PDN NAMES ITS SENIOR TEAM

JANICE ZOELLER

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Pharmacy Direct Network, the pharmacy benefit management company formed in March by community pharmacies, has appointed five vice presidents, including four pharmacists.

Eric Sorkin is senior vice president of sales and marketing for PDN. Sorkin, a pharmacist, is former senior vice president of pharmacy for Thrifty Corp., Los Angeles. Prior to that, he was vice president of pharmacy operations, services and third-party administration for Rite Aid Corp., Harrisburg, Pa.

Douglas Bell, vice president of information systems, was most recently vice president and director of technology for Citibank's student loan division.

Karen Krumeich, a pharmacist, is vice president of finance. She was chief financial officer of Patient Care Pharmacy, Los Angeles, a long-term care company with pharmacy, home health care and rehabilitation subsidiaries.

Mark Rubino, a pharmacist, is vice president of clinical programs. He is the former acting head of Aetna Health's business pharmacy benefit management unit. Previously, he was director of pharmacy operations for Aetna Life & Casualty, Hartford, Conn.

Lowell Sterler, also a pharmacist, is vice president of operations. Sterler is a former regional vice president of the Clinical Pharmacy Advantage program of McKesson's PCS Health Systems. PCS was recently sold to Eli Lilly. He previously served as director of pharmacy operations for Partners National Health Plans (now Aetna Health Plans), Minneapolis.

The announcements were made by Robert Pfotenhauer, chief executive officer of PDN on July 26. Pfotenhauer called the appointments, "the first members of our senior management team. Each has the expertise and track record in their respective industries to help ensure that PDN will be able to compete head-to-head against traditional pharmacy benefit management companies," he said.