By Rachel Dutil • Photos by Jessica McCafferty
Pharmacies play an important role in the healthcare system and, in rural communities, they can be a lifeline. For more than a century, Kinney Drugs has been serving communities in New York and, in recent years in Vermont as well. The regional pharmacy chain was founded by Burt Orrin Kinney in Gouverneur, New York in 1903.
Casey Gould began working at Kinney Drugs as a part-time cashier and is now a regional manager responsible for 41 of the company’s 95 stores. “It started out as a part-time gig while I was in college. My manager approached me with an opportunity, and I thought I would give it a shot. Seventeen years later, I’m still here,” Gould told SB.
Employee-owned
Kinney Drugs has been 100% employee owned since 2008 and that ownership model has a positive impact on the company culture and employee mentality. After 1,000 hours of work, employees earn stock in the company that is issued annually in their 401K.
Gould described the ownership mentality as a trait he looks for when hiring new employees. Because employees are owners, they are more invested and motivated. Kinney operates using a consensus building approach. “We look for employee input and that directly impacts the decisions we make on a high level,” he explained.
Company-wide, Kinney Drugs employs 2,600 employees: pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy cashiers, front-end cashiers, shift supervisors, merchandise managers, store managers, and delivery drivers. There are roughly 1,600 full-time and 1,000 part-time employees.
Ian Fleury, a store manager in Plattsburgh, has been with the company since 2012. “Kinney Drugs has a culture that makes us all feed included,” he said. A recent visit by company president, John Marraffa, to the Cornelia Street store Fleury manages reinforced that sentiment. “We had conversations about things like signage, staffing and the new Kinney HomeCare integration. It is refreshing that John comes into our store and we have a dialogue, debate and ultimately a positive constructive conversation,” Fleury said, adding “That is how it has always been.”
Community Focused
In many rural communities, the radius between pharmacies is wide. “Access to health care services is critical to those communities,” Gould offered. “We provide free prescription delivery within a given radius in all of our markets. Customers can have their prescriptions delivered and anything from the front end of the store. If someone needs a gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, or other products we offer, we’re able to do that. In a lot of our rural communities and for our elderly populations, it’s a huge service to get the things they need.”
Gould is committed to being involved in the community and has served on several local nonprofit boards and volunteers with Rotary and United Way events. “The emphasis on community service is part of what makes Kinney Drugs such a great employer,” he said.
Gould grew up in Saranac and has worked in 16 different Kinney Drugs stores in various roles from cashier, supervisor, manager trainee, and now store manager. He has been in his current role for three years and has returned to Saranac, which is centrally located in his coverage area.
Fleury enjoys meaningful, daily interactions with people — both colleagues and customers. “We see and interact with a lot of people in our stores, and a large percentage of that population is elderly, Although we might just be a place to conveniently pick up your prescriptions, a snack, or necessities, I believe the positive interactions I see with the people who need it, is where real value is.”
Kinney Drugs welcomes feedback from both customers and employees. “One of the things we do well as a company is listen to our customers. The goal is for us to serve the needs of the communities we’re in,” Gould said. “Last year in Vermont, we had two stores that were flooded — one in Montpelier and one in Cambridge. Kinneys really came through. We had folks from our corporate offices in those flooded stores hauling out damaged merchandise 24 hours after the flood. It was all about being there for the community.”
Company Structure
As Kinney Drugs has grown and evolved, other divisions of the company have been added. In 2002, the philanthropic arm — The Kinney Drugs Foundation — was created. It gives nearly $1 million annually to local nonprofits and community organizations. The company is involved with the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, Children’s Miracle Network, Special Olympics, as well as other organizations.
In 2014, the company rebranded to KPH Healthcare Services becoming the drugstore division. “We went from being a local drugstore to serving all 50 states,” Gould offered. KPH Healthcare Services has a mail order division that serves mid-sized, self-insured clients. Noble Health Services, a nationally accredited specialty pharmacy, is another division of KPH that serves patients across the U.S.
KPH also has an on-site clinical care pharmacy at the Citizens Advocates in Malone, New York. Its Health Direct is a long-term care service that serves institutional clients at 24 locations in nine states. KPH acquired an infusion therapy pharmacy and a complimentary division which provides specialized nursing support for home infusion services.
Kinney Home Care, established in 2022, is a division that provides durable medical equipment at six locations in upstate New York. A Home Care location, recently opened in the Plattsburgh Cornelia Street store offers products such as walkers, wheelchairs and C- machines and supplies.
Gould emphasized, “A lot of people hear Kinney Drugs and they think of the drug store. We have other divisions under the KPH umbrella. The diversity of our company has many benefits. Some employees may start as cashiers and go on to work in other divisions.”
“If you are consistent, care about what you do and can get the job done, then Kinney Drugs is for you,” Fleury said. “Ever since joining this employee-owned company back in 2012, I’ve been provided an opportunity to not only contribute to an organization, but also find balance with my life. I get to be a husband, a father and have the ability to work on myself — staying both physically and mentally strong for years to come,” Fleury concluded.
Kinney Drugs
29 East Main St.
Gouverneur, NY
Commentaires