Harvey E.Schmidt, owner of Schmidt and Sons Pharmacies
in Tecumseh, Mich., was presented with the Merlanti Ethics
Best Practices Award at the Eastern Michigan University
College of Business banquet Friday, March 24.
"Harvey Schmidt is the perfect role model for our students.
He is a successful small business owner and a businessperson
who measures great parts of that success in terms of ethical
business practices and service to the community. We are
proud to recognize him with this award," said David E.
Mielke, dean of the EMU College of Business.
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MORALITY PLAY: Harvey Schmidt (above,
right), owner of Schmidt and Sons
Pharmacy in Tecumseh,
accepts the
Merlanti Ethics Best Practices Award
from
Dean David Mielke, dean of EMU's College
of Business,
and Jeanne Merlanti at the
college's
banquet March 24.
|
Upon graduation from Ferris State's School of Pharmacy
in 1975, Schmidt moved back to Tecumseh and began working
at a pharmacy that he later bought. The business
has since expanded to four Schmidt and Sons pharmacies
in the southeastern Michigan region. Schmidt's
business has thrived because of his attention to the needs
of the community and his employees.
Realizing that not all customers can come to the store
during regular business hours, Schmidt offers free delivery
for the elderly and provides on-call, after-hours prescription
filling to serve his community.
A very low employee turnover rate at his stores has meant
many of Schmidt's employees have become recognized over
the years as instruments of excellent community healthcare.
His stores are part of Good Neighbor Pharmacies and support
a commitment to local business owners improving local communities.
For example, these stores are a part of ISMP® Medication
Safety Self Assessment® for Community/Ambulatory Pharmacies,
which provide the pharmacies with information about adverse
drug events and their prevention.
In addition to running his business, Schmidt has devoted
countless hours of service to his community in various
municipal organizations, as well as serving as an elder
at the First Presbyterian Church, three blocks from the
house where he grew up. Long a city councilman,
Schmidt has served, over the last several years, as the
mayor of Tecumseh, even running unopposed in last November's
election. Further recognition came in 2004 when he received
the city's Musgrove Evans Award, named after the city's
founder, given annually in recognition for outstanding
community service.
"Schmidt serves as a positive model for our business students
in EMU's College of Business. His traditional small-town
values and strong ethical business practices have enriched
the life of Tecumseh, his home community. In his
acceptance speech, Schmidt spoke of the value of keeping
one's good name and noted: 'Once that good name is
lost, it can't be regained.' That is good advice!" said
John Waltman, director of the Merlanti Ethics Program and
professor of management at EMU.
The award is part of the Ernest and Jeanne Merlanti Ethics
Program, which was established in December 2001. The program
was created to help with the pressing need for expanded
business ethics training. The program is named for
Ernest and Jeanne Merlanti, of Ann Arbor, area business
leaders and entrepreneurs. The Merlantis founded Personnel
Systems, Inc. in 1970, to help resolve problems other companies
faced in hiring quality employees, including the need to
screen resumes and interview quality candidates.
