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Jennifer Moore enjoyed a more than 30-year career caring for patients through her pharmacy practice and leadership positions. During her career, careful planning and supporting her team were areas in which she excelled. However, her retirement planning started long before her pharmacy career as she realized that a long and enjoyable retirement required financial resources and the ability to identify and pursue her interests beyond her profession. She prepared for a soft landing in retirement and shares her journey.

Jennifer received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California San Francisco in 1984.

In her letter, Jennifer shares that pre-retirement financial planning is important; and equally important is accepting who you are and discovering your interests and passions.

Richard Caldwell shares his practical experiences in answering for himself whether he was financially ready to retire, mentally ready to retire, and to leave his job. He admits that there was also a negative mental connotation to retirement, as it somehow meant he was old. It meant that he was going to stop doing what he had been doing for 40-plus years and do what with his time.

Richard received his Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy education at the University of North Carolina (1979). He completed two residences: one (postgraduate year one [PGY1]) in Chicago and one (PGY2 Administration) with his MS at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Making the decision to retire is life changing for both you and your family, but my advice is to set financial goals for retirement, retire for the right reasons, and retire when you are ready to go to your next chapter in life. Rely on your family for advice and support, and expect the unexpected.

Ulfat Usta shares her approach and thinking about her “retirement.” For her, retirement is a crucial transition full of challenges in handling psychological, physiologic, and economic changes. How we respond and manage those challenges determines the quality of the life we have afterward. Ulfat obtained her degree in pharmacy education in 1982 from St. Joseph University of Beirut, Lebanon.

Think of retirement as just the end of one chapter of your career and the start of a late-career transition.

The foundation of Christine Berger’s successful career in pharmacy practice and education was always her ability to identify practical solutions to complex problems, a characteristic admired by her colleagues. So, when faced with the complex problem of the first year of retirement being possibly the best year of her life and yet she wanted to return to work, the ability to identify a practical solution was needed when her husband did not share the desire to return to work. Christy graduated from the University of Kansas College of Pharmacy with her Bachelor of Science degree in 1976 and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 1994.

Christy shares how her first retirement became a sabbatical and reshaped her view of retirement. By rethinking retirement, she discovered a unique approach to work while pursuing travel interests and learning many lessons along the way.

Bonnie Kirschenbaum shares her career and life adventures, which illustrate the “next act” concept with those that were planned and those that were not, tracing her development as she moves along.

Bonnie received her BSc Pharm from the University of Alberta (1971) and completed a residency at Ottawa Civic Hospital (1971-72) (University of Ontario Toronto-affiliated) and her MS and residency at The Ohio State University (1974-76). She received the Latiolais Award in 2015. (The award is presented to a graduate of the hospital-systems pharmacy administration program or an individual involved with the development of these programs who has made significant contributions to institutional pharmacy practice.)

Bonnie firmly believes that it’s so important to find your niche. Hers is the financial side of pharmacy in an institutional healthcare setting and the nuances of reimbursement. She urges you to follow your passion and be happy with what you have chosen to do.

Tracy Furgiuele has displayed an unwavering work ethic throughout a career devoted to serving patients and leading others in the care of patients in multiple practice settings, including the Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) and pharmaceutical industries. Throughout his career, he has been instrumental in the development and successful deployment of clinical strategies that elevated the care of patients. He is a 1982 graduate of the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy.

Tracy has always been devoted to the continued development of others and advancement through the sharing of information. Here he offers thoughtful guidance as you consider the important decision of retirement, including remembering why you started to work in the first place and deciding what brings you joy.

Mick Hunt received his BS in Pharmacy from The Ohio State University in 1969, his MS in Clinical Hospital Pharmacy from The Ohio State University in 1971, and his MBA from the Lake Forest Graduate School in 1985.

Mick Hunt is retired after a career advancing the practice of pharmacy. His career spanned pharmacy practice, executive leadership in a group purchasing organization, organizational leadership, and academia. On reflection, Mick shares his journey to retirement, his planning, and his lessons learned.

Mike shares his experiences and practical advice with the decision to retire, which isn’t as simple as it sounds. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy in 1977 acknowledging that retiring someday was the farthest thing from his mind.

Be sure you are not retiring from something, but rather retiring to something, and by age 60 have assessed your current situation.

Bill Campbell graduated from Oregon State University School of Pharmacy with his BS in 1965, MS in 1967 and received his PhD from Purdue University in 1971.

Bill Campbell’s career in pharmacy education and academia and his retirement are described in two acts. Bill’s advice is that there is a robust second act in life, available for the taking; it can be as good as the first act.

Bruce discusses considering leadership positions outside hospitals and health systems. He shares that leadership skills are transferable but that there likely will be new skills to learn.