board Member of the Year Award
Nominated and selected by the KPhA Board of Directors.
- 2022 Tessa Schnelle
- 2021 Tessa Schnelle
- 2020 Dared Price
- 2019 Kristen Powell
- 2018 Kristen Powell
- 2017 Ashley Shogren
- 2016 Amanda Applegate
- 2015 Emily Prohaska
- 2014 Nathan Wiehl
- 2013 Michael Bellesine
- 2012 Katy Brown
- 2011 Joe Woehl
- 2010 Pat Hubbell
- 2009 Van Coble
- 2008 John Schmidt
- 2007 Jim Sterbenz
- 2007 Kim Meier
- 2006 Jeanine Brizendine
- 2006 Mike Conlin
- 2005 April Gromlovits
- 2005 Jeanine Brizendine
- 2004 Terry Kepka
- 2004 Lorraine Poell
- 2003 Award not given
- 2002 Jack Tebow
- 2002 Steven Charles
- 2001 Jeanie Brown
- 2001 Jena Brunswig
- 2000 David Pistole
- 1999 Rusty Ryan
- 1998 Sherry Denton
- 1997 Randy Sanders
- 1996 Michael Dieker
- 1995 Mary Kate Blankenship
- 1994 Mary Kate Blankenship
- 1993 Lisa Whipple
- 1992 Steve Burghart
- 1991 Carol Morgan
- 1990 John Baughman
Board of Directors Award
Nominated and selected by the KPhA Board of Directors.
- 2022 Matt Morrison
- 2021 Matt Morrison
- 2020 Sloane & Lance Freeman
- 2019 Jim Backes
- 2018 Katie Foster
- 2017 Robert Tomasu
- 2016 Amanda Applegate
- 2015 Auburn Gehle
- 2014 Jonalan Smith
- 2013 Jim Young
- 2012 John Worden
- 2011 Vicki Schmidt
- 2010 Ken Audus
- 2009 Award not given
- This was previously known as the
Board of Trustees Award - 2008 Pete Stern
- 2007 Brian Caswell
- 2006 Steve Smith
- 2005 Jerry Moran
- 2004 Sherry Denton
- 2004 Jenith Hoover
- 2003 Jere Matchett
- 2002 Dr. Jim Barnett
- 2001 Lou Greenhaw
- 2000 Patricia Maben
- 1999 Kathleen Sebelius
- 1998 Jeanie Brown
- 1997 Mary Kate Blankenship
- 1996 Kent Richardson
- 1995 Carol Morgan
- 1994 Bob Nyquist
- 1994 Janie Nyquist
- 1993 Sam Hudson
- 1992 Marian J. Williams
NCPA Leadership Award
Presented by NASPA annually to the incoming KPhA President and sponsored by NCPA.
- 2022 Dared Price
- 2021 Kristen Powell
- 2020 Nate Rockers
- 2019 Matt Morrison
- 2018 Emily Prohaska
- 2017 Jonalan Smith
- 2016 Mike Bellesine
- 2015 James Baumann
- 2014 Van Coble
- 2013 Merlin McFarland
- 2012 Douglas Funk
- 2011 Joseph Gilliland
- 2010 Nicki Kehr
- 2009 Terry Kepka
- 2008 Mary Kate Blankenship