Family Pharmacy: The Key Ingredient for Thriving in Difficult Times

Carrie Tennis

The exhausted mom, who hasn’t had a moment to herself in days. The business executive, trying her best to get well and back to work for a big meeting. The family members trudging through the cancer battle.

These are just a few of the faces an independent pharmacist meets before noon every day. “We’re in the business of difficult times,” says Carrie Tennis, senior director of operations for Family Pharmacy.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to help them feel better, but it’s also a reality that you’re seeing people at their most trying moments.” Tennis and her team have found a magic ingredient in their line of work. It’s the ingredient she says allows them to thrive for their patients, and in recent years, for themselves.

“Kindness is the best medicine. That’s what we live by,” says Brian Bingham, director of business development. “When you can look someone in the eye, take the extra few seconds to give them a gesture of kindness, that may be the first good thing that’s happened to them in a few days.”

It was this value and this mission that has allowed Family Pharmacy to thrive in a time where independent pharmacies have been stressed. Consolidation, smaller profit margins imposed by regulations, and an increased footprint from big box stores have challenged independent pharmacies to stay afloat. “We see others not make it through these times, and we’ve certainly had our own challenges in recent years,” says Tennis.

“But our founding value and our die hard mission is to show up with an abundance of kindness. It’s making the difference competitively, without a doubt. It’s also making a difference in the lives of our team and our patients. There’s a certain quality of connection you just won’t get without a core value of kindness. We believe we’re focused on that more than anyone, and it’s paying off in all corners of our organization."

Family Pharmacy’s employee retention is much higher than industry averages, with many employees being at the company for over two decades. Their team of 278 continues to serve patients at 23 retail locations in Missouri and 11 additional locations throughout the east coast.

Read more about their services at TheFamilyRx.com.

Street Address:

Corporate Office – 4101 N. State Hwy NN

Ozark, MO  65721

Phone: 417-581-4335

Fax: 417-581-5660

Web Address: www.thefamilyrx.com

Top Executives:

Phillip Ryan, Tim Booth, Carrie Tennis

Year Founded: 1977

Number of Employees: 265

Product or Service: Pharmacy Services