New Kinney Drugs president says pharmacy chain must be different

GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. — New Kinney Drugs President John Marraffa says his vision for the company is to “create a customer experience unmatched by others.”

“By building on our 118-year history, I hope to reinforce a standard of excellence that transcends traditional pharmacy,” Marraffa said in a release. “We must be different. By expanding our services, enhancing the patient experience, and maximizing our partnerships, I believe that Kinney Drugs will become a premier health care destination. I am very excited to become part of this Kinney legacy.”

Marraffa takes over the duties that Rebecca Bubel previously held before stepping down from the role to deal with a family matter, Judith Cowden, senior director of marketing and advertising at Kinney, tells CNYBJ in an email.

Kinney Drugs — a fully employee-owned pharmacy chain in New York and Vermont — is headquartered in Gouverneur in St. Lawrence County. 

Marraffa joined KPH Healthcare Services in 2019 as VP of government affairs and health-care services integration. Since then, he launched a new division, “Kinnect,” an onsite pharmacy for specialized health-care facilities. 

Kinney Drugs is part of the KPH Healthcare Services family of companies, a national provider of pharmaceutical and health-care services with businesses in both the retail and commercial segments of the industry.

Besides launching Kinnect, Marraffa also expanded Kinney’s “Delivery at Discharge” program, introduced a patient-safety organization, and led Kinney’s extensive corporate COVID-19 vaccination and testing response. 

Marraffa also serves as patient-safety officer to provide leadership and direction to the organization’s patient-safety strategy. He is responsible for continuously evaluating and improving patient-safety programs based on internal needs and external requirements and standards. 

“John is extremely well-qualified to lead the dedicated team of Kinney Drugs employee-owners. John really knows his stuff and is a natural leader with a true talent for getting to the heart of a matter, taking decisive action, and doing whatever it takes to accomplish objectives,” David Warner, CEO of Kinney Drugs, said in the release. “I am confident that he will propel our company forward at a time of great change within the retail drugstores and pharmacies. Internally, he will galvanize our teams and foster an environment of excellence that will continue to attract the highest caliber of talent.”

Before joining the company in 2019, Marraffa had a 14-year career with Walgreens, where he most recently served as regional health-care director for New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. 

Marraffa earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. He is licensed to practice pharmacy in New York, Illinois, and Vermont.