Erik Nelson Kurt Bowen Robert Bryan Vinh Nguyen
WSU Pharmacy students won a national business plan competition at the National Community Pharmacy Association annual conference in Philadelphia in October.It was the second first-place finish for a WSU pharmacy team in the six years WSU has entered the contest, which is now in its seventh year. A WSU team took the title in 2006 and came in second in 2004 and 2007.
The WSU team’s business plan was one of 35 submitted from pharmacy schools across the country. Three finalists – WSU, Drake and Auburn universities – were chosen in July based on their written plans. All three teams presented their plans live in October before a panel of judges.
The WSU students — Vinh Nguyen, Kurt Bowen, Erik Nelson and Robert Bryan — brought home prizes of 3,000 for their student organization, $3,000 for the Dean’s Fund, and free trips to the NCPA conference in Palm Springs, Calif., in February for themselves, their advisor and the College dean.
Their business plan calls for them to do a junior buy out of a Spokane pharmacy, and change the name to Custom Apothecary. They proposed keeping the current services but adding a mixture of innovative new services and patient-centered care.