2020 Awards: Honoring Exceptional Alumni, Preceptors, Faculty and Staff

John Pieper is currently president and professor at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. He previously served as professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of New Mexico and has held faculty positions in the colleges of pharmacy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Colorado, University of Tennessee and University of Florida.

He is a past president of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, past honorary president of the Missouri Pharmacy Association, past speaker of the House of Delegates of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and past chair of the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. He was recognized by the American Pharmacists Association’s Academy of Student Pharmacists as the Outstanding Pharmacy Dean in the U.S. in 2006.

Pieper is a fellow of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). He has more than 80 peer-reviewed research publications and approximately 100 published research abstracts in the areas of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy, pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism.

Andrew DiLuca is currently senior director of pharmacy for Kaleida Health, where he oversees pharmacy operations for the 950-bed, four-hospital system.

As a preceptor for the school, he has helped implement hospital/health-system pharmacy rotations at Buffalo General Medical Center for many pharmacy students. DiLuca is also an SPPS adjunct assistant professor and a longtime Dean’s Alumni Ambassador. He also serves on a number of school-based committees.

DiLuca is a member of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and is on the professional affairs committee for the New York State Council of Health System Pharmacists. He is also a member of the Western New York Society of Health System Pharmacists, where he has served as president and a New York State delegate.

Erin Slazak is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and administrative director of the SPPS Residency Program. Students praised her as a mentor and instructor:

• “She is a great and outstanding teacher!”
• “Dr. Slazak has always gone above and beyond to help students in any way she can.”
• “Dr. Slazak is a compassionate pharmacist and professor who goes out of her way to help anyone who asks for advice or guidance in their career path.”

This year’s Staff Member of the Year Award took on special meaning when it was renamed in honor of beloved former staff member Julie Kopfer, who was given the award posthumously.

• “Julie was one of the kindest people I’ve ever known.”
• “Julie cheerfully and enthusiastically offered assistance whenever our office requested it.”
• “She was always smiling.”

Mary Hejna was bestowed with the Daniel H. Murray Memorial Professional Development Award for her prolific scholarship and clinical work in medication therapy management, particularly with regard to elder care. “It’s rare that a PharmD student can produce the scholarship that Mary has,” says Robert Wahler, PharmD ’00, clinical associate professor, pharmacy practice, who was Hejna’s mentor throughout her time in the PharmD program.