MMR: Mass Market Retailers, June 24, 2019

MASS MARKET RETAILINGÕS MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN The initial pilot now includes 11 Walgreens locations across major U S cities We are going to be launching five stores in July she notes Were still in the piloting stages but we are getting some great data and feedback from our customers She adds that the company will be looking at programs more from a personalization perspective We are continuing to develop our personalization strategy using our fantastic data that we have built from many of our shopper programs she says Brindley notes the need for more opportunities within the executive ranks for women in the industry Women bring an important viewpoint to the market she says I believe in inclusive and diverse perspectives in boardrooms and at all levels within organizations I personally try to champion and advocate for rising female executives in Walgreens and the broader industry Brindley notes that she also works with organizations such as the Cosmetic Executive Women Association Ive only had the confidence to get where I am today with great mentors along the way so I want to ensure Im mentoring and supporting the next generation of female leaders coming through patient Thats what we preach Were big on comprehensive medication reviews were big on medication therapy management and were dedicated to adherence As a team one of our goals is to achieve a patient adherence score of more than 85 But I always tell our pharmacists that it isnt about the number its about Mrs Jones at the counter and what you can do for her to make her life better How can you make her more compliant with her medications and how can we help her live a longer happier and healthier life Cardellos enthusiasm for the profession is infectious and she passes it on to the pharmacists she has mentored Shes especially instrumental in helping women achieve career success within Rite Aid Shes had many calls from pharmacists in the field including women asking how shes accomplished so much It makes me feel good when I can have that conversation and explain how it can be done says Cardello noting that many interns progress swiftly through Rite Aids promotion process A lot of our interns become pharmacy managers quite quickly because of the program we put them through and they feel pretty confident about being able to take on that additional responsibility Lauren Brindley Group VP GMM Beauty Personal Care Walgreens DEERFIELD Ill During the past four years Lauren Brindleys role as group vice president and general merchandise manager for beauty and personal care at Walgreens has been vital in helping transform the chains overall beauty experience Brindley who joined Walgreens in 2015 from Boots UK after beginning her career at Tesco PLC the United Kingdoms largest retailer is currently overseeing the next phase of Walgreens new Beauty Differentiation concept which is helping make Walgreens a beauty destination through a compelling combination of innovative brands presentation and services The ultimate goal of the concept says Brindley is to create a differentiated experience at Walgreens that is unique to the rest of the marketplace She notes that this summer the retailer is rolling out the third phase of the Beauty Differentiation concept This includes a wide expansion of its mix through new brands and tonics as well as a new shopping ambiance that features testers and unbiased beauty consultants to provide for a more personalized experience This stage of the program focuses on elevating and differentiating our skin care business with a focus on skin health she adds Skin care is a strategically important category for Walgreens notes Brindley Our customers already see us as a trusted source for our skin care products she says And we really want to continue the elevation and differentiation that weve done in phase one and phase two of our Beauty Differentiation concept Were continuing to evolve our business to meet customers changing needs and expectations and one of the changes were making to the front of the store is the addition of a skin health area We are bringing our pharmacy expertise in skin care to the front of the store with a focus on skin health Were creating a full top to toe skin care solution zone where customers can find any type of skin care solution for their face or body including naturals clinically proven solution and dermatological recommended brands She adds that as part of that proposition Walgreens is going to be bringing an elevated skin care department to the front of the stores more content through its digital properties and more healthy skin brands including Korean brands and more cleanand natural items Walgreens is well aware that when the shopper has this new beauty experience she is a much more confident shopper and is more likely to spend more time in the stores says Brindley It also gives our beauty consultants an opportunity to sell our Walgreens Boots Alliance global brands like No7 Soap Glory and Sleek MakeUP as well as apply and test products from the national brand assortment She explains that the beauty consultants continue to be one of the most important elements of the beauty experience Beauty consultants provide samples of innovative products that women might otherwise see only in subscription beauty boxes she notes So it is an easier way of accessing new product samples that are relevant to each customer individually Walgreens now has over 3000 expertly trained consultants says Brindley adding that the best demonstration of their level of expertise is the companys recently launched Feel More Like You oncology service Feel More Like You is a first of its kind pharmacy health and beauty service available at no cost to help people living with cancer manage the medical and physical side effects of their treatment she says It launched in March 2019 and helps people battle beautifully Last year Walgreens and online Lauren Brindley beauty retailer Birchbox announced an agreement to build Birchbox retail experiences within selected Walgreens stores The multichannel offering brings prestige beauty brands into Walgreens stores and allows customers to discover and shop for new brands in an interactive and accessible way that includes a curated Birchbox shop on Walgreens digital properties According to Brindley the collaboration between Walgreens with its convenient retail locations and expansive omnichannel presence and Birchbox which has changed the way customers discover beauty will offer customers the opportunity to try out new brands and products Margherita Cardello Divisional VP Pharmacy Rite Aid NEW YORK Margherita Cardello is well prepared to help Rite Aid Corp pharmacists gear up for the future role theyll play in health care The divisional vice president of pharmacy at Rite Aid overseeing New York New Jersey and Philadelphia area markets has a background encompassing all aspects of serving patients needs from prescriptions to over the counter products A graduate of the Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Science at Long Island University Cardello started her career at Rite Aid about 23 years ago as a pharmacy intern She progressed through the ranks from pharmacy manager to pharmacy district manager and then regional vice president She was promoted to her current job in 2011 with responsibility for developing implementing monitoring and managing all Rite Aid pharmacy functions and associates in her jurisdiction Along her path she also took on a role overseeing her areas frontend business which gave her valuable retail experience Im a pharmacist by education but knowing all of the pieces of the business makes a big difference Cardello says It is always good to get the pharmacist out of the back area to talk to patients and speak Margherita Cardello Uniting the total about O T Cs and vitamins Its not just about being behind the counter it is bringing the total store experience together That strategy is core at Rite Aid which has adopted a one store one team culture as it seeks to deliver a consistent pharmacy and front end experience at all of its store locations That holistic approach is crucial to Cardellos oversight of Rite Aids RediClinic locations in her territories What I most want to accomplish in my job is to continue to move the practice of pharmacy forward with pharmacists taking on additional and new responsibilities assuming an even greater role in the total health care of our patients she says There is a collaborative practice that we can do in terms of working together with physicians and leveraging unique assets like our RediClinic capabilities to make an even bigger impact A great example is immunizations which demonstrates how pharmacists can deliver quality convenient and meaningful health services beyond filling prescriptions When I first started we were really just dispensing medications That evolved to include immunizations and now were immunizing millions of patients every year and theres more to come she says adding that experience on the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy over the years has given her insight into where the profession is progressing The sky is the limit when it comes to pharmacists and its all a matter of taking our ability to provide various services and bringing it to the next level Shes enthused with recent graduates from pharmacy colleges who realize the opportunities afforded by Rite Aid They are really excited about what Rite Aid has to offer in terms of clinical pharmacy services notes Cardello We talk a lot about adherence and how we can make a patient experience better how we can make patients more compliant with medications and how we can improve their well being As I began my career it was really about dispensing medications and talking to patients about interactions Now we get to use all of this expertise and provide all of these different services that we learn about at school to make patients healthier Thats what our oath is and pharmacists are pretty excited about how pharmacy has changed As part of its AIM Adherence Immunizations and Medication store experience Therapy Management initiative Rite Aid is also laser focused on making the pharmacy operation more efficient a move that frees up pharmacists for more one onone interaction with patients The chain offers automated courtesy refills and the convenience of text message refill notices There is a central fill facility that processes maintenance medications And there is a state of theart tool called Rite Care which prompts clinical opportunities in real time when pharmacists are filling a patients prescription Rite Aid Cardello adds is dedicated to doing what is right for the 24 MMR June 24 2019