Distinguished Alumni and Early Career Achievement Award Recipients
2009 Early Career Achievement Award Recipient Lee J. Handke
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients
2007 Scott A. Swigart, '82
2006 Janel T. Foote, '74
2005 Ronald J. Hospodka, '65, '71
2004 Sam Augustine, '73, '79
2003 Joe Smith, '65
2002 Donna Soflin, '75
2001 Jerome Schentag, '73
2000 Thomas Cady, '41
Leland (Lee) Lucke, '51
Witold Saski, '54
Donald L. Sorby, '55
1999 Theodore E. Hustead '29
Lewis E. Harris, '32
Melvin Gibson, '42
Tom S. Miya, '47
Varro S. Tyler, '49
Joseph D. Williams, '50
Early Career Achievement Award Recipients
Dr. Lee J. Handke, a Pierce, Neb. native, began his pharmacy career when he graduated from the UNMC in 1999 as a Doctor of Pharmacy with Distinction. He completed a residency in managed care pharmacy at Walgreens Health Initiatives in Deerfield, Illinois. In 2005, he received his Master of Business Administration degree from UNO.
Dr. Handke is currently the Vice President of Health Network Services with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska. In his time there, Dr. Handke has been responsible for pharmacy trend and resource management, the development and implementation of employer based wellness initiatives, oversight of provider and facility reimbursement and service, and the development of initiatives to promote quality and efficient care for all Nebraskans.
Dr. Handke also has provided a significant contribution to academia. He developed the Medical Center Managed Care Pharmacy Residency Program, which is jointly sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Since 2000, he has been an Adjunct Faculty and Preceptor at UNMC, where he has been a lecturer in the College of Pharmacy in Pharmacy Management and Drug Information courses and has been the site preceptor for the managed care clinical clerkship. He currently serves on the admissions committee at UNMC’s College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Handke is active in his community as a board member of the Wellness Councils of the Midlands and the Nothing But Net Foundation. In 2006, he was named on the Ten Outstanding Young Omahans by the Omaha Jaycees and was a member of Leadership Omaha class 30.
2008 Daren L. Knoell, '89
2007 James J. Rybacki, '87
2006 Janellle M. Massey, '89
