Big Y Appoints Michael Pashko as Director of Pharmacy

SPRINGFIELD — The Big Y board of directors announced the appointment of Michael Pashko as director of Pharmacy. As director, he will be responsible for setting overall direction and goals for the Pharmacy division and the development and execution of programs, promotions, services, and operational excellence for Big Y’s 33 in-store pharmacies. He reports to Nicole D’Amour Schneider, senior vice president of Retail Operations and Customer Experience.

Pashko was born into the profession of pharmacy as the son of a pharmacist, spending many days during his childhood in independent pharmacies. He was introduced to drugstore and retail operations in 2002 as a service clerk for Walgreens and, two years later, moved into pharmacy operations as a pharmacy technician. After graduating from pharmacy school in 2012, he had a strong desire to learn more about business growth and moved into pharmacy and field management. In 2022, he was promoted to director of Pharmacy and Retail Operations for 84 Walgreens locations in Massachusetts.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mike into our Big Y family,” D’Amour Schneider said. “His years of experience in the retail pharmacy industry, his passion for patient care, and his enthusiasm for the business make him the perfect addition to our talented Pharmacy team.”

Pashko earned a doctor of pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston in 2012. He is a registered pharmacist in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Illinois, along with being a certified immunizer since 2012.

“I am thrilled to join a family-owned business with strong, local roots in Massachusetts,” he said. “Building on my passion for the profession of pharmacy, I am eager to collaborate with the Big Y team to drive positive health outcomes for our patients and expand the role of community pharmacy, while contributing to the financial success of the organization.”