Small Business Person of the Year
The Saint Francis University Small Business Development Center honored the winner of its 2015 Small Business Person of the Year award at its annual Awards Luncheon on October 15 in the JFK Student Center on campus. This award recognizes the outstanding achievements of the Southern Alleghenies Region’s most successful entrepreneurs and small business advocates.
Thompson Pharmacy is a family-owned independent pharmacy which owns five retail pharmacies in Blair and Centre Counties with over 160 employees and 12 pharmacists. Thompson Pharmacy offers a unique selection of gifts, groceries, bill-pay services, dry cleaning services, notary services, post office, drive-thru, flu clinics and much more. Thompson Pharmacy also operates a Long-Term Care Pharmacy that services approximately 3,000 beds in long-term care facilities throughout six counties.
Fifty years ago, when Thompson Pharmacy was started in Altoona by Bill Thompson Jr., Bill Thompson III spent his school years working in the family business. While the other kids were going to football games or dances, you could find Bill III at the family pharmacy waiting on customers, delivering prescriptions, or stocking the shelves.
When Bill III graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy in 1988, he returned to the family business and soon became Vice President of the company. At that time, Bill III began offering pharmaceutical services to local long-term care facilities, this beginning Thompson LTC Pharmacy, Inc. He became President/Owner in October of 2005.
Thompson Pharmacy has experienced continuous growth since 1965 when it began with just six employees. Today Thompson Pharmacy employs over 160 people – 12 pharmacists, 25 drivers and a fleet of 16 vehicles.
As an independent pharmacy competing in a world where national chain pharmacies control much of the atmosphere, Thompson Pharmacy has faced the challenges head on and have not only survived, but prospered and grown through the years. Bill works very hard to ensure employees are treated fairly and customers receive the best products at the best prices. Team work is one of the things Thompson Pharmacy and their employees, also known as Team Thompson, have always excelled at. Thompson Pharmacy has an open door policy for any suggestions or complaints, keeping employees close. The ideas that come from team leaders and members have added to Thompson Pharmacy’s diversity and ability to beat the “big guys” at their own game.