Washington D.C. – After 14 years of dedicated service as the Board of Pharmacy Specialties’ Executive Director, William M. Ellis, MS, RPh, ICE-CCP, announced his retirement plans for January 2025. The announcement comes following nearly 40 years of devoted service to advancing the profession of pharmacy, mentoring the next generation of pharmacists, innovating relentlessly, and leading with deep empathy.
William M. Ellis, known as Bill to friends and colleagues, played a pivotal role in shaping the success of pharmacist board certification. During his tenure, Bill passionately emphasized the value of board-certified pharmacists, leading to a subsequent increase in demand for board certification. The total number of active pharmacist certifications grew from approximately 10,000 in 2010 to over 60,000 in 2024 under Bill’s leadership. He ushered in the addition of nine specialty certification programs, propelling BPS from six recognized programs to 15.
Bill’s drive, enthusiasm, and energy knew no bounds and his vision for BPS Board Certification as the global gold standard for pharmacist certification is reflected by over 7,500 certifications held by pharmacists practicing outside of the United States. BPS maintains accreditation under the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 17024 Accreditation Standard and the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), a nod to Bill’s attention for quality.
“I am deeply honored to have served as Executive Director of BPS and I am incredibly proud of all that we have been able to accomplish together. It has been a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated team and to witness the growth of board certification over the past 14 years. I am excited for the future and confident that BPS Board Certification will continue to thrive,” said William M. Ellis, MS, RPh, ICE-CCP.
Prior to serving as the BPS Executive Director, Bill served nearly 13 years as the CEO and Executive Director of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation, developing and directing research initiatives in addition to leading projects and programs that received several national recognitions. Bill’s career also included over a decade as the Executive Vice President of the Pennsylvania Society of Health-System Pharmacists, following completion of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Executive Residency in Association Management.
Bill served in leadership positions for various professional organizations, such as an Administrative Commissioner and Chair of the NCCA and a board member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (I.C.E.).
The BPS Board of Directors expressed their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for Bill’s visionary leadership of BPS.
“On behalf of the board, we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude, appreciation, and respect to Bill for his exceptional leadership of BPS. Over the past decade, the success and growth of BPS have been significantly driven by Bill’s guidance and dedication to the organization. We appreciate his pivotal role in transforming pharmacy board certification and wish him a well-deserved retirement,” said Cyrine-Eliana Haidar, PharmD, BCPS, BCOP, FASHP, Chair of the BPS Board of Directors.
Brian E. Lawson, PharmD, ICE-CCP, BPS Associate Executive Director, accepted the position of Interim Executive Director following an appointment by the BPS Board of Directors, in collaboration with organizational leadership.
Brian has worked with BPS since 2012 and has served as the Associate Executive Director since 2021. Brian was named the University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy inaugural Global Executive in Residence in 2019 and the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (I.C.E.) Next Gen Professional Award recipient in 2021. He was appointed an Administrative Commissioner to the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) in 2023.
Further details regarding the transition of leadership will be distributed in the future.
Interested candidates may apply on this webpage as part of the open recruitment for the position of Executive Director, Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS).
About the Board of Pharmacy Specialties
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) was established in 1976 as an autonomous division of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). The mission of BPS is to improve patient care by positioning BPS Board-Certified Pharmacist Specialists as integral members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams, through recognition and promotion of specialized training, knowledge, and skills for pharmacists in the United States and internationally. Board certification is a recognized credential for determining which pharmacists are qualified to contribute at advanced practice levels given the rigorous standards mandated by BPS board certification and recertification. BPS has currently issued more than 60,900 certifications held by pharmacists across 15 specialties.
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