Leaders

Corporate Executives

Alejandro Bernal | Chief Executive Officer

 His responsibilities include:

• Managing investor relations and board support;
• Driving external relationships that raise the company’s thought-leadership status through publication and participation in industry organizations;
• Leading legal and legislative initiatives that mitigate business risk, ensuring patient access to the company’s medications and supporting overall industry sustainability;
• Leading growth activities including developing strategic partnerships with technology companies, group purchasing organizations, and corporate groups;
• Identifying and managing merger and acquisition opportunities;
• Providing strategic communication and legal support to the organization’s marketing, human resources, and legislative functions; and
• Installing a breakthrough culture and developing the leadership team, including the company’s strategic and operations team leaders.

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Joe Costa | President, Compounding Division

Joe Costa, president of the compounding division for Wedgewood Pharmacy, reports to Marcy Bliss, chief executive officer. He is responsible to assure that corporate goals are met based on the company's strategic plans. The three operating sites and the quality, compliance, planning, procurement, and human-resources functions report to him. His responsibilities include:

• Setting objectives, goals, and budgets to achieve the company’s vision, mission, strategies, and profitability targets.
• Managing day-to-day operational team leaders to assure quality preparations are safely shipped when needed at target cost and within all regulations.
• Improving systems and process continuously to meet business goals, develop talent, assure needed capacity, improve preparation quality, and meet regulatory requirements.
• Building financial and analytical sophistication to drive sound decision-making.
• Developing breakthrough culture with the extended leadership team.
• Supporting merger and acquisition activities from identification through integration.

He joined Wedgewood in 2016 as the chief operating officer and was promoted to president and chief operating officer in August 2020.

Prior to joining Wedgewood Pharmacy, for four years he was the vice president and general manager at PCI Pharma Services, a contract packager for most of the major pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturers in the country. During his time at that company, his site in New Jersey grew from $55M to $95M in annual revenue due to a significant improvement in customer service and an emphasis on building strong strategic customer relationships.

He also worked at Covidien, a pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturer, progressing from a production manager to divisional vice president of Global Operations during his 16-year career. While vice president of Global Operations, he received the President’s Award of Excellence for leadership during 2009’s “Great Recession.” Previously, he worked at Procter & Gamble in various manufacturing operations for six years.

He earned a B.S. degree in both Economics and Industrial Management from Carnegie Mellon University and has also achieved certifications in both lean manufacturing and six-sigma.

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 Ben Shaw | President, Blue Rabbit Division

Benjamin Shaw is a passionate entrepreneur and investor with a proven track record in healthcare and technology ventures.

Shaw is the Founder, CEO and Chairman of Blue Rabbit, a fast-growing provider of technology-enabled disease management services for small animal and equine veterinary practitioners. He is also General Partner at Borealis Ventures, a healthcare investment fund seeking to partner with exceptional entrepreneurs to build market defining companies. Shaw has also been a Partner at Black Point Group since 2002, a private investment partnership.

Shaw is a Co-Founder and former President and CEO of Covetrus, one of the largest animal health companies in the world with over $4 billion in revenues, 5,500 team members and 100,000 customers in 100 countries. Shaw was the Co-Founder, President and CEO of Vets First Choice, a leading provider of cloud-based prescription management software and pharmacy services for veterinary practitioners, prior to its sale to Covetrus for $1.9 billion in 2019.

Shaw has been honored as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year New England, Goldman Sachs 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, Maine Governor’s Award for Business Excellence and the NEVY Healthcare Exit of the Year. He has served as a Founding Director for Maine Huts & Trails and served on the Corporation of The Jackson Laboratory. He is also an active member of Young Presidents Organization and an alumni advisor to Bates College, where he graduated with a triple B.A. in biology, political science and environmental sciences.

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Maria Kraus, CPA | Chief Financial Officer

Maria Kraus, CPA, chief financial officer of Wedgewood Pharmacy, reports to Marcy Bliss, chief executive officer. She is responsible for the company’s Finance function including working with the board of directors, the CEO, and other leaders to strategically drive and support growth. She works with the Finance team to ensure that the company’s systems and processes are scalable and able to meet the demands of rapid growth and innovative business opportunities. She has primary responsibility for planning, implementing, managing, and controlling all financial-related activities of the company including direct responsibility for accounting, finance, strategic planning, job costing, deal analysis, licensing, data information, capital planning, cash, and the budget/forecast process.

Prior to joining Wedgewood Pharmacy, she served for more than 25 years in financial leadership roles, most recently as CFO at Accelerated Enrollment Solutions (AES), a global patient-recruitment and site network organization providing services to pharmaceutical companies performing clinical trials. In this role, Maria was responsible for driving AES’ financial vision, as well as leading all financial operations, planning and analysis, accounting, commercial budgets, and internal controls.

Previously, she was executive vice president, Corporate Development and Strategy at Bioclinica, where she was responsible for that company’s strategic growth, including mergers and acquisitions. She was formerly vice president and corporate controller at Bioclinica where she led the Global Accounting and Finance, Legal, Procurement, Facilities, Human Resources, Marketing, and Information Technology Departments. Maria began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Philadelphia.

Maria is a board director of The Hershey Trust Company and a board manager of the Milton Hershey School, where she serves as vice chair, and chairs the Audit Committee. She also is a board manager for the M.S. Hershey Foundation, and serves as chairman. Maria also has been a board member with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania for more than a decade.

Maria earned her B.S. degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University and a certificate of Human Resources Management from Villanova University. She is a certified public accountant.

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Daniel Rowan | Chief Revenue Officer

Daniel Rowan, chief revenue officer for Wedgewood Pharmacy, has full strategic and operational responsibility for customer experience in all channels, including sales, marketing, websites, preparation development, and customer service. As a member of the Wedgewood Pharmacy leadership team, he is accountable for all company performance measures and for directing resources to maximize the customer experience of prescribers, patients and pet-, and horse-, owners. Dan has been in sales and marketing since 1996.

Prior to joining Wedgewood in 2008, he was director of marketing for Electric Mobility Corporation, The Rascal Scooter Company.

He holds a B.S.E. degree in Materials Science Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania with a minor in Mathematics. He currently is a founding member of the Creativity CoLaboratory Charter School at Appel Farm.

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Matt Pelletier | Chief Technology Officer

Before joining Blue Rabbit in September 2021, Matt served as VP of Software Engineering for Covertus, one of the largest animal health companies in the world. He had worldwide responsibility for all software teams and a primary focus of technology enablement for veterinary practitioners and their customers.

The journey to get there started a decade earlier as engineer #2 of Vets First Choice, a fast growth startup that pioneered cloud-based prescription management software and pharmacy services and in 2019 merged with Henry Schein Animal Health to form Covetrus.

In that span of time, Matt was fortunate to cover most areas of veterinary technology, ranging from practice, prescription, appointment and wellness management to data integration, client communications, ecommerce, and clinical insights.

Before his work at Vets First Choice, Matt worked for IDEXX Laboratories, a global diagnostics and healthcare services company, as a forming member of the company’s architecture team and the first reference laboratories specific software developer.

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Bob Palmer | Chief Solutions Officer

Bob Palmer, chief solutions officer for Wedgewood Pharmacy, has full strategic and operational accountability for business operations. As a member of the Wedgewood Pharmacy leadership team, he is accountable for performance measures and for marshaling available resources to the most productive uses, with the aim of creating maximum value for the company and its customers. He has been in the information technology profession since 1989.

Prior to joining Wedgewood in 2011, he was senior vice president and CIO for Franklin Credit Management Corporation; vice president, IT and CIO for Brown-Forman Corporation-Lenox Group, Inc.; senior programmer analyst for Johnson & Johnson-Janssen Pharmaceutica; and lead analyst for Emerson Quiet Kool.

He holds a B.S. degree in Management from Rowan University; and an M.B.A. degree from Rider University. He received a post-graduate Darden Partnership certificate from the Darden Graduate School of Business from the University of Virginia.

In 2001, he was recognized by Computerworld magazine as a 100 Premier Leader, receiving an exclusive Best in Class award.

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Erik Clausen PharmD, MBA | Vice President, Pharmacy Compliance

Erik Clausen PharmD, MBA is an experienced and accomplished Pharmacist with a strong background in pharmacy management, clinical pharmacology, and pharmaceutical industry operations. He obtained his bachelor's degree in biology from Montana State University - Bozeman, and his Doctor of Pharmacy and MBA degrees from the University of The Pacific. Erik began as Director of Pharmacy Operations at Golden Gate Pharmacy in 2008 which joined Wedgewood Pharmacy this year where he holds his current role as Vice President, Pharmacy Compliance.

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Debra Kestenbaum | Chief People Officer

Debra Kestenbaum, chief people officer for Wedgewood Pharmacy, has strategic and operational responsibility for the human resources (HR) function. She is responsible for ensuring the organization’s people are positioned for success through an engaging culture, valuable tools and information, personal and professional development, and meaningful rewards and recognition.

Debra has extensive experience helping organizations elevate talent to maximize potential and drive business results. Prior to Wedgewood Pharmacy, she worked at a publicly traded, global, contingent-staffing firm with more than 1,500 full-time employees, 20,000 contingent employees and $1 billion in revenue, where she was vice president of HR. She also has held top HR positions for Symphony Talent, a recruiting technology firm, Chubb Group of Insurance companies, Campbell Soup, Kraft Foods, Shared Medical Systems, and the U.S. Postal Service.

She holds a B.A. degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. degree from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. In addition, she holds the senior professional in HR certification from the Society for Human Resource Management.

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Barry Siegel, J.D. | Vice President and General Counsel

Barry Siegel, vice president and general counsel for Wedgewood Pharmacy, has strategic and operational responsibility for the legal and legislative-advocacy functions of the company. His responsibilities include leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives, merger and acquisition transactions, providing senior management with advice on a wide variety of matters, negotiating agreements, managing outside counsel, and working collaboratively with all company departments to support the needs of the company.

Prior to Wedgewood Pharmacy, he served as senior vice president, general counsel, and chief compliance officer of Pernix Therapeutics, a publicly traded specialty pharmaceutical company. He also was a partner at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, securities, and general corporate matters, serving primarily life-science companies.

He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts with a B.A. degree. He also holds a J.D. degree from New York University School of Law.

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Anthony Grzib, R.Ph. | Vice President, Pharmacy Quality 

Anthony Grzib, R.Ph., acting vice president, Quality and Compliance, State-Regulated Pharmacies for Wedgewood Pharmacy, reports to Joe Costa, president and chief operating officer. He leads the quality control, quality assurance, and pharmacist functions for the company's state-regulated pharmacies, working closely with the executive leadership team to develop and execute the corporate strategy, goals, and objectives. He oversees quality systems and ensures overall compliance with current applicable quality standards; leads development of a quality culture that supports the company’s values of customer focus, integrity, collaboration, and innovation, while meeting the needs of the company’s stakeholders including regulators; and leads the pharmacist organization, including the pharmacists-in-charge, to ensure regulatory requirements and quality expectations are met.

Prior to joining Wedgewood in 2000, he was pharmacist-in-charge and Team Leader for CVS Pharmacy and for Eckerd Drugs. He began his career as a pharmacy technician at Eckerd Drugs.

Anthony is a member of the Parenteral Drug Association and the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering.

He holds a B.S. degree in Pharmacy from the Rutgers University College of Pharmacy. He is a registered pharmacist in 11 states and has been in the pharmacy profession since 1990.

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New Jersey Pharmacy Operations

Bob Muentz | General Manager

Bob Muentz, general manager for Wedgewood Pharmacy’s New Jersey operations, is responsible for operations in the Swedesboro, New Jersey facility. These include sterile and non-sterile compounding, packaging, dispensing, receiving, and facilities. He also has supported significant technological changes to the compounding areas of the site.

Prior to joining Wedgewood Pharmacy, Bob held leadership positions in Good Manufacturing Practices and the Lean Six Sigma disciplines. He has worked for PCI Pharma, Thermosafe, and Crayola. He has started two large greenfield sites and led international operations.  

He holds a B.S. degree in Business Management from Muhlenberg College and an A.S. degree in Polymer Science from Pennsylvania State University. He earned a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma from Villanova University. 

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Alison Lynch, R.Ph. | Pharmacist-in-Charge

Alison Lynch, pharmacist-in-charge for Wedgewood Pharmacy’s Swedesboro operation, is responsible for establishing policies and procedures, supervising professional and non-professional employees, monitoring ongoing quality initiatives, and loss prevention.

Prior to joining Wedgewood Pharmacy, she was pharmacist-in-charge at Drugstore.com. Previously, she was pharmacist-in-charge for Eckerd Drugs (Cherry Hill, NJ); and a pharmacy technician and pharmacist at several Pathmark Pharmacies in New Jersey.

She holds a B.S. degree from Rutgers University College of Pharmacy and is a licensed pharmacist in 20 states.

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Arizona Pharmacy Operations

Andrew Warther, Pharm.D. | Pharmacist-in-Charge

Andrew Warther, pharmacist-in-charge for Wedgewood Pharmacy’s Scottsdale operation, is responsible for establishing policies and procedures, supervising professional and non-professional employees, monitoring ongoing quality initiatives, and loss prevention. 

Prior to joining Wedgewood Pharmacy, Drew spent 10 years at Walgreens in roles of increasing responsibility. He began his career as a pharmacy intern, progressed to assistant store manager, and then to pharmacist-in-charge.   

He holds a B.S. degree and a Pharm.D. degree from The University of South Carolina and is a licensed pharmacist in ten states.

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Chris Pucillo, Pharm.D. | Pharmacist-in-Charge

Bio coming soon

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Wedgewood Connect (San Jose, California)

Craig Mastenbaum | General Manager 

Craig Mastenbaum, general manager of Wedgewood Connect, a 503B outsourcing facility, oversees all aspects of this manufacturing site, located in San Jose, California. These include P&L accountability, establishing strategic plans, creating capital and expense budgets, ensuring the consistent supply of products, including product launches, quality, compliance with California OSHA safety requirements, compliance with FDA guidelines for Current Good Manufacturing Practices, and all aspects of regulatory inspections by government agencies. He brings more than 35 years of cGMP drug-manufacturing experience to Wedgewood Pharmacy..

Prior to Wedgewood Connect, he was vice president and general manager of Leiters Pharmacy; senior director of external manufacturing for Impax Laboratories; director of business development for Oso BioPharmaceuticals; senior director of clinical and contract manufacturing for Dendreon Corporation;director of manufacturing and then vice president of manufacturing and business development for Hollister-Stier Laboratories; director of parenteral operations for Chiron Corporation; manager ofmanufacturing for Alpha Therapeutic Corporation; and held supervisory roles with Elkins-Sinn, Incorporated and Wyeth/Ayerst Laboratories. 

He holds a B.A. degree in Microbiology from Rutgers University and an M.B.A. degree from Gonzaga University.

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Paul K. Yamamoto, R.Ph. | Vice President Pharmacy Services and Pharmacist-in-Charge

Paul Yamamoto, R.Ph., vice president pharmacy services and pharmacist-in-charge of Wedgewood Connect, a 503B outsourcing facility, is responsible for pharmacy operations including production, quality,  regulatory compliance, surveys, and accreditations. He also ensures compliance with Federal and state compounding regulations, current Good Manufacturing Practices, and USP standards. He represents the company in all audits and inspections by boards of pharmacy and FDA, including managing inquiries, correspondence, and appearances. 

Prior to Wedgewood Connect, he was pharmacy manager, vice president of shared services and then vice president of pharmacy services for Leiters Pharmacy. Before that, he spent more than 15 years with Walgreens Company, starting as an intern and rising through pharmacy management to store management. He also served as team leader of a group that set-up and opened new pharmacy locations. He has specialized expertise in hospital and geriatric pharmacy-practices. 

He holds a B.S. degree in Pharmacy, magna cum laude, from the University of Washington. He is a licensed pharmacist in 17 states.

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Our Founding Story

George J. Malmberg, R.Ph., F.A.C.A., F.A.C.V.P and Lucy Malmberg, B.Sc. in Pharm., Hon. D.Sc., R.Ph., F.A.C.A., F.A.C.V.P., both pharmacists, bought Wedgewood Village Pharmacy, a local community pharmacy in a New Jersey strip mall, in 1981. By the time of George’s passing following a brief illness in April 2013, George and Lucy had transformed it to become one of the largest compounding pharmacies in the United States. Today, Wedgewood Pharmacy is the leading compounding pharmacy brand in animal health, recognized by 99% of veterinarians, and used by 8 in 10 veterinarians within the past year. The company serves tens of thousands of prescribers and hundreds of thousands of human and animal patients throughout the U.S. every year.

George and Lucy became icons in the compounding pharmacy profession, friends, and beloved mentors to many who lead and will lead the industry. They are known as passionate advocates for the rights of prescribers and pharmacists to develop customized medicines for people and animals. They were always generous with their time, money, and talents, frequently leading efforts to defend the legal rights of compounding pharmacists and patients who need access to personalized medications.

In 2002, they formed and led the coalition that argued successfully before the Supreme Court that The Food and Drug Modernization Act of 1997 (FDAMA), which prohibited pharmacists from advertising or promoting compounded drugs, was a violation of their First Amendment rights. In 2005, they were instrumental in forming the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists' (IACP) public affairs task force, which created an advocacy program centered around Patients and Professionals for Customized Care (P2C2), a Web site that provided tools for compounding pharmacy advocates to influence public policy. In 2007 a coalition led by the group prevented Federal legislation, which would have severely restricted access to compounded medications, from being introduced in Congress. Both were frequently seen on The Hill in Washington DC, protecting the rights of prescribers and patients to access compounded medications freely.

In 2016, Lucy sold her majority ownership of the company to New Harbor Capital and took the role of Chairman of the Board. With her in that role, in 2018, the company acquired Diamondback Drugs. In 2020, the company purchased and began production at Wedgewood Connect, an FDA-registered 503B Outsourcing Facility, in San Jose, California. In the same year, the company acquired Wildlife Pharmaceuticals and ZooPharm, in Colorado and Wyoming, respectively.

In April 2021, the company was sold to Partners Group.

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