SPARTANBURG, S.C. (February 26, 2018)—J M Smith Corporation has announced that its technology solutions will now be under the leadership of Kevin Welch. Saul Factor, RPh, who was the president of QS/1, will lead the wholesale distribution business units Smith Drug Company and Burlington Drug Company.
“The decision to align our technology offerings under one leader was made to further enhance our customer focus. Kevin is a highly respected technology leader with a passion for moving pharmacy forward. Under his guidance, QS/1 and Integra customers can expect a commitment to technology excellence and responsiveness,” said Alan Turfe, CEO and chairman, J M Smith Corporation. “During his time as president of QS/1, Saul led with transparency and a contagious drive to advance customer centricity and business excellence. I am looking forward to what Kevin and Saul will accomplish for our customers in their new roles.”
“I am excited by this tremendous opportunity,” said Welch. “Aligning all our technology offerings benefits the customers in all of the markets we serve. We will continue to have dedicated teams for each of these markets—long-term care, community pharmacy and governmental, while sharing best practices across all of them.”
Welch was named Chief Technology Officer for J M Smith Corporation in 2017. In the CTO role, he oversees the development of innovative technology, streamlining the process of bringing pharmacy solutions to market. Welch became part of J M Smith Corporation with the acquisition of Integra, which he founded in 1997. He holds degrees in Mathematics, Computer Science, Operations Research and Engineering Management from Stanford University and has served in senior positions at Genentech, Symantec and Microsoft. During his career he has designed and developed many industry-leading software applications and systems.
“There is perhaps no one in the industry better prepared to lead Smith Drug Company than Saul Factor,” said Turfe. “Saul is a pharmacist with experience in every facet of the industry, from patient care to manufacturing and distribution to sales and marketing.”
“The pharmacy industry is very dynamic and we at Smith Drug Company and Burlington Drug Company are committed to being at the forefront with innovative solutions, leading distribution processes and customer-centric service,” said Factor. “It is important to provide customers with what they need now while also working to address their future needs. I am thrilled to be leading Smith Drug and Burlington Drug with our renowned customer service and I am looking forward to partnering with customers to deliver on the promise of the pharmacy of the future.”
Factor spent the first ten years of his career as both a retail and long-term care pharmacist before moving into leadership positions with PCS, Eli Lilly and RxAmerica. Prior to joining J M Smith Corporation, he was president, Global Sourcing and Generics at McKesson Corporation. A native of New York, Factor earned a BS in pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston and an MBA from the University of New Haven.
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