FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 24, 2017
Contact: Kristina Bird, MPA communications manager
(517) 377-0232
Dennis R. Princing of Saginaw will receive the coveted Bowl of Hygeia Award during the 2017 Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA) Annual Convention & Exposition, Feb. 24-26 at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center.
The Bowl of Hygeia Award, presented in cooperation with the American Pharmacists Association Foundation and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, is given to a pharmacist who has made outstanding professional contributions and has participated in community or governmental activities that reflect well on the pharmacy profession.
Dennis Princing has undoubtedly devoted his life and career to improving the lives of patients and the community. Princing has practiced pharmacy for over 57 years. In 1958, he graduated from Ferris State University with his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. In 1964, he began owning and operating Princing Pharmacy with his father, and business partner. Princing’s Pharmacy first opened in 1931 with multiple locations, but now only one remains in Saginaw. After being owned and operated by the Princing family for over 80 years, Princing retired in 2016. Princing and his pharmacy were well known in the area for serving the families of the Saginaw area for generations.
Throughout Princing’s time as a pharmacist, he continually pushed the mold and worked to serve his patients with the most up-todate and efficient practices. He embraced new practice opportunities including patient medication education, innovative medication delivery systems, methods for home delivery and more. Within this work, Princing continually strived to make the delivery of medications for the elderly, pediatric and mentally ill as easy as possible. Using his background in compounding pharmacy he was also able to assist those patients before many special formulations were commercially available.
Princing’s career did not stop at serving his patients, but he extended it to those in the community and most in need. He was involved in early emergency medicine regulations and standards for Saginaw County, advocated for updated home medication lists for emergency responders, implemented drug-take back programs as well as pushed for inhalers in schools. Princing also saw the need for specialty treatment programs and regimens for pharmacists serving patients with unique medication needs including postopen heart surgery and new diabetic medication protocols. Princing was practicing medication reconciliation and patient education not because it was an updated standard of care, but he believed it was the expected level of care and what patients deserved. His community service does not end within the pharmacy. Princing dedicated much of his time and energy outside of the pharmacy to enriching the community and lives of those around him. In the 1970s, Princing and his wife, Nancy, were part of a group of founders who opened the Valley Lutheran High School in an attempt to bring high quality education to the Saginaw community. Valley Lutheran High School opened in 1977 and continues operation to this day.
His interest and dedication to education also helped shape the future pharmacists of Michigan. Throughout his time at the pharmacy he continually provided student pharmacy technicians and pharmacists the opportunity for internships and clinical rotations. He educated these students in not just the business aspect of running an independent pharmacy, but the role the community pharmacists plays in ensuring the health and wellbeing of all who receive pharmacy services. Dennis Princing has left a positive imprint on the community of Saginaw and those he served, including his patients and students.
Michigan Pharmacists Association, representing the nearly 9,000 pharmacists and 15,000 pharmacy technicians in Michigan, strives to serve members by providing support, advocacy and resources that ultimately improve patient care, safety, health and the practice of pharmacy. For more information, visit www.MichiganPharmacists.org.