Content about Greg Wasson

December 21, 2011
Walgreens steadfast in its resolve to move on without Express Scripts

As Walgreens girds itself for life outside of the Express Scripts pharmacy network, company executives, over the course of a Wednesday morning first-quarter conference call, continued to maintain that they, along with healthcare payers and employers, will be better off for it.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — As Walgreens girds itself for life outside of the Express Scripts pharmacy network, company executives, over the course of a Wednesday morning first-quarter conference call, continued to maintain that they, along with healthcare payers and employers, will be better off for it.

October 11, 2011
Walgreens adds former CIGNA CMO and specialty pharmacy vet to team

Walgreens on Tuesday named Jeffrey Kang and Mike Ellis to its pharmacy, health and wellness division.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Tuesday named Jeffrey Kang and Mike Ellis to its pharmacy, health and wellness division.

Kang will join Walgreens Oct. 31 as SVP health and wellness services and solutions, reporting to both president and CEO Greg Wasson and president of pharmacy, health and wellness Kermit Crawford.

In addition, Mike Ellis has joined Walgreens as VP specialty pharmacy and infusion, reporting to Crawford.

October 5, 2011
HHS secretary promotes flu preparedness by getting her flu shot at Walgreens

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius will receive her seasonal flu vaccine and will talk about the importance of prevention measures and flu season preparedness Wednesday morning at a Walgreens "health and daily living" pilot store in Chicago.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius will receive her seasonal flu vaccine and will talk about the importance of prevention measures and flu season preparedness Wednesday morning at a Walgreens "health and daily living" pilot store in Chicago.

The secretary also will tour the store with Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson, who will highlight the store's ability to offer accessible, preventive health services, such as flu vaccinations and diabetes care in underserved communities.

October 4, 2011
WAG moves ahead with vision

Now, Walgreens wants to completely integrate its stores and its messaging.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — “I wore a baseball cap and sweatshirt and went into some old and new stores,” Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson told BusinessWeek about the time in 2009 when he went undercover to check out the competition in Manhattan, for the story that appears in its Sept 30 issue. “The moment I decided we should get serious about buying Duane Reade was after seeing their new Herald Square store. … I said, ‘Duane Reade is creating something new.’ That’s what we were looking to do.”

September 27, 2011
Walgreens outlines impact scenarios from Express Scripts withdrawal

Walgreens mitigated projected repercussions out of the chain's withdrawal from the Express Scripts pharmacy network come January, as the Walgreens/Express Scripts failed negotiations again dominated the pharmacy's quarterly analyst call Tuesday morning.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens mitigated projected repercussions out of the chain's withdrawal from the Express Scripts pharmacy network come January, as the Walgreens/Express Scripts failed negotiations again dominated the pharmacy's quarterly analyst call Tuesday morning. All told, Express Scripts represents $5.3 billion in revenue to Walgreens, but the Chicago-based pharmacy is working toward retaining the prescription business from several employers and payers, "consistent with their contractual obligations," executives emphasized.

September 9, 2011
Booyah! Buy! Buy! Buy! Jim Cramer gets bullish on WAG

Jim Cramer on Thursday shared his bullishness on Walgreens' stock with viewers of his "Mad Money" investment advice program on CNBC during a discussion and personal tour of Walgreens' new flagship location smack in the middle of the money-makers on Wall Street.

NEW YORK — Jim Cramer on Thursday shared his bullishness on Walgreens' stock with viewers of his "Mad Money" investment advice program on CNBC during a discussion and personal tour of Walgreens' new flagship location smack in the middle of the money-makers on Wall Street. Cramer's not just a fan of Walgreens stock — he visits that new Duane Reade/Walgreens prototype two to three times per week. That makes it his personal neighborhood drug store.

August 22, 2011
Walgreens names new general counsel

Walgreens on Monday named Thomas Sabatino Jr. EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective Sept. 12.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday named Thomas Sabatino Jr. EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary, effective Sept. 12.

Sabatino replaces Dana Green, who is retiring after 37 years with the company, Walgreens stated.

July 5, 2011
Duane Reade heads to Wall Street for latest flagship

Duane Reade, which is owned by Walgreens, is opening on July 6 its 22,000-sq.-ft. flagship store that has a decided “up market focus” with exclusive services and amenities never seen before in a Duane Reade or any other drug store.

NEW YORK — Duane Reade, which is owned by Walgreens, is opening on July 6 its 22,000-sq.-ft. flagship store that has a decided “up market focus” with exclusive services and amenities never seen before in a Duane Reade or any other drug store.

The innovative 24-hour store is located at 40 Wall St., which is known as the "Crown Jewel of Wall Street" and once held the title of the tallest building in the world.

June 29, 2011
Walgreens implements Chicago Hometown Investment Initiative

Walgreens on Wednesday unveiled plans to establish deeper roots on its home turf with its “Chicago Hometown Investment Initiative,” a plan that will create an estimated 600 new jobs in the city over the next two years and will quadruple the number of Walgreens’ food oasis stores.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday unveiled plans to establish deeper roots on its home turf with its “Chicago Hometown Investment Initiative,” a plan that will create an estimated 600 new jobs in the city over the next two years and will quadruple the number of Walgreens’ food oasis stores.

June 21, 2011
Walgreens to walk away from Express Scripts in 2012

Walgreens on Tuesday announced the company no longer will participate in the Express Scripts network beginning Jan. 1, 2012, citing unsuccessful renewal negotiations.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Tuesday announced the company no longer will participate in the Express Scripts network beginning Jan. 1, 2012, citing unsuccessful renewal negotiations.

June 21, 2011
Walgreens' hard stance against PBM dominates earnings call

Soon after reporting double-digit earnings per share growth Tuesday morning, Walgreens announced it would forego as much as $5.3 billion in annual sales, representing some 7% of the company’s business and 90 million prescriptions, as it walks away from its relationship with pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Soon after reporting double-digit earnings per share growth Tuesday morning, Walgreens announced it would forego as much as $5.3 billion in annual sales, representing some 7% of the company’s business and 90 million prescriptions, as it walks away from its relationship with pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts.

Wall Street reacted badly to the news — sales of Walgreens’ stock were down more than 6% to $42 and change in mid-morning trading.

May 2, 2011
NACDS elects new 2011-2012 officers at Annual Meeting

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced that Robert Loeffler will succeed Larry Merlo as the organization's new board of directors chairman, and also announced the appointment of several other elected officers, at its 2011 Annual Meeting.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced that Robert Loeffler will succeed Larry Merlo as the organization's new board of directors chairman, and also announced the appointment of several other elected officers, at its 2011 Annual Meeting.

Loeffler, who serves as H-E-B's chief administrative officer, will replace Merlo, who is CVS Caremark president and CEO, as NACDS board chairman. Additionally, Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson was elected vice chairman, while Thrifty White president and CEO Robert Narveson was named treasurer.

April 25, 2011
Are coupon ‘extremists’ bad for business?

Call it “the attack of the coupon-crazed shelf sweepers.” It’s the most aggressive form of bargain hunting by consumers willing to spend hours searching out coupon deals, to stock up with enough product to last their families for a year and to turn their homes into veritable warehouses.


Call it “the attack of the coupon-crazed shelf sweepers.” It’s the most aggressive form of bargain hunting by consumers willing to spend hours searching out coupon deals, to stock up with enough product to last their families for a year and to turn their homes into veritable warehouses.


April 25, 2011
Fast, nimble Walgreens aims to own ‘well’

Walgreens, the kaleidoscopic company that wants to “own well,” is shuffling management and realigning operations as it works to knock down its remaining internal silos and create a seamless, broad-based retail health-and-
wellness dynamo.


April 19, 2011
Ill. governor tours nearby green Walgreens

As part of Earth Month in Illinois, Gov. Patrick Quinn Tuesday morning toured a Walgreens drug store in Oak Park that features the first geothermal energy system used in a chain drug store in the country, Walgreens stated in a release.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — As part of Earth Month in Illinois, Gov. Patrick Quinn Tuesday morning toured a Walgreens drug store in Oak Park that features the first geothermal energy system used in a chain drug store in the country, Walgreens stated in a release.

April 14, 2011
Walgreens' Kim Feil inducted into In-Store Marketing Institute Hall of Fame

Walgreens' chief marketing officer Kim Feil was inducted into the In-Store Marketing Institute Hall of Fame Thursday morning in Chicago.

CHICAGO — Walgreens' chief marketing officer Kim Feil was inducted into the In-Store Marketing Institute Hall of Fame Thursday morning in Chicago.

Feil was a seasoned consumer packaged goods marketer when she joined Walgreens in fall 2008. As company CEO Greg Wasson recently noted, she propelled Walgreens from being a good advertiser to a world-class marketing organization.

March 24, 2011
NewsBytes on WAG's community Rx conference, ABC CEO's retirement, CHPA's new chair and more

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens in March expanded Joseph Magnacca’s role. As president of daily living products and solutions, Magnacca — the former Shoppers Drug Mart vet who as chief merchant of Duane Reade proved instrumental in the reinvention of the New York drug store chain — will oversee Walgreens’ marketing and merchandising operations, led by chief marketing officer Kim Feil and chief merchandising officer Bryan Pugh, but will report directly to president and CEO Greg Wasson.

March 24, 2011
Walgreens boosts online presence with Drugstore.com acquisition

Shortly after posting record second-quarter sales on Tuesday, Walgreens announced that it would "accelerate its online strategy" by acquiring e-retailer Drugstore.com for about $429 million, subject to customary conditions.

DEERFIELD, Ill., and BELLEVUE, Wash. — Shortly after posting record second-quarter sales on Tuesday, Walgreens announced that it would "accelerate its online strategy" by acquiring e-retailer Drugstore.com for about $429 million, subject to customary conditions.

March 22, 2011
Walgreens posts monster Q2 gains

With record second-quarter sales and earnings under its belt, a grasp on 20.1% of the retail prescription drug market and a sharpened focus on core assets, Walgreens' executives expressed optimism on future growth — despite such external challenges as a soft economy and continued pressure on Medicaid reimbursement — and reiterated the company's focus on core strategies.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — With record second-quarter sales and earnings under its belt, a grasp on 20.1% of the retail prescription drug market and a sharpened focus on core assets, Walgreens' executives expressed optimism on future growth — despite such external challenges as a soft economy and continued pressure on Medicaid reimbursement — and reiterated the company's focus on core strategies.

March 14, 2011
AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour rides again

Beginning in mid-March, the AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour will embark on another 10-month tour to provide an expected $14 million worth of free health tests.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Beginning in mid-March, the AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour will embark on another 10-month tour to provide an expected $14 million worth of free health tests.

March 11, 2011
Magnacca's role at WAG expands

Walgreens has expanded Joseph Magnacca's role at the drug store chain by appointing him president of daily living products and solutions.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens has expanded Joseph Magnacca's role at the drug store chain by appointing him president of daily living products and solutions.

March 9, 2011
Walgreens says farewell to PBM business

Walgreens on Wednesday sold its pharmacy benefit management business, Walgreens Health Initiatives, to Catalyst Health Solutions in a cash transaction for $525 million, subject to certain adjustments. The transaction is structured as an acquisition of all of the capital stock of WHI.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Wednesday sold its pharmacy benefit management business, Walgreens Health Initiatives, to Catalyst Health Solutions in a cash transaction for $525 million, subject to certain adjustments. The transaction is structured as an acquisition of all of the capital stock of WHI.

February 25, 2011
Hal Rosenbluth to exit Walgreens

Walgreens on Friday announced that Hal Rosenbluth will retire as president of its health-and-wellness division in April but will continue with the company as a senior consultant to the CEO for healthcare services.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Friday announced that Hal Rosenbluth will retire as president of its health-and-wellness division in April but will continue with the company as a senior consultant to the CEO for healthcare services.

Rosenbluth was a co-founder of Take Care Health Systems, which was acquired by Walgreens in 2007. Prior to that, he led Rosenbluth International, a global travel management company, which he sold to American Express in 2003.

February 18, 2011
THE MESSAGE: A ‘laser-like focus’ on consumers

Walgreens is ready for its closeup.


After a two-year, top-to-bottom makeover — and a relentless focus on its core customers and its broad mission as a health, wellness and convenient shopping destination — the company that wants to “own well” has honed its message to consumers: Walgreens is ready to be the nation’s top wellness destination.

February 18, 2011
THE PHARMACY: Enter the ‘community health provider’



As the costs of primary care march steadily higher and patients endure ever-longer wait times to see a family physician, the need for accessible, cost-effective patient care alternatives has become both obvious and urgent. 


Enter Walgreens. Armed with new, time-saving 
pharmacy automation tools, a growing offsite-dispensing capability and an array of new adherence and disease-management services, the company heavily is promoting its pharmacists and in-store clinicians as the most cost-effective front-line resource for community-based patient care.