2009-11-30 19:44:57 -

Walgreens (NYSE: WAG)(NASDAQ: WAG) today announced the following executive promotions.

Laura K. Merten, currently Walgreens divisional vice president of health law, has been named divisional vice president of compliance, loss prevention and profit sharing. She replaces Chester G. Young, who is retiring at the end of January after 41 years with the company. Merten, 49, also will replace Young as the

company’s chief compliance officer while continuing her role as Walgreens privacy officer. She joined Walgreens as an attorney in the law department in 1988 and was promoted to director of new business development in 2000. She was named the company’s privacy officer in 2002 and promoted to director of Walgreens Health Services legal division in 2004. Merten was promoted to her current position in 2007.

Merten received a bachelor of science degree in finance and management from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., in 1981 and a law degree from the University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., in 1984. She also received a master’s degree in tax law from DePaul University, Chicago, in 1992.

Young, 64, joined Walgreens in 1968 as a marketing analyst. After several promotions, he was named general auditor in 1988 and became a divisional vice president in 1995. He added the title of chief compliance officer in 1999. “Chet has had an outstanding career at Walgreens,” said Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson. “In particular, he’s created a closer relationship between our operations folks and loss prevention, and he’s recognized as a leader in the loss prevention industry. We wish him all the best in retirement.”


Replacing Merten as divisional vice president of health law is Bryan A.

Schneider, currently Walgreens director of health care contracting and regulatory law. Schneider, 42, joined Walgreens in 2000 as a senior attorney in corporate and regulatory law. In 2005, he was promoted to Walgreens Health Services director of government affairs. He was named to his current position in 2008.

Schneider earned his bachelor of science degree in accounting from Tri-State University, Angola, Ind., in 1989 and his law degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., in 1992. He also received an M.B.A. in finance from DePaul University in 2001.

Separately, Paul Eddy has joined the company as divisional vice president of pharmacy applications, reporting to chief information officer Tim Theriault. Eddy, 46, will support the needs of the company’s pharmacy business and initiatives, including its Intercom Plus pharmacy system. Eddy previously was senior vice president and director of technology strategy and governance at PNC Financial Services. He also was senior vice president and business information officer at National City Bank, a part of PNC, from 2004 to 2009. Before joining National City Bank in 2004, he spent seven years with The Northern Trust Company in Chicago as a vice president and technology division manager.

Eddy earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science in 1987 from the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Walgreens ( www.walgreens.com : ) is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2009 sales of $63 billion. The company operates 7,105 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities).
Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.



WalgreensMichael Polzin(847) 914-2920 michael.polzin@walgreens.com : mailto:michael.polzin@walgreens.com news.walgreens.com :