April 23, 2018
Dr. Brian Esters has become president-elect of the Phi Lambda Sigma Pharmacy Leadership Society (PLS), the first faculty member in South College’s School of Pharmacy to hold the national position.
Brian D. Esters, PharmD, CPPS
South College School of Pharmacy
Esters was elected to the leadership post at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the leading advocate for the pharmacy profession. Esters will serve three years in a leadership role.
His selection came in Nashville, Tennessee, in March at the gathering of the PLS House of Delegates, which meets during APhA’s annual meeting. He became the first faculty member in the South College School of Pharmacy to hold a national office in a pharmacy organization.
“We congratulate the pioneering spirit of Dr. Esters and celebrate this tremendous honor,” School of Pharmacy Dean Walter L. Fitzgerald Jr. said. “We also recognize his dedication to the pharmacy profession because this election marks the beginning of a three-year commitment as a PLS national officer.”
Established in 1965, Phi Lambda Sigma develops leaders among pharmacy students and pharmacists and recognizes leaders in the profession.
Esters, who joined the South College faculty in 2013, has been involved in PLS for 17 years. He is a Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS); is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and other professional organizations; and has been an advocate for advanced safety protocols.
“Being elected by peers is both humbling and exciting because it indicates their trust and confidence in me to serve as a leader in the pharmacy profession,” Esters said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve PLS and represent South College on a national platform.”
Esters is a charter member of the Tennessee Pharmacist Coalition, a partnership formed in 2014 by the Tennessee Pharmacists Association and Tennessee Hospital Association. He has extensive experience both as a professor and professional pharmacist, including positions in clinics and large hospital systems. Esters is a frequent lecturer and speaker at professional conferences with a focus on patient safety and the development of effective communication skills for pharmacy students.
“I can use my experience in the workforce and academic setting to help mentor the future leaders in pharmacy,” Esters said. “The health care and pharmacy fields are ever-changing, and it is more important than ever to both identify and develop leaders in our profession.”
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