SOP faculty and staff to be recognized for 280 years of service
How can 13 School of Pharmacy personnel have worked for VCU a total of 280 years? It’s easy when the school can boast two 40-year employees (not to mention two each of 20-, 25- and 30-year anniversary celebrants).
All VCU and VCU Health System employees whose five-year anniversaries take place this year will be honored and recognized at the annual Service Awards Ceremony and Recognition 3-5 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad St.
Reaching the four-decade mark in the School of Pharmacy are Richard A. Glennon, chairman of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and Thomas P. Reinders, associate dean for admissions and student services.
Reinders actually arrived at VCU in 1974 (but after Aug. 1, which is the cut-off date for service award purposes). To put it into perspective, that’s the year President Richard M. Nixon refused to hand over tapes subpoenaed by the Watergate Committee … “Happy Days” began its 11-year run on NBC … and the World Trade Centers opened in New York City.
Glennon came on board a few months later, in January 1975, the year Microsoft was founded … Barry Manilow’s “Mandy” went gold … and the Vietnam War came to an end.
But some things never change. Because of space issues, Glennon recalls, “Tom and I shared an office/lab for about six months [in McGuire Hall]. Imagine – a clinical pharmacist and a basic scientist in the same office/lab! Couldn’t handle this. Tom had to go.”
Although a 5-foot partition divided the room, the “lab” and hood were on Reinders’ side. “He was initially using the hood as a bookcase,” said Glennon.
“I did my best to conduct as many ‘smelly’ reactions as I could to drive him out. Eventually, he requested a new office.
“Trust me. This happened. Ask Tom.”
Hearing Glennon’s reminiscences, Reinders laughed. “It’s true,” he said. “But we also went to lunch together every Friday. Richard has quite a sense of humor.”
Much has happened in the interim. Glennon served as an assistant professor of medicinal chemistry from 1975 until 1981. Two years after being appointed associate professor, he was made a full professor in 1983. Eventually, he was named chairman of the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and in 2010, he became the second Alfred and Frances Burger Professor of Medicinal Chemistry.
Reinders has progressed to associate professor of pharmacy since joining the faculty as an instructor in ‘74. From 1984 to 1996, he was director of pharmacy for the MCV Hospitals; for several of those years, 1989-96, he concurrently served as the School of Pharmacy’s assistant dean for clinical affiliations. Since 1996, he has been the school’s associate dean for admissions and student services.
Both have been recognized by their peers for their many accomplishments over the years.
At this point, Glennon noted, Reinders has seniority. “He beats me by a few scant months,” he said. “I will not retire before he does. And he knows this!”
So here’s to … non-retirement? … with many congratulations and thanks to Glennon, Reinders and all the other SOP employees still working toward their 40-year pins.
Following is the list of 2015 School of Pharmacy service award designees. Please note: Recognized service equals the total number of years a person has worked for the university, not the School of Pharmacy alone.
FIVE YEARS
Jeannie Kilgore (Medicinal Chemistry)
Phylliss Moret (Dean’s Office/Experiential Education)
10 YEARS
Sonja Johnson-Blaziak (Dean’s Office/Admissions and Student Services)
15 YEARS
Karen Bartee (Dean’s Office/Business)
Veronica Shuford (Dean’s Office/Educational Innovation and Assessment)
20 YEARS
David Holdford (Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science)
Sharon Lee (Medicinal Chemistry)
25 YEARS
Jean-Venable “Kelly” Goode (Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science)
Richard Young (Medicinal Chemistry)
30 YEARS
Cindy Kirkwood (Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science)
Nancy Yunker (Pharmacotherapy and Outcomes Science)
40 YEARS
Richard A. Glennon (Medicinal Chemistry)
Tom Reinders (Dean’s Office/Admissions and Student Services)