Wilson Pharmacy history

Dean Wilson’s continuous efforts to improve pharmacy in Georgia led to the development of one of the first four-year required pharmacy degrees in the nation, beginning in 1926.

Many things have changed since Wilsons was founded in 1943 by William and Margaret Wilson under the name Bill Wilson’s Drugs.

Doctor Kenneth L. Waters was named Dean of the School of Pharmacy in 1948.

1950— Guy Wilson Sr. and Robert S. Moser opened The Town & Country Pharmacy in North Johnson City at the intersection of North Roan Street and Browns Mill Road.

The school’s graduate degree program began with the Master’s program in 1951.

1955— First institutional pharmacy contract was signed to supply prescription medications to nursing homes.

In June of 1963, Bill Wilson acquired the business after the death of his father in January that same year.

Doctor Howard C. Ansel was named Dean in 1977.

1983— A computer was purchased to process retail and nursing home prescriptions.

1985— The pharmacy began mixing sterile IV products to service home and institutionalized patients.

1988— A unit dose distribution system was developed to service nursing home clients.

1990— The pharmacy operation was moved from Walnut Street to a new building in the Franklin Medical Park on State of Franklin Road.

1991— A second building was built to house the finance and administrative functions of the pharmacy.

1997— An Information Technology officer was hired and information technology department formed to meet needs for better tracking of clinical and financial information data.

1999— The unit dose distribution system became fully automated with an AutoMed machine.

Doctor Svein Øie of the University of California San Francisco became Dean on January 1, 2000.

In 2003, the college celebrated its centennial.

In 2007, the Georgia Legislature approved funding of $44 million for a new 93, 288 square foot addition.

Known as “Pharmacy South,” the new facility was built adjacent to the Robert C. Wilson Pharmacy Building and was dedicated in September 2009.

2010— Compounding laboratory was set up to accommodate growing demand for specialty compounded products.

2011— A branch institutional pharmacy was opened in Smyrna, TN, to service a growing client base in Middle Tennessee.

2012— New building added in Franklin Medical Park to house expansion of Pharmacy Network Services and ProCompounding Pharmacy.