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Canton-Potsdam Hospital pharmacist awarded the Bowl of Hygeia at Pharmacists Society of the State of New York meeting

Posted 6/26/15

Benjamin Gruda, a pharmacist at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, was awarded the Bowl of Hygeia at the recent annual meeting of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York. As an “internationally …

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Canton-Potsdam Hospital pharmacist awarded the Bowl of Hygeia at Pharmacists Society of the State of New York meeting

Posted

Benjamin Gruda, a pharmacist at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, was awarded the Bowl of Hygeia at the recent annual meeting of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York.

As an “internationally recognized symbol for pharmacy, the Bowl of Hygeia is one of the most prestigious honors in the profession of pharmacy,” according to Gruda.

“It recognizes pharmacists who possess outstanding records of civic leadership in their communities.”

Gruda has a history of involvement in pharmacy associations and community affairs.

He is past-president of the Pharmacists Society of the state of New York, the Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management of the American Pharmacists Association in Washington, D.C., and the Northern New York Pharmacists Society. He has been involved with the American Pharmacists Association since 1965 in a wide range of leadership roles and with various committees and groups.

Locally, he is past president of the St. Lawrence County Board of Health, and has been active in community education, presenting programs and talks at local schools and colleges.

He has also written articles that have been published internationally on professional, business and consumer health topics.

Gruda has been a guest speaker for various drug awareness days and health classes at local elementary and high schools and for drug studies and pre-med programs at the university level. He also works in radio with the St. Lawrence County Radio Amateur Emergency Service and as a county radio officer and emergency coordinator. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus Council #340 and a past Grand Knight.

“Actually, you and your publications are part of the reason that I am getting this,” Gruda wrote in an email to North Country This Week. “The general health articles that I wrote many years ago in North County This Week gave me a venue for some of my writing and brought me international press via your syndication.”

Gruda said he retired from full-time community pharmacy in 2006, but worked part time at the Psych Center in Ogdensburg for five years, took off about a year and a half, and then started volunteering at the hospital. “They hired me per diem, so now I do about 4 to 6 days a month.”