NACDS — Pharmacy

NACDS Retail Advisory Board Market Immersion charts vision for future of retail health

The immersive event centered on topics including artificial intelligence, organized retail crime, reimbursement reform, real estate trends, retail media networks, innovation in retail and the state of wellness in the United States.

, and CDR

October 15, 2024 . 3:00 PM

2 min read

*NACDS Retail Advisory Board Chair* **Lisa Paley***, president, North America, Haleon, and* **Tim Wentworth***, chief executive officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance, at the NACDS Retail Advisory Board Market Immersion in Chicago.*

ARLINGTON, Va. — From September 23-25, more than 70 NACDS-member retailers and suppliers convened in Chicago, IL, for the NACDS Retail Advisory Board Market Immersion. NACDS officers — including NACDS Chair Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy, Walmart; NACDS Vice Chair Rick Gates, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer, Walgreen Co.; NACDS Treasurer Dave Warner, president and chief executive officer, KPH Healthcare Services, Inc.; and NACDS Past Chair Mike Wysong, chief executive officer, CARE Pharmacies — were in attendance.

Robust programming featured presentations by the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul; Kenya Merritt, Chicago Deputy Mayor of Business, Neighborhood and Economic Development; Tim Wentworth, chief executive officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance; NACDS Vice Chair Rick Gates, senior vice president and chief pharmacy officer, Walgreen Co.; Tracey Brown, executive vice president and president, Walgreens retail and chief customer officer; Abi Subramanian, group vice president, customer marketing, loyalty and Walgreens advertising group; and Lisa Paley, president, North America, Haleon; as well as speakers from NielsenIQ, Circana, Accenture and Jones Lang LaSalle.

The timely discussions centered on topics including artificial intelligence, organized retail crime, reimbursement reform, real estate trends, retail media networks, innovation in retail and the state of wellness in the United States.

**David Brown***, managing director, Accenture Song (left), and* **Andy Kaufmann***, senior vice president of sales, The Stable, Part of Accenture Song (right), host an immersive event at Accenture’s Chicago Innovation Hub on the future of AI and Gen AI in retail*.

Additionally, Chicago Market Immersion attendees had the opportunity to visit with Accenture for a tour of the Gen AI Innovation Center and the Kearney PERLab — where they learned more about the power of design and redesign to enhance product lifecycle.

The event concluded on World Pharmacists Day, with a panel of 12 pharmacy students from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy discussing the future of the profession.

RAB-Group — **John Colaizzi**, vice president of pharmacy practice, Walgreen Co.; NACDS President and CEO **Steven C. Anderson**; **Glen T. Schumock**, dean, University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy; **Rina Shah**, senior vice president, pharmacy growth, Walgreen Co.; **Catie Stimmel**, vice president, chief controlled substance and patient safety officer, Walgreen Co.; and **Todd Huseby**, partner, Americas Consumer Healthcare Lead, Kearney; celebrated World Pharmacists Day with pharmacy students from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Pharmacy.

The NACDS Retail Advisory Board’s mission is to advise and deliver recommendations to the NACDS Board of Directors and NACDS staff team on timely industry issues affecting the broad NACDS membership, thereby promoting changes and enhancements that increase the value and relevance of NACDS to its members.