Diplomat's Hagerman Named Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator Of The Year
Phil Hagerman, president and CEO of Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy in Flint, has been named Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator of the Year.
The award was announced at Thursday night's reception at Lawrence Technological University, which co-sponsors the annual award along with Grant Thornton LLP, WWJ Newsradio 950 and the Great Lakes Innovation and Technology Report. Hagerman was chosen from among 45 nominees profiled during the past 12 months in GLITR.
The Leaders & Innovators program was developed by Lawrence Tech to recognize Michigan business executives who are engaged in cutting-edge professions and industries expected to be key to Michigan's economic future. The profiles that appear on Tuesdays in GLITR are edited by Matt Roush, who served as master of ceremonies at the reception.
Hagerman started Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy with his father some 35 years ago to distribute medications that require more oversight than usual. It employs nurses and other professionals who teach patients how to properly use medications. With more than 450 employees drawing from a diverse background of experience and education, Diplomat can claim the largest and most experienced staff of any independent specialty pharmacy in the nation.
The company recently moved from suburban Swartz Creek into the 350,000-square-foot former General Motors Great Lakes Technology Center on the south side of Flint, where it plans to invest $12 million to refurbish the building.
In remarks in accepting the award, Hagerman noted that the great thing about being CEO is that "you get to collect all the brass earned by the people who work with you."
And he said Diplomat has hired 70 people so far this year, and plans to hire 150 more before the year is over.
He said that his father taught him one lesson about how to succeed in business: "Work hard, take good care of people and the rest will fall into place." And he credited his wife for helping him "keep the big picture in mind... don't forget to go home and thank the people who keep your life in balance."
In selecting him as this year's winner, the Leader & Innovator judges noted that Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy has stayed at the forefront of the pharmacy industry by embracing and using technology to improve processes and better serve patients.
Diplomat developed the Electronic Navigator patient care software system called e-Nav, which delivers electronically scheduled medication histories, symptom management notifications and contraindication warnings to physicians. The e-Nav system broadens reporting and data capabilities for physicians and health plans.
It the first independent pharmacy in Michigan to install the new generation of prescription robotics to improve patient safety and efficiency. It worked closely with its software supplier to design reports and compliance tools to better manage its client base.
Diplomat pioneered a dialysis medication delivery program that served over 3,000 patients at over 100 dialysis centers in Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin and Ohio.
Hagerman is an adjunct instructor of clinical pharmacy at Ferris State University, where he received his bachelor's degree in pharmacy. He has served as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Justice and as an expert witness in cases of drug diversion.
Hagerman has received the Innovative Pharmacy Practice award from the Michigan Pharmacists Association, and the Blue Chip award for outstanding business practices from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The following executives were profiled by GLITR during the past 12 months:
* Reg Adams, Co-Founder and President, WindTronics, Inc.
* Larry R. Andrus, CEO, Trivalent Group, Inc.
* Lisabeth Ardisana, Principal, Owner and CEO, ASG Renaissance
* David Baarman, Director of Advanced Technologies, Fulton Innovation
* Scott Bade, President, ImageSoft Inc.
* Jon Baugh, Founder and CEO, Dermanaut
* Lori Blaker, President and CEO, Technical Training Inc.
* Sri Bramadesam, Vice President/President, Detroit Engineered Products/Autoline Industries USA
* Jeffrey Brittan, President, CEO and Founder, StructureTec
* Fred Calero, President, COO and Co-Founder, Enovate
* Carolyn Cassin, President and CEO, Michigan Women's Foundation
* Beth Chappell, President and CEO, Detroit Economic Club
* David Cole, Chairman, Center for Automotive Research
* Paul Condeelis, Director, Product Development, Romeo RIM, Inc.
* Rick Darter, CEO and President, Rave Computer Association, Inc.
* Doug Dormer, Founder and CEO, White Pine Systems, LLC
* Chris Fisher, Co-Founder and Director of Biology, NanoVir LLC
* Joan Gehrke, Chairperson of the Board, St. John Hospital Foundation
* Phil Hagerman, President and CEO, Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy
* Charles Hess, Co-Founder and CEO, Fisher/Unitech
* Matthew Hill, Founder and CEO, Liquid Web Inc.
* Andy Kotarba, President and CEO, Dewpoint
* Timothy Leuliette, Executive Chairman, Dura Automotive Systems
* Kelly Major-Green, Executive Vice President, United Way of Southeastern Michigan
* Jeff Mason, Executive Director, University Research Corridor
*Robert Mazur, Co-Founder, B.A. Maze Inc.
* Jeffery Millin, President, CEO and Co-Founder, Pioneer Surgical Technology Inc.
*Gary Neel, President and CEO, McCann Midwest
* Simon Ng, Co-Founder, NextCAT Inc.
* Jules Olsman, President, Olsman, Mueller, Wallace & MacKenzie
* Larry Pliska, President and Founder, Planterra Corporation
* John Popovich, Jr., President and CEO, Henry Ford Hospital
* Jeffery Prough, Founder, CEO and President, Critical Signal Technologies
* Steven Robert, CIO, Billhighway.com
* Charles Rothstein, Founder and Managing Director, Beringea LLC
* Ron Schoenherr, President and CEO, XCEND Group Inc.
* John Silvani, President, First Tech Direct
* Larry Smith, President and CEO, BioGreen Solutions
* Mark Stern, General Counsel and Partner, Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
* Sheri Teodoru, CEO, CFI Group
* Jason Teshuba, Founder and CEO, Mango Languages
* Leslie Touma, Founder and CEO, Michigan Security Network
* Nathan Zack, Founder, CEO and President, Great Lakes Electronics Corp.
* George Zimmermann, Vice President, Travel Michigan, Michigan Economic Development Corp.
* Michael Zwick, President, Assets International LLC
Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, offers more than 100 undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs in the Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering and Management. Founded in 1932, the 4,500-student, private university pioneered evening classes and today has a growing number of weekend and online programs. Lawrence Tech's 102-acre campus is in Southfield, and programs are also offered in Detroit, Lansing, Petoskey, Traverse City and Toronto. Lawrence Tech also partners with universities in Mexico, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
