Leading local community pharmacys merge to create locally-owned pharmacy chain

Bangor – Affiliated Pharmacy Services and Miller Drug announced today that their pharmacy operations will be combining into a single entity with four locations in the Bangor area, creating one of the largest independently owned, community pharmacies in the Northeast.

For more than 50 years Bill and Gloria Miller have operated Miller Drug from their landmark location on State Street. Affiliate Pharmacy Services operates three locations: Riverside Pharmacy on the EMMC campus, Westgate Pharmacy in the EMMC Healthcare Mall on Union Street in Bangor and Whiting Hill Pharmacy in the Lafayette Family Cancer Center in Brewer.

It is anticipated all regulatory and licensure changes will be completed by early summer and the four locations will operate as a single service network, improving on the extraordinary standard of access each company’s respective customers have come to expect. The three APS locations will all be re-branded as “Miller Drug” and the very familiar Miller Drug jingle will now say “Miller Drug-Our Family Serving yours – Now from four locations.”

Community pharmacies are all about local families caring for local families. This partnership means that the community pharmacy model will continue to thrive in our region.

“It has long been our primary goal to offer good healthcare and great customer service to each and every resident of this region. And this new partnership will make that even easier,” says Bill Miller of Miller Drug. “We believe our customers will see this change as smooth and simple. Every aspect of the work we do will be improved – our four locations will mean better access, better hours, and increased convenience. We will be able to offer the same level of care and service that my family, the Miller family has shared with our region for more than fifty years.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to join forces with Miller Drug,” says Miles Theeman, President and CEO of Affiliated Healthcare Systems, Affiliated Pharmacy’s parent company. “At AHS we pride ourselves on great relationships with our customers and the quality of products and services we offer.  In the pharmacy business, both APS and Miller Drug have set the bar extremely high for both quality and service and for more than four decades nobody has done it better than Billy, Gloria and their team. Joining these two great organizations will ensure that Miller Drug’s incredible legacy of outstanding family-owned, community-based service to residents of eastern and northern Maine will continue for years to come. ‘Miller Drug – Our family serving yours – now from four locations’ isn’t just our new jingle, it’s a way of doing business.”

The combination of Affiliated Pharmacy and Miller Drug into a single, locally-owned community pharmacy means many things for our region: local ownership and decision-makers, a commitment to the health of our region, and access to specialty prescriptions.

Most importantly, this new partnership creates a gold standard for pharmacy customer service that will be available in four locations: Miller Drug on State Street, Miller Drug, Riverside, Miller Drug, Westgate, and Miller Drug, Whiting Hill.

“This change is a realization of a dream for me and I hope you will join Gloria and me in celebrating the new Miller Drug family,” finishes Bill Miller.

Contact: Elizabeth Sutherland, APR  207-945-9999

esutherland@sutherlandweston.com

New Contract Brings Additional Jobs to Northern and Eastern Maine

David Whitney, president and owner of Whitney Wreath in Machias, announced today that Whitney Wreath has been selected as the provider of balsam products for the 2009 L.L. Bean holiday catalog. Winning this competitive selection process establishes Whitney Wreath as the largest mail-order Christmas wreath company in the United States.

“This is great news for our successful business in Washington County,” said David Whitney today. “Since 1988 we have worked hard to establish Whitney Wreath as the premier wreath company of Maine and this contract with L.L.Bean validates all that we have worked for. We have loyal, hard working employees year round that have helped this happen, and I cannot say enough about our seasonal employees who are committed to producing the finest wreaths and other balsam products for the company.”

“We are pleased to be working with Whitney Wreath to provide quality balsam products to our customers this Christmas  season. We are doubly pleased to be supporting the Maine balsam business in Washington County.” Mark Fasold, Sr VP & Chief Financial Officer.

Whitney Wreath estimates that several full time employees, approximately 20 eight month positions and an additional 250 seasonal workers will be required for the increased production demand throughout the company’s seasonal décor and wreath producing facilities. Whitney Wreath has four facilities in Maine: Machias, Crawford, Indian Township and Presque Isle.

“Adding another 250 jobs this fall is a great boost to the region’s economy,” added Whitney. “I am pleased Whitney Wreath was selected by L.L. Bean to be part of its national sales effort, but most significant to me is the positive economic impact these jobs will have on our rural communities in Washington and Aroostook counties.”

30-30-30

About L.L.Bean, Inc.

L.L.Bean, Inc. is a leading multi-channel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel.  Founded in 1912 by Leon Leonwood Bean, the company began as a one-room operation selling a single product, the Maine Hunting Shoe.  While its business has grown substantially, the company remains committed to the same honest principles upon which it was built – a focus on the customer, continuous product improvement and innovation, respect for people, preservation of the natural environment and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  The 220,000 sq. ft. flagship campus of stores in Freeport, Maine is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and welcomes more than three million visitors each year. L.L.Bean can be found worldwide on www.llbean.com

About Whitney Wreath

Whitney Wreath is one of the largest producers of fresh holiday wreaths and home decorations in the nation. Started in 1984 on the back of owner’s, David Whitney, pick-up truck; Whitney’s has been providing fresh, full balsam wreaths to families throughout the United States for more than 25 years. In 2007 Whitney was awarded the U.S. Small Business Administration Jeffrey H. Butland Family-Owned Business of the Year in Maine. More about Whitney Wreath can be found at www.whitneywreath.com.