Above and Beyond

College Recognizes Bruce Biundo as Alumnus Pharmacist of the Year, Roger Anderson for Meritorious Service

At the Mading Society Dinner & Induction Oct. 24 in Houston, UH College of Pharmacy Dean F. Lamar Pritchard, Ph.D., recognized two highly respected members of the pharmacy profession: alumnus Bruce V. Biundo, R.Ph. ('61), and Roger W. Anderson, DrPH, M.S., R.Ph. 

Biundo was presented with the college's 2014 Alumnus Pharmacist of the Year Award in recognition of his commitment to the profession, UHCOP and pharmacy education. A consultant pharmacist with PCCA, Biundo has developed an expertise in men's health issues and published several journal articles on testosterone replacement therapy.

He has served in numerous leadership and behind-the-scenes roles in the Texas Pharmacy Association, Texas Pharmacy Foundation and TPA PharmPAC. In 2013, he earned the rare honor of receiving the TPA Pharmacist of the Year Award and the R. Louis Rumsey PharmPAC Member of the Year Award in the same year. Biundo also was recognized with the TPA Education Excellence Award in 2008. 

"Bruce's tireless work in support of pharmacists and pharmacy students has earned him the respect and admiration of his peers and future pharmacists across Texas," Pritchard said. "Bruce is always ready to step in to help move our profession forward, whether it's in his role as a preceptor for more than 25 years, a frequent speaker and panelist at college events, a member and co-chair of the Dean's Advisory Council, a host for alumni and student events, and a scholarship donor. Bruce's leadership and professionalism, his passion for legislative engagement, and his love for his alma mater make him an ideal role model for all of us."    

Biundo also has served in leadership roles at the local level, including co-chair of the UHCOP Dean's Advisory Council, past president of Houston Area Pharmacy Association, and past president of the UH Pharmacy Alumni Association. In 2010, Biundo was recognized as UHCOP's Volunteer of the Year. A member of the college's Mading Society of supporters, Biundo recently accepted the role of chair of the UHCOP Capital Campaign to build a new home for the College of Pharmacy.   

A fellow member of the UHCOP Dean's Advisory Council with Biundo, Anderson was honored with college's 2014 Meritorious Service Award for his visionary leadership in the evolution of pharmacy from a limited dispensing role to being indispensable members of the patient care team. After earning his B.S. in pharmacy, Anderson completed a master's program in hospital pharmacy and one of the earliest residency programs in the country. In the late 1970s, Anderson moved to Texas to begin what would be a nearly 30-year career at The University of Texas-MD Anderson Cancer Center as Vice President/Head of the Pharmacy Division and UHCOP as a clinical faculty member. While at MD Anderson, he earned a doctoral degree in public health. 

"Roger is truly a legend in the world of pharmacy, having brought pharmacists out of the central fill 'silo' and into the patient rooms, the ICU/NICU and other areas traditionally seen as off-limits to everyone but physicians and nurses," Pritchard said. "He was among the trailblazers in health-system pharmacy who demonstrated and documented how pharmacist-led interventions and innovation can reduce drug and personnel costs and improve patient outcomes."      

After leaving MD Anderson in 2004, he took executive pharmacy positions with Medco Health and US Oncology before joining the ranks of the semi-retired in 2011. Today, Anderson serves as a health-systems pharmacy consultant and provides invaluable input as a guest lecturer, mentor and advisory council member for the concurrent M.S./PGY1-PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Leadership and Administration program between UHCOP and seven Texas Medical Center health systems.    

A Fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), he has been recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Ohio State University, the Harvey A.K. Whitney Lecture Award from ASHP, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Ferris State University, The Julie and Ben Rogers Award from M.D. Anderson, and last but not least, the Distinguished Service Award from UHCOP. He also served seven years on the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, including a term as president, and has authored more than 60 publications in such journals as the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy and the Journal of Oncology Practice.