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TORONTO — Former Duane Reade and Longs Drug Stores executive Frank Scorpiniti has been named chief operating officer at Katz Group Canada Ltd.
Scorpiniti brings more than 20 years of retail pharmacy experience to the post.
From December 2008 he was senior vice president of pharmacy operations at Duane Reade, where he played a key role in redesigning and repositioning the New York City chain. Before joining Duane Reade Scorpiniti was with Longs Drugs, serving first as vice president of pharmacy marketing and then as vice president of pharmacy operations.
“Frank is a strategic thinker who has a passion for the retail pharmacy industry and a proven ability to drive growth and performance within an organization,” comments Katz chief executive officer Andy Giancamilli. “He brings a lot of strengths and leadership to our business, especially in the pharmacy area.
“The addition of Frank strengthens our ranks and allows us the opportunity to go forward with a strong management team.”
Giancamilli notes that the addition of Scorpiniti to the Katz management team strengthens its top ranks and allows him and the chain’s No. 2 executive, Warren Jeffery, to focus more attention on strategic initiatives.
For example, he says, Jeffery, the company’s interim chief merchandising officer, who also became chief development officer when Scorpiniti came on board, will spend more time working on new businesses and formats, including continuing to develop Katz’ Rexall Healthy Living stores.
These stores, Giancamilli explains, are aimed at “helping Canadians live their healthiest.” So far, Katz has seven of these units in operation across Canada.
As COO, Scorpiniti will be responsible for the retail operations of Katz’ Rexall stores, and he will oversee all of the operations of stores that do business under the Drug Trading and Medicine Shoppe banners.
In helping to transition Duane Reade from a staid drug chain into what many now consider to be the epitome of urban retailing, Scorpiniti made that company’s pharmacies one of the centerpieces of their business.
As Duane Reade’s stores took on a new look and began to attract a wider range of shoppers, the chain’s pharmacies also began to prosper. Last year Scorpiniti reported that Duane Reade’s pharmacy sales had grown faster than most other retailers’ and that customer satisfaction levels were rising.
Moving to Katz, he says, offers him the chance to make an impact on an already strong company.
“Katz Group Canada is uniquely positioned in the Canadian market and one of the few companies that offers the opportunity to develop corporate, franchise, independent and specialty businesses,” Scorpiniti remarks. “The diversity of the organization and its dedication to innovation in pharmacy care offers a compelling opportunity, and I’m excited by its potential.”
