Eddie Klein had many achievements in his career, many powerful positions and accolades. He owned a pharmacy, ran a pharmacy and worked for a large corporation. He was a powerful and successful leader in the Texas Pharmacy Association  as well as many other organizations and groups. He held every office there ever was. But that is not how he is known. Here is Eddie’s Legacy in the words of those whose lives he touched.  

He was really known for his generosity, he was always helping everyone. And when asked why he did this he would always say "I’m just trying to make your day a little better”

He was the TPA Student Liaison before we even had one, he traveled to all the White Coat ceremonies and mentored students in every area of practice. He would take students to other pharmacies and introduce them to everyone he knew. He took his vacations to go to Pharmacy Schools and visit - Mary Klein, Jai Ellis, Bethany Boyd, Chris Dembny.

Tremendously high energy, he was always working and didn’t like sitting around. The Heart of DAPA, he loved his profession, TPA,  DAPA and never missed a State convention. During the conventions it seemed as though he never slept! Always visiting talking, encouraging. He was easily the most recognized Pharmacist in the State of Texas.

His personality was incredibly genuine, he sincerely wanted to help you, never wanted anything in return, his heart was as big as Texas, no one was ever a stranger to Eddie. Amazing thoughtfulness and giving nature. He wrote Thank you notes all the time for everyone.  Giving even when he had little to give.

A true Pharmacist, during door to door campaigning for Chuck Hopson he was confronted by a frightening looking man who was carrying a gun. Eddie went right on in and counseled the man about his meds for 30 minutes!

from Mary Klein - As a P1, I was involved in starting our NCPA chapter at Tech, and was also a TPA director. I spent the better part of that year really confused on conference calls with other TPA student leaders because I really knew nothing about what TPA was about, and quite honestly, was ready to quit. At the end of the year, I attended the NCPA legislative meeting in Washington DC, and during the first day, I was asked at least five times if was "Eddie's daughter."  I had no idea who this Eddie person they were talking about was, but as I left the opening reception, I ran into a man who saw the Double T on my name tag, and asked if I was a student. He introduced himself as Eddie Klein, and a light bulb went off in my head -- I had to laugh. I told him my name, and it turns out that he had been asked multiple times in the day if his daughter was there at the convention. So, for the rest of the convention, I called him Dad and he called me daughter -- something that stuck for the entire time that I knew him. At that convention, I found out he was the President-Elect of TPA (see, told you I knew nothing about TPA at the time!), and we talked a lot about the fact that the students were just clueless about what TPA is about. I told him that I wasn't going to be a director the following year, and he practically begged me to stay on. I guess Eddie saw a leader in me when I didn't really see it in myself.

During the following two years, Eddie made a point to visit every school each year to talk about TPA, he made sure that TPA paid for food for at least one chapter meeting each year, and he really helped to motivate our student leaders to start some of the programs that are now the student events at TPA annual meeting. I couldn't tell you how many late night email and phone conversations I had with him as a student -- he was always looking for a way to get more students involved.

When I graduated, Eddie decided I needed to move up in leadership in TPA. He pushed me to run for Speaker of the House, and then he put my name on the ballot the first time for Director at Large (he was chair of the nominating committee).  Literally, he called and said "I know you are the current Speaker-Elect and didn't want to be nominated for something else, but you need name recognition, so I got you on the ballot for Director at Large. He was my cheerleader in every position I ran for, and I must say that I miss my "Pharmacy Dad" terribly.  I think the reason why I continue to be passionate about students is in part because he was.    

Eddie, you are  a True Texas Pharmacy Star…and your light will shine on for a very long time. Thank you to Louis Rumsey, Chuck Hopson, Mary Klein, Bethany Boyd, May Woo and all who shared their stories of Eddie and carry on his Legacy.

Shelly Coleman is a Nacogdoches community pharmacist. When immunizing pharmacists were first authorized, Shelly was among the first. Her dedication to preventing disease in her area started small. Flu shots during a limited time frame was all that was offered.  

One day, one of her rural patients came in to get his flu shot and asked Shelly a very important question. "We barely got Mom into the car, it is very difficult for her to walk or be moved. Would you come out to her and give her  a flu and pneumonia shot? She has COPD and really needs the protection!"

And… a STAR was born!!! Shelly saw the need in her area and began with amazing determination to create access for ALL patients in the Nacogdoches area to get their immunizations. She went to cars, she went to schools, she went to City Halls, she went to businesses. From time to time…for the very  immobile…she went to a persons home. Over the next few years, she went everywhere she could. Shelly has been responsible for close to 10,000 immunization in the Nacodoches area!!!

So I say,   Nacogdoches – you are RICH! Because you have dedicated, caring, passionate healthcare providers like Shelly Coleman!!

Thank you Shelly Coleman – you are a Texas Pharmacy Star!!

In Dayton Texas there is no hospital... no EMS or ambulance service. There are a couple of medical providers that have limited office hours and a couple of NP's who have limited hours also. Dayton also has a couple of pharmacies that serve the community.

One afternoon a landscaping worker was stung by and insect and had an allergic reaction that progressed further and further towards anaphyaxis. He fell to the ground outside between the local pharmacy and the Sonic. His co-workers realized that he was in serious trouble and ran into the Pharmacy to get help.

Allera Porter PharmD was on duty and ran outside to assist. The man gestured that he had an inhaler in his truck and she retrieved it and assisted him in using it. No result - he continued to progress into anaphylaxis. His friends thought he had Epi-pens, they were found and Allera administered them both....no improvement...nothing was working...   The man died.   No pulse...no respiration...  

Allera is trained in CPR, as are most Pharmacists, and she began one person CPR. The man's friends had previously called 911. But there is no ambulance in Dayton Texas and the nearest EMS responders were 20 minutes away.  Allera began CPR and continued it as she had been trained until medical assistance arrived. The man was unresponsive. The EMS team took over an loaded him into the ambulance. Allera communicated the steps taken to the EMS team and returned to the pharmacy. The ambulance did not race off...it stayed in the parking lot for quite a while then slowly pulled away.  Lights and sirens - off they went.  

Later that evening a line of local police officers walked up to the Pharmacy window. The man had been revived by EMS and Hospital treatment and was alive and/doing well in the nearest Hospital! Each police officer in that line personally thanked Allera Porter PharmD for her actions in saving this man's life.  

Allera Porter is a Texas Pharmacy Star. She did what we are all trained to do. She practices every day in Dayton Texas and does what we all do, takes care of the patients in her town, when emergency action is needed. She is trained and ready.  

Thank you Allera Porter - You Are a Texas Pharmacy Star!

What a tremendous amount of progress we have made this year.  We can celebrate many Wins and of course the "Veto” that stopped doctors from filling and keep pharmacists directly involved in patient care. There was a huge amount of work done by many people to achieve these results. Thank you to every member, every leader, every family member who called, wrote, visited and communicated. Thank you to every one who wrote checks and became members and attended fundraisers! Together we achieved a strength and delivered a message that protected and advanced  profession.

So….where are we and where do we go from here?

It is Fair to ask the question – Where do we start?  Where do we begin?

We have seen and shown the power of our Unified strength. While the bi-annual state legislative session has come to a close,  we only have 12 months to prepare. Even starting now we have a lot of work to do!

• We will be strengthening relationships with legislators, continuing the education and communication of healthcare priorities.
• There will be new relationships to build as elections progress through the year.
• Many candidates for office now see the strength and power of Pharmacy and are contacting us for meetings and potential support.
• We have a tremendous collaboration with the Colleges of Pharmacy both the Leadership and the Students. We will develop that collaboration further throughout the year.
• We have established professional forums for the leadership of all Pharmacy Organizations to discuss and promote the unified advancement of our issues.
• We will continue the role of advisor and support to the Governmental agencies that have impact on our profession.
• We will carry the message and momentum of this year to the Pharmacists and Technicians we represent.
• We will communicate both the urgency of the tasks and the actions we all must work on together to move our profession into the full utilization of the skills, talents and abilities we have.
• We will continue to listen to YOU, what challenges are you dealing with? What professional issues must be protected? We need to move our practices forward - What is the direction?

 We MUST go forward through this Interim year  - working together -  focused TOGETHER on the profession of Pharmacy.  Casting off all perceived differences and past troubles to determine what our actions will be to drive the recognition and empowerment of Pharmacists in Healthcare.

And we WILL achieve our goals. We WILL move the profession forward. We WILL TOGETHER, legislatively, in regulatory and in active practice fulfill the Mission and Vision of the Texas Pharmacy Association

Our Mission To advance, protect and unify the profession of pharmacy and assist patients in living healthy lives.

Our Vision Texas Pharmacists – Recognized, engaged and compensated as health-care providers.

Texas Pharmacy Association - We’ve Got Your Back!