Randy Bell’s last pharmacy job was so disheartening, he left his chosen profession for seven years. And that’s not the half of it. It was a full year before his next career move — residential real estate — started generating positive income flow. So yes, you could say it’s a bit of an understatement when he explains, “I got fed-up with the way they were doing things.”
Randy, who’s now the Manager at ProxsysRx’s Hunt Regional Healthcare pharmacy, earned his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Florida A&M in 2010, and worked with a large chain for six years. “It was a very high-volume location. We were always under the gun to deliver, and there wasn’t much backup support for us. That’s a recipe for disaster, and I decided I didn’t want to be around when something went wrong for a patient.”
That said, one has to wonder why Randy chose such a dramatic career change. “I got into pharmacy to serve people on a personal level. Being a realtor gave me that opportunity.” It also didn’t hurt that Dallas’s residential market had fully recovered from the 2008 crash. Still, spending six years in a perpetual rush to fill prescriptions is hardly the way to build a solid base of home-buying-and-selling prospects. So while Randy was earning his Realtor’s license, he also developed a novel strategy for attracting clients: “I created and hosted a series of home-buying seminars. I found that if you’re willing to offer people a genuinely valuable service at no charge, they’ll come to you.”
Not only did the strategy succeed in attracting clients (“I helped a lot of people own their first homes,” he beams), it caught the media’s attention. On three separate occasions, Randy was asked to appear as a residential real estate expert in Dallas TV news segments. Life was good. And yet, despite all the success he enjoyed, and all of the people he helped, something led Randy to keep his Pharmacist credentials active during his five-plus years as a realtor.
Now this might be interesting.
In the fall of 2023, Randy started exploring opportunities to return to pharmacy — and found the available Hunt Regional position. “The more I learned about the position, and about ProxsysRx, the more I was interested.” His application was met with a prompt response, which led to a phone interview that was promising enough to accept an invitation to fly to Birmingham for two days of in-person meetings. “It didn’t take long to see that everything I’d read and heard — not only about the company itself, but their commitment to patients — was true.”
It also didn’t take Randy long to see that Hunt’s staff shared that commitment. “For the first time in my career, I was being supported by a company that understands the importance of really caring for patients. Our people aren’t just allowed, but encouraged to take their time with patients, listening carefully to their needs, and talking with them in a way that genuinely reflects their interest in them as people.”
Hunt Pharmacy Tech Sabrina Cheatwood, who joined ProxsysRx just before Randy, would add another significant aspect of the staff’s commitment: “People here care about each other. I remember when I interviewed for my position, hearing that ProxsysRx places a strong emphasis on ‘family.’ It’s true, and in more ways than one. Everyone here gets along so well, and everyone looks-out for each other. I still remember one Monday morning when I had to admit to [Hunt RCA] Christy McGuire that I just wasn’t feeling it. Without batting an eye, she said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got your back!’ That made all the difference for me that morning.”
A kindred spirit
Like Randy, Sabrina’s journey to ProxsysRx involved a significant leap of faith. After five years at a large chain herself, the mother of four decided to leave her job before finding another one. “At the last place, pharmacists were literally not allowed to talk about anything that wasn’t work-related. Even when we were all caught-up on everything we had to do, if the boss heard us talking about something else, they’d step-in and tell us to get back to work.”
Sabrina still remembers the first moment she realized ProxsysRx’s culture was the polar opposite of what she’d experienced in the past. “After all the dealings I’d had with corporate managers at my old job, I was so nervous about my interview with Drew [Holleman, ProxsysRx’s Pharmacy Operations Director]. He was so down to earth, it immediately put me at ease.”
Sabrina reports that her Onboard Training with ProxsysRx’s Becky Clark was also a welcome surprise. “Mostly I just watched her interact with patients. The way she related to people — and connected with them — well, that sure wasn’t the way I’d ever seen things done before. I’d never been allowed to talk with patients in the past, so that was a big help, knowing that I could just be myself with them. After all, ProxsysRx already knew I had the experience and the work ethic.”
A new lease on life
Speaking of her new boss, Sabrina says, “Randy is awesome. Once he’d gotten to know all of us, he made it clear that he had faith in us to do our jobs, without him looking over our shoulders. Honestly, I’m still getting used to not being micromanaged!
“I really can’t say enough about the positive impact it’s had on my daily life — here and at home.” And while Sabrina agrees that the team dynamic, and family atmosphere, would be what she appreciates most about ProxsysRx, she mentions her work hours as a close second. “At my last job, I worked every Sunday — including holidays — and I never knew from week to week what my hours would be.”
Sabrina was so enthusiastic about her new job that, when an RCA position became available, she alerted a former co-worker — and friend — who promptly applied for the position. That former, and now current, co-worker & friend? You guessed it: Christy McGuire.
Patients express their gratitude (in the nicest way possible).
“Everyone here understands what a unique place this is to work,” says Randy, “Particularly in the freedom we have to go above-and-beyond for patients. I once got an call from Drew to tell me that 
he’d come-into work and had a long testimonial message in his voicemail, left by a patient who’d been so grateful for something we’d done for him.”
Perhaps the best testimonial patients can offer for the quality of care offered at Hunt is the one they make with their wallets. “There are a couple of large pharmacies near us in Greenville. And even though both are more ‘convenient’ for most people than ours is, we have patients switching to us as their primary pharmacy all the time. I can’t think of a stronger validation of the work our team does — or a stronger motivation for us to keep it up!”
Unlock your pharmacy career potential with ProxsysRx
At ProxsysRx, we’re intent on preserving the reputation we’ve earned as an employer of choice. It’s why our company culture is centered on guiding principles we call “ProxsysRx Cares.”
We understand that our employees are people with lives and needs outside of work. From our generous paid-time off, to no evening hours at most locations, it’s our goal to be a place where you’ll feel valued and supported. A place where you’ll genuinely enjoy working. It’s an approach that’s good for our people, and in turn, for the patients and health systems we serve.
Here’s hoping that, someday soon, we’ll unlock your potential — together!
