Senior Management
Barry Perzow, Founder and Chairman of the Board
Barry Perzow has over 40 years of broad experience in retailing in the U.S. and in his native Canada. Prior to founding Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy in Boulder in November, 2000, Perzow was President of Capers Natural Food Markets. At Capers, he expanded a single store concept in West Vancouver to three large-format supermarkets and two natural restaurants, becoming Canada's most innovative and leading natural health retailer. In 1996, Capers merged with Alfalfas Markets of Colorado. In 1997, Wild Oats Community Markets acquired the Company which was subsequently acquired by Whole Foods Markets.
In his earlier career, Perzow was President and General Manager of Oshawa Groups Hypermarket Mega-Store Food Division, developing 100,000 sq. ft. stores, based on a European model, throughout Ontario and Quebec. Prior to that he developed, owned and operated a seven-store chain of specialty supermarkets which were acquired by the Oshawa Group and converted into a 110-store IGA operation in Quebec under Perzow's leadership.
Perzow’s vision was to reinvent the neighborhood pharmacy by combining prescription and natural medicines under one roof with qualified practitioners who are able to address the full spectrum of health and wellness issues. Perzow was selected as the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Rocky Mountain region. Mr. Perzow in his role of Chairman and Founder remains very actively engaged in providing strategic vision and leadership.
Mark Panzer, President and Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Panzer has over 30 years of experience in the food and drug store industry. Panzer comes to Pharmaca from Rite Aid Corporation where he held the position of Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer from 2005 to 2008. In this role, he was responsible for merchandising, marketing and logistics for the companies 5,100 stores with revenues of $26 billion. Prior to his role as SEVP and CMO he was the Senior Executive Vice President of Store Operation from 2001 to 2005 with responsibility for both pharmacy and front-end operating results. He spent 22 years with Albertson’s, American Stores and Jewel Companies holding senior level management positions in operations, marketing merchandising and real estate. Mr. Panzer holds a Masters of Business Administration in Finance from Loyola University, Chicago and a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from Northeastern Illinois University.
Alan Kessock, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Kessock, a CPA, brings over 25 years of retail experience in accounting, financial management, operations, and real estate to Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy. He was previously the Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller for United Agri Products in Greeley, Colorado a company with 300 retail outlets throughout the United States and Canada. At United Agri Products, he managed a staff of over 100 employees, with significant participation in the operating side of the company. Mr. Kessock also spent over 20 years in the consumer electronics industry in various positions including CFO and Senior Vice President of Operations. He graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Tech and taught the Becker CPA Review course for ten years.
Nancy Hoopes, Vice President Human Resources, Legal and Administration
Ms. Hoopes has over twenty years of human resources management experience in the restaurant, natural foods, supplements and hi-tech industries. She has directed the training, recruiting, compensation and other human resource programs for two Fortune 500 companies. From 1996-2000, she was Vice President of Human Resources for Whole People and Amrion, Inc., a nutritional supplement manufacturer, and division of Whole Foods Market. Prior to that, she served as Director of Human Resources for CareerTrack Training and Vicorp Restaurants. She holds a degree in political science from the University of Colorado and a master’s in business administration in finance and accounting from Regis University. Ms. Hoopes also holds the certification of Senior Professional in Human Resources.
Don Summerfield, Vice President of Integrative Medicine
Mr. Summerfield has significant experience in the retail natural pharmacy and herbal medicine fields. From 1998 to October 2000, he served as president of Finlandia Natural Pharmacy, Vancouver, British Columbia (BC), Canada's oldest and largest natural pharmacy. Previously, Mr. Summerfield spent five years with Capers Whole Food Markets, Vancouver, BC, as merchandising director. From 1990-1993, he was store manager for Finlandia Natural Pharmacy, having first started as a staff herbalist. Mr. Summerfield was an instructor with the Vancouver School Board and Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, Vancouver. He has a bachelor of arts in ethics and commerce from the University of Windsor, Ontario, and received his training in herbal medicine through the Wild Rose College of Natural Healing, Dominion Herbal College, Vancouver, and the California School of Herbal Studies, Forestville, CA.
Laura Coblentz, Vice President of Marketing and Innovation
Ms. Coblentz has 20 years of marketing experience in consumer packaged goods and specialty retail. Coblentz comes to Pharmaca most recently from White Wave Foods, where she was Vice President of Marketing and Innovation for the Horizon Organic and Rachel's brands. Prior to that she was at Wild Oats Markets, Inc. where she served as Vice President, Marketing. In that role, she was responsible for developing all marketing programs and driving the company’s overall marketing, brand positioning and consumer experience strategies. During her four-year tenure at Wild Oats, Coblentz directed marketing activity for Wild Oats including the development of advertising and media plans, online, promotions, product development and private label marketing. In her first role at Wild Oats as Director of Corporate Brands, Coblentz revitalized the company’s corporate brands program, managing the development of over 1,500 individual products across all categories from supplements to household products. In addition to her organic food experience, Coblentz has also led marketing initiatives for leading wine brands including Sutter Home Winery, the nation’s top-selling wine brand with retail sales of $450 million, and E&J Gallo Winery. Coblentz graduated cum laude from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in history. She also earned an MBA in Marketing and Entrepreneurial Studies from the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA.
Stu Gratz, Vice President of Pharmacy Operations
Mr. Gratz brings experience in operations, new market start ups and marketing strategies to Pharmaca’s leadership organization. Before joining the company, he served as the District Sales Manager for CVS Pharmacy for 5 years. In this position, he was responsible for systems conversion and training for 130 Sav-On pharmacies in the Southern California market. Gratz previously developed the specialty pharmacy concept for CVS/ProCare for the West Coast and Hawaii region, along with overseeing all operational aspects. He has over 25 years experience in the pharmacy business. Mr. Gratz received his pharmacy degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy & Science. He and his wife Connie, live in Brea, California.
Ian Mukaida, Vice President of Store Development
Mr. Mukaida has over twenty years experience in the retail/wholesale food and food services industries. From 1985 to 1993, he worked as a retail category manager for the western Canada division of Loblaw Companies, Canada's largest food retailer and distributor. From 1994 to 1997 he entered the natural products industry as the grocery merchandising manager for Capers, Canada's leading natural foods retailer. He has also served as a consultant for the natural products industry in both the wholesale distribution and retail sectors before joining Pharmaca in the fall of 2001. He attended Simon Fraser University and also received a diploma from the Dubrulle French Culinary School in Vancouver, BC.
