ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 16, 2023) – William Letendre of Cornelius, N.C. and Naples, Fla., was awarded the 2023 John W. Dargavel Medal by the National Community Pharmacists Association Foundation as part of NCPA’s Annual Convention, which was held Oct. 14-17 in Orlando.
The McKesson Corporation sponsors the annual award that honors an individual whose contributions on behalf of independent pharmacy embody the spirit of leadership and accomplishment personified by John W. Dargavel, who was executive secretary of the National Association of Retail Druggists, now NCPA, from 1933-1961. In fact, the NCPA Foundation was established in 1953 to honor Dargavel.
Letendre received his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, his Master of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Texas at Austin, and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Early in his career, he owned and operated six community pharmacies, two home infusion pharmacies, and a home care supply company located in the state of New Hampshire. He has held appointments as adjunct professor at several colleges of pharmacy in the United States during his career and has been honored as a Fellow in the American College of Apothecaries, the American Pharmacists Association, and the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding. Letendre is the recipient of the American Pharmacists Association Distinguished Achievement Award in Specialized Pharmaceutical Services and the Texas Pharmacy Association Pharmacist of the Year, and has also received NCPA’s Outstanding Faculty Liaison Award.
He is a past president of the American College of Apothecaries, the New Hampshire Pharmacists Association and the Texas Pharmacy Association, and recently completed his third term on the Board of Commissioners for the Accreditation Commission of Health Care, where he serves as the treasurer of the organization. Letendre also served as president of the Sanibel-Captiva (Florida) Rotary Club for two terms (1987-1988 and 2021-2022).
Letendre retired in 2022 as vice president of pharmacy management services for the Professional Compounding Centers of America, Inc., in Houston, Texas. He and his wife, Lise, recently celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary. They have three sons and four grandchildren.
###
The NCPA Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established in 1953 to honor the previous incarnation of NCPA, the National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD) Executive Secretary John W. Dargavel. Contributions to the foundation are tax-deductible as charitable donations to the extent permitted under federal tax law. The NCPA Foundation improves community-based health care access by supporting efforts that promote the sustainability and growth of independent community pharmacists, the most accessible health care provider, through scholarships, grants, and ownership development. For more information, go to www.ncpafoundation.org.
