UH College of Pharmacy's Mading Society welcomed 15 generous supporters into its ranks at the society's annual induction ceremony in February. The 2009 inductees are: Brookshire Brothers Pharmacy, Johnnie Fadal Jr., R.Ph. ('60) and Carole Fadal; Alton Kanak, R.Ph. ('69) and Sandra Kanak; Kenneth R. Korthauer, R.Ph. ('66) and Patricia Korthauer; Sze Wah Johnny Lau, Ph.D. ('92); Thomas L. Lemke, Ph.D., and Patricia Lemke;Catherine Fischer Neill, R.Ph. (’79), and William Neill; Carrie M. Sacky ('80); Michael J. Smith; and the Tarrant County Pharmacy Association. Established in 1997, the college's Mading Society recognizes individual donors who have made lifetime gifts or bequests of $10,000 or more and corporations or foundations that have contributed $25,000 or more in cumulative gifts.  

The newest members of the Mading Society include (front row) Carrie M. Sacky, Patricia Korthauer, Sandra Kanak, Patricia Lemke, Diana S-L. Chow and Catherine Neill; and (back row) Michael J. Smith, Kenneth Korthauer, Brookshire Brothers Pharmacy representative Ken Breda, Thomas L. Lemke and Brookshire Brothers Pharmacy representative Keith Moseley.

UH College of Pharmacy alumna Carrie M. Sacky, R.Ph. ('80), currently serving as Vice President of the Texas Pharmacy Association, has been nominated for 2009-10 TPA President-Elect. A pharmacist for CVS/pharmacy in Mesquite, Texas, outside of Dallas, Sacky received TPA's 2007 Pharmacy Enhancement Award for promoting a positive image in TV, radio and billboard ads highlighting success stories from the community college district she attended before UH. In addition to her current role in TPA, Sacky has served as Chair of the House of Delegates and as a director on the board of the Texas Pharmacy Foundation. Sacky's daughter, third-year UH pharmacy student Stacie Sacky-Dacus, is serving as the statewide Student Representative to the TPA Board, which may be the first time in TPA history - but definitely the first in UH history - that a mother-daughter duo has served on the board during the same term.

UH College of Pharmacy student Ann Marie Prazak, M.S., who will graduate from the Pharm.D. program in May, has earned yet another award to her growing list of honors: the Gulf Coast Society of Health-System Pharmacists' 2009 Outstanding Student Award. In other GCSHP news, UHCOP alumnus Andrew P. “Andy” Laegeler, Pharm.D. ('08), was elected Director on the GCSHP board. Laegeler, who is currently in a pharmacy practice residency at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston, will receive the 2009 TSHP Leo F. Godley Resident/Fellow Award at the TSHP Annual Seminar in Austin next month.

Dean Mustafa F. Lokhandwala, Ph.D., traveled to Longview, Texas, in February to meet with more than 30 alumni, friends and even a few prospective students of the college. Hosted by Pat Downing, R.Ph. ('70), and his wife, Jan Downing, and Michael J. Smith and his wife, Mary Bob Smith, the “Meet the Dean” Reception was held in Downing's Med-Shop Total Care Pharmacy. Lokhandwala reported on various recent activities and projects at the college, including the current dean search, and generous alumni and friends raised $7,500 for the Dean's Advisory Council scholarship endowment and $2,500 in student support gifts.  For more information on the Dean’s Advisory Council Scholarship, please contact Sara Tovar at 713-743-0823 or sotovar@uh.edu.

Dean Lokhandwala received a warm welcome from Downing family members, from left, Dee Downing, R.Ph. ('94), Jan Downing, Jenny (Downing) Yoakum, R.Ph. ('97) and Pat Downing, R.Ph. ('70 ).

Michael J. Smith and Mary Bob Smith co-hosted the reception with Pat and Jan Downing.

The UH Pharmacy Alumni & Friends Scholarship Golf Tournament is gearing up for its milestone 30th year of providing financial assistance to professional pharmacy students. Sponsorships are available at the following levels: Platinum ($5,000); Gold ($2,500); Silver ($1,000); Red & White ($500); and Cougar ($100). Depending on the level of support, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Red & White sponsorships include individual player or team spots and tee/green signage. In addition, in-kind gifts and other items for raffle or door prizes are welcomed and appreciated. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Wynne Ndule, director of alumni relations, at 713-743-7027 or wndule@uh.edu.  To register, click here

Pharmacy student Matt Baker will represent UH College of Pharmacy at the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists’ National Patient Counseling Competition in San Antonio in April. Baker earned a seat at the national competition by achieving the highest score among 80 fellow students participating in the UH Patient Competition, which was sponsored by Kroger. Serving as volunteer judges for the UH competition were Kroger’s Debbie Veselka, R.Ph. ('94); Randalls’ Carol Crampton, R.Ph. ('90); adjunct faculty member Lena Malacoff, R.Ph.; former faculty member James T. McCarty; and non-pharmacy volunteers Nancy Steffens and Bob Felber.