Rick Gates is the Chief Pharmacy Officer at Walgreens, where he leads the transformation of pharmacy at one of the nation’s largest healthcare companies. Based in Deerfield, Illinois, Rick brings 30 years of frontline and executive experience to Walgreens’ mission to reimagine local healthcare and expand access to pharmacy-led services across the U.S.
Since joining Walgreens in 1995 as a pharmacist, Rick has held a series of leadership roles spanning store operations, strategic partnerships, field management, and enterprise pharmacy initiatives. As SVP of Pharmacy and Healthcare, he led commercial development across health plans, PBMs, biopharma, and health systems—overseeing specialty pharmacy, clinical services, contracting, supply chain, and innovation partnerships.
Today, Rick is driving the evolution of Walgreens’ pharmacy operating model and unlocking new capabilities in care delivery, while advancing the profession of pharmacy through modernized services and tech-enabled care.
Rick currently serves as Chairman of the Board for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and sits on the boards of the Center for American Medicine Independence, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy, and iA Rx. He also champions diversity as the executive sponsor of the Latino Professional Network at Walgreens Boots Alliance.
He holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa, which honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2022. He is an active member of the American Pharmacists Association, NCPDP, and Health Evolution.