We are thrilled to welcome Brian Franks as Alchemy’s inaugural Head of Pharmacy Operations! Brian will lead the pharmacy operations team, overseeing everything from pre-launch licensing and inspections to pharmacy site design, inventory management, and staffing. He will also be instrumental in shaping Alchemy’s digital platform, partnering with the Engineering and Product teams to optimize pharmacy workflows and ensure regulatory compliance.
Brian is a mission-driven leader with a proven track record of driving growth while maintaining operational excellence and a deep commitment to underserved populations. Most recently Brian was the Chief Operating Officer at Apothecare Pharmacy, a long-term care pharmacy serving intellectually disabled patients living in group homes, the elderly in assisted living, and hospice care. Previously, as Senior Director of Operations at Alto Pharmacy, Brian expanded specialty and retail pharmacy operations across three headquarter locations, launched new therapeutic areas including diabetes, hypertension, and pulmonary care, and grew his team eightfold to over 450 people. He began his pharmacy career at Walgreens, managing 34 stores across Colorado as District Manager during his 18-year tenure.
Brian’s work with the HIV community began during his time at Alto in San Francisco, but it was a life-altering cancer diagnosis that ultimately refocused his professional priorities and led him to Alchemy. A five-time cancer survivor, Brian was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2023 and underwent 9 months of intensive chemotherapy before being declared in remission in June of this year. “Everything became a lot less important,” Brian shared. “The title of CEO became completely irrelevant. It has always been about the mission for me, but my diagnosis reinvigorated my desire to help more people. I’m not going to be an oncologist, but in my world I can help people in a different way.”
This is also a full circle moment for Brian as he initially recruited Andy Storjohann, Senior Manager of Pharmacy Operations at Alchemy, to Walgreens and later to Alto. This time it was Andy who recruited Brian to Alchemy, and we couldn’t be more excited.
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