Chuck George, PharmD
Vice President of Pharmacy ServicesChuck brings over 30 years of experience in healthcare serving in various roles in pharmacy-related practice and leadership including 10 years of community pharmacy, home IV infusion, and 20 years of hospital pharmacy where he was a regional manager of Pharmacy Operations with OSF Healthcare in their Northern region. During this time, Chuck also served over 10 years as a Pharmacy Consultant with Green Tree Pharmacy, an instructor at Illinois Valley Community College for their Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program, and preceptor for pharmacy students from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, Creighton University, Drake University, University of Iowa, Midwestern University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago-Rockford.
Chuck graduated from Drake University with a B.S. in pharmacy in 1989 and achieved his doctorate (PharmD) at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1998. He is also a board-certified Geriatric Pharmacist (BCGP) recognized by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS).
Prior to being promoted to Vice President of Pharmacy Services, Chuck served as Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services at Green Tree Pharmacy. His areas of responsibilities and interests include Performance Improvement projects, data analytics/informatics, automation technology, inventory management, formulary development, enhancement of clinical pharmacy services including pharmacokinetics, disease management, antimicrobial stewardship, and sterile / non-sterile / hazardous drug processing and new business development. He works closely with our facilities, consultants, pharmacists, and technicians at Green Tree Pharmacy to ensure we are using the most current clinical guidelines and protocols while maintaining compliance with federal and state regulations.
Chuck is an active member of the Illinois Pharmacy Association and the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
Jason Degenhart, Pharm. D.
Director of Operations/IT LiaisonJason Degenhart graduated from Butler University with his Doctorate of Pharmacy in 2002 and has since become a licensed pharmacist. He worked retail pharmacy before coming to Green Tree Pharmacy in May of 2005. Some of his responsibilities at the pharmacy include therapeutic interventions, special request drug reviews, Medicare Part D medication management, disease management interventions, drug information services, consulting, and advising Heritage’s consultant pharmacists throughout Illinois. He is also an active member of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
Neil Heineke, Pharm. D.
Director of Operations/PICNeil Heineke is the Assistant Director of Pharmacy Operations for Green Tree Pharmacy, making him primarily responsible for the day to day operations of the pharmacy. Neil’s other responsibilities at the pharmacy include therapeutic interventions, special request medication profile reviews, Medicare Part D medication management, disease management interventions, and providing drug information services. In addition, Neil also serves as a pharmacy consultant for two of the nursing facilities serviced by Green Tree Pharmacy. Neil earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Butler University and began his employment with Green Tree Pharmacy when he was a pharmacy student in 1996. Upon graduation in 2002, he worked in retail and was a manager at a retail pharmacy in Normal, Illinois. He has worked for Green Tree Pharmacy as a pharmacist since 2005 and is a member of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
Jamie Harrison, Pharm. D.
Director of Clinical Pharmacy ServicesJamie comes to Green Tree Pharmacy with over 16 years of experience in pharmacy related practice and leadership. Jamie graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. in biochemistry in 2010. She received her doctorate (PharmD) at the University of Illinois at Chicago-Rockford, with a concentration in rural pharmacy, in 2014. She was part of the first class that graduated from the Rockford campus. She is also a member of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. Prior to coming to Green Tree Pharmacy, Jamie was a pharmacy manager/pharmacist-in-charge at a community retail pharmacy in Pontiac, IL. In her free time, Jamie partners with ProjectOz in Bloomington, IL to help educate communities on preventing drug misuse and addiction. She’s also been a speaker at the McLean County Mental Health Forums. Jamie is an active member of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.
Some of Jamie’s areas of responsibilities and interests include regulatory compliance, disease management, immunization clinic coordination, formulary development, MTM/CMRs, drug information services, hazardous drug processing and handling, opioid stewardship, antimicrobial stewardship, developing enrichment strategies for clinical pharmacy services to enhance patient care, evaluate pharmacoeconomics and patient outcomes, and participate with new business development. She works closely with our consultant pharmacists, pharmacists, technicians, and facilities to ensure federal and state compliance with the most current clinical guidelines and protocols.
Sydney Benson, CPhT
Logistics ManagerSydney Benson joined the Green Tree Pharmacy team in 2020. Before coming to Green Tree Pharmacy, Sydney served as Senior Manager of Guest Services at Fox River Resort for 10 years that involved assisting with front desk tasks, super user for IT, HR responsibilities and training of new hires, customer service, housekeeping, and resort security.
Sydney currently serves as Green Tree’s Logistics Manager, Vaccine Coordinator, and Asst. HR Liaison. She manages 23 drivers that cover our 11 routes that serve our 90+ facilities statewide. Sydney is also a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and is APhA certified in administering immunizations, and CPR trained and certified. As Vaccine Coordinator she assists facilities in scheduling clinics and providing a variety of vaccines to both residents and employees. Other responsibilities that Sydney handles are maintenance of pharmacy provided facility equipment and medication carts. Outside of her many roles at Green Tree, Sydney actively participates in community events and charities.
Joan Fernandez, RN, BSN
Account Manager and Clinical Support NurseJoan Fernandez is the Pharmacy Sales Manager/Clinical Support Nurse for Green Tree Pharmacy. She is an oncology-certified nurse who has had more than 40 years of experience in nursing and healthcare. She was the director of community outreach services for St. Margaret’s Health in Peru and Spring Valley, Illinois, and an infusion therapy nurse consultant for home-based services for Illinois Valley Community Hospital.
Joan began her nursing career at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Illinois, before moving to Kansas City where she was the director of nursing for the home infusion therapy division of Home Health Depot, later holding the same job title at Curaflex Health Systems. Before moving back to Illinois, she served as IV consultant/coordinator for long term care for Coram Healthcare in Lenexa, Kansas.
Joan holds a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from Bradley University and is an American Heart Association CPR instructor. She has made numerous community presentations on a variety of health-related topics and is an accomplished public speaker. Joan is a recipient of the American Heart Association Hero Award and was included in the Bureau County Republican’s 2018 Illinois Valley Women of Distinction class. She is a member of the Oncology Nursing Society and serves as president of the Illinois Valley Pink Ribbon Club.
Candi Mangan, CPhT
Pharmacy Billing ManagerCandi came to Green Tree Pharmacy with over 20 years of customer service experience, with 10 years focused on billing and collections. Candi graduated from Richland Community College in Decatur, IL, with an Associates in Science-Concentration in Business. She then transferred to Illinois State University where she studied Human Resource Management, Organizational Leadership, and Economics. Candi was a part of the Future Business Leaders of America -Collegiate, formally known as Phi Beta Lamba. She served as a State Officer for 3 years and the National North Central Region Vice President for 1 year. She continues to volunteer for the organization by assisting as their Competitive Events Manager on the state level. Candi is involved in charitable events such as St. Jude and March for Dimes. Candi has been with Green Tree Pharmacy for over 2 years, as a CPhT and now over sees the billing department as the Pharmacy Billing Manager.