Cross & Crescent

Timothy L. Tucker (Union-TN 1986) lives to serve and help others.

“This is what makes me tick,” he says. “This is what makes me get up in the morning. This is just what I do.”

Whether it’s little league association president, city councilman, Fraternity chapter adviser, college professor, charity organizer, community pharmacist, or as the newly elected American Pharmacists Association president, Tucker defines himself as a public servant.

“You know I have a servant’s heart,” he says. “People ask why I give so much. I guarantee you that I get much more in return than I’ve given.”

Community Pharmacy Owner

Upon graduating from the University of Tennessee with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1988, Tucker joined the family-owned City Drug Co. in Huntingdon, Tennessee, which his dad started in 1965.

Upon his father’s retirement, Tucker and his brother became the two principals in the business.

A rare commodity in today’s world, the success and survival of independent pharmacies is one of Tucker’s passions.

“It’s very important to us that our customers are taken care of,” he says. “My dad taught all of my family early on that if we would take care of people then people would take care of us. And that has definitely proven to be very, very, very true.”

City Drug is open 363 days a year and Tucker is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Our customers are our family and we treat them as our family,” he says. “We spend hours and hours and hours talking to patients.”

Industry Spokesperson

Our customers are our family and we treat them as our family.

Tucker was elected 2008 president of the 60,000-member APhA, and will serve as president-elect until he officially becomes president in March 2008.

In his role, he will be the spokesperson for American pharmacy, traveling around the world and speaking to a wide variety of audiences.

“Any opportunity I have to promote our profession in any venue, whether it be regulators, whether it be the public — any venue that they’ll let me speak, or to be seen, or to be heard — that’s where I’ll be for the next three years.”

Tucker says he won his election based on the philosophies of being very patient- and family-oriented.

“I think probably my biggest message is while change is inevitable, it’s got to be change that is manageable,” he says. “The changes that are occurring are happening so fast…it’s not one thing like it’s been in the past where we could deal with one obstacle and get over it.”

Tucker decided early on in his pharmacy career, if he wanted to have an impact on how the changes to health care were implemented, he needed to get involved.

“In today’s ever-changing health care environment, every day is a little different and we face new challenges and new opportunities,” he says. “It’s neat to be on the side that I am where most of the opportunities that we face I’ve been at that table making those decision, or helping make those decisions.”

In addition to being APhA president and board of trustees member, Tucker also has served as president and speaker of the house of the Tennessee Pharmacists Association, and president of the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy.

He also has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Government Reform Committee on implementing Medicare Part D, and before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee regarding community pharmacy contract negotiations.

Unbelievable Experience, Unbelievable Men

Tucker lives approximately 30 minutes from Jackson, Tennessee, where Union University is located.

He chose the school for his undergraduate work because he liked the atmosphere and campus life. He joined Lambda Chi Alpha his freshmen year, convincing his parents the Fraternity was unlike any other.

“It was a group of men that would let me be a part of them and to become a better man,” he says. “It was a group of men that cared about me if I was struggling, they wanted to struggle with me. If I was happy, they wanted to celebrate with me.”

As Tucker finished his undergraduate work and began his pharmacy studies at the University of Memphis, he continued to stay in touch the Union chapter members.

When he moved back home in 1987, the chapter adviser at the time asked him to take over his role. Tucker jumped at the chance to have a continuing opportunity to be a part of the chapter’s progression.

“Absolutely the most unbelievable experience of my life,” he says. “To watch great young men come in as freshman but to be very, very immature, and to watch them over four years become unbelievable men who have a huge impact on society.”

Over the years, many undergraduates and alumni have asked him what motivates him to remain chapter adviser with all his other commitments.

“I can never give back to them what they’ve given to me,” Tucker says. “Over the 20 years, I cannot express to you the number of young men that have essentially become my children.”

Like his pharmacy customers, Tucker says he is there for the undergraduate members 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

It amazes me to watch what Lambda Chi can do for young men.

“It amazes me to watch what Lambda Chi can do for young men,” he says. “We are definitely not perfect but we try to live ritual. We stumble every day, we make mistakes, and we have to ask for forgiveness.”

In 1998, Tucker was recognized for his efforts by being awarded the Order of Merit at the General Assembly held in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“It was a very humbling experience because at the time I was in my early 30s, and most of the other men being recognized were in their 40s, and 50s, and 60s,” he says. “To think that I was even partially worthy of recognition for something like that, compared to the other individuals that were being recognized, was a little overwhelming.”

Next Political Office

Twenty years ago, Tucker told his classmates that he wanted to be the APhA president some day and they all laughed at him. They don’t laugh at him anymore.

After his APhA presidency is done, he says there has been some discussion in Tennessee about possibly having him make a bid for governor.

“Another goal that I have that I’m not sure is as realistic as the other goals…is to be the governor of Tennessee,” he says.

Unlike the APhA presidency, there is one other person who may hold the final vote about whether he runs for governor.

“My wife tells me if I run for governor, it will be with my next wife,” Tucker says.