Veteran Healthcare and Pharmacy Executive Craig Stephens Joins Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy as Group Vice President of Business Development and Trade Relations

FLINT, Mich., Dec. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, the nation's largest, privately owned specialty pharmacy, announced today that Craig Stephens, a veteran healthcare and specialty pharmacy executive, has joined Diplomat's Executive Team. 

"Craig's broad background as an industry executive in pharma, prescription benefit managers, health plans and specialty pharmacy make him the perfect fit to help drive Diplomat's continued expansion," said Phil Hagerman, Diplomat's President and CEO.

"I am fortunate to hold a career which has aligned to leading healthcare strategies," said Stephens. "Diplomat offers an exceptional platform to service the explosive growth in specialty pharmacy, and I'm excited to collaborate with their eager and experienced management team."

Prior to joining Diplomat, Stephens was Senior Vice President & Practice Leader for Evergreen Rx negotiating contracts and managing performance of prescription benefits for Medicaid, Medicare and Commercial health plans across the United States. Stephens was also Vice President for Walgreens Health Services directing ancillary businesses outside of the retail store channel including pbm, mail, specialty, infusion and institutional. Before that, as Vice President for UnitedHealth Group, Stephens was a founding member responsible for the strategic direction, formulary, benefit design and implementation of the AARP Medicare Part D program. Stephens also spent three years in London as a Director for Diversified Health Systems (SmithKline Beecham), where he conceived and championed value added health information services to the European marketplace including associated business models.

Stephens graduated from South Dakota State University and received an M.B.A. from Saint Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, Minnesota. He is a licensed pharmacist and received his A.S.H.P. Hospital Residency from Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay, Oregon.

About Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy

Michigan-based Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, founded in 1975, serves patients nationwide as the country's largest privately held Specialty Pharmacy and focuses on complete medication management programs for patients with serious and chronic conditions. Diplomat's business model creates unique partnerships around both distribution and services with industry stakeholders with Group Purchasing Organizations, Hospital systems, retail chains and managed markets, always focused on improving adherence and the patient experience. Learn more about Keeping Patients Healthier...Longer® at www.diplomatpharmacy.com

CONTACT: Dan Roelofs, +1-616-808-3232, [email protected]

SOURCE Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy