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The award was presented at HDA’s Distribution Management Conference and Expo in Austin, Texas.
This annual award recognizes pharmaceutical supply chain executives for their outstanding contributions to the healthcare distribution industry. Honorees exhibit extraordinary standards of honesty and integrity, while working tirelessly to advance supply chain efficiency and industry relations. Pfahl was selected by the distributor and manufacturer executives of the HDA Industry Relations Council.
“Whether it is communicating about a pressing industry issue to her manufacturer trading partners, or providing career guidance to others, Dianne Pfahl brings out the best in those who work with her,” said HDA President and CEO John M. Gray. “HDA is proud to recognize Dianne — a true champion for industry relations — with the 2018 Distribution Management Award for Industry Leadership.”
As Vice President for Strategic Sourcing National Brands at Cardinal Health, Pfahl is responsible for relationship management, and serves as the company’s primary contact to help educate its manufacturer trading partners on Cardinal Health programs, industry trends and customer initiatives. Through her leadership, Cardinal Health offers a suite of unique services, including regular newsletters and webinars; regular DSCSA updates through an external website and a monthly conference call; a vendor portal accessible at any time providing a centralized resource for manufacturers to view their performance (along with other critical documents); and an annual “Voice of the Manufacturer” survey to capture feedback for future improvements.
Additionally, Pfahl is known for her work to reinvigorate Cardinal Health’s Supply Chain Excellence (SCE) program — an annual manufacturer achievement program — by setting more rigorous standards to honor trading partners based on merit and metrics. Before Pfahl’s management, awards were given to several hundred manufacturers. After she introduced changes to the program, fewer than five companies won; in the four years following, that number has increased to more than 100 as trading partners have worked to meet the higher standards Pfahl established.
Pfahl has held a variety of roles at Cardinal Health over the past 18 years. Prior to her current position, she served as Director of Marketing and Product Management in the Consumer Health area. She also worked in Corporate Sourcing, as well in Marketing and Business Development, and managed the CardinalAssist program. Prior to Cardinal Health, Pfahl worked in the automotive industry for 21 years. She is a graduate of Morehead State University.
An active participant in HDA, Pfahl is a regular presence at Alliance events. In addition to serving as a current member of the HDA Industry Relations Council, Pfahl actively participates as a mentor in the HDA mentorship program, and has served on the Alliance’s Front-End Forum and Women’s Executive Forum advisory committees, among others.
“Every organization could benefit from a Dianne Pfahl on their team,” said Mike McBride, Vice President, Partner Relations, Upsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC. “In Dianne, Cardinal Health has both coach and concierge. She knows her business well, and has always been available to help navigate the changing landscape of our industry. She’s a model for both men and women in our industry to learn the balance of getting the job done while building lasting relationships with her business partners. We celebrate this award for Dianne, our trusted business partner and friend.”
First presented in 2000, previous DMA for Industry Leadership winners include Kay Morgan of Elsevier Clinical Solutions; Stephen Seid, formerly with Purdue Pharma, L.P.; Elizabeth A. Gallenagh, Esq., of HDA; and Neil Warren, formerly with Cardinal Health.
For more information on the Distribution Management Award for Industry Leadership, visit the HDA website.
About the Healthcare Distribution Alliance
The Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA) represents primary pharmaceutical distributors — the vital link between the nation’s pharmaceutical manufacturers and more than 200,000 pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and others nationwide. Since 1876, HDA has helped members navigate regulations and innovations to get the right medicines to the right patients at the right time, safely and efficiently. The HDA Research Foundation, HDA’s non-profit charitable foundation, serves the healthcare industry by providing research and education focused on priority healthcare supply chain issues.
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