The Delbert D. Konnor Award of Excellence in Pharmaceutical Administration

Nominations are open for the 2027 Konnor Award.

The Pharmacy Leadership & Education Institute (PLEI) is now accepting nominations for the 2027 Delbert D. Konnor Award of Excellence in Pharmaceutical Administration. 

Established by Delbert D. Konnor, an alumnus of the Phi Delta Chi Alpha Eta Chapter, the Konnor Award was created to inspire, enable, and disseminate new scholarly work in the field of pharmaceutical administration. For purposes of the award, pharmaceutical administration includes research in pharmacy practice, pharmaceutical marketing, pharmacy management, pharmacoeconomics and health outcomes, social-behavioral pharmacy, accounting, and pharmacy law. 

Made possible through the estate of Dr. Konnor, the award is presented every other year. PLEI provides up to $5,000 over two years to support research or the dissemination of research through conference presentations or publications in a professional journal. 

Eligibility

Applicants must be: 

• Students enrolled in a PharmD curriculum, pharmacists enrolled in academic programs leading to a graduate degree, recent graduates, including pharmacy residents and fellows; and 
• Dues-paying or Life Members in good standing of Phi Delta Chi Pharmacy Fraternity. 

2027 Nominations

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2027 Konnor Award. 

Nomination deadline: April 2, 2027 (11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time)

Questions about the award or nomination process may be directed to Ron Corey, PLEI Executive Director at rcorey@plei.org.

Meet the Inaugural Konnor Award Recipient

PLEI is proud to recognize Caiden Lukan as the first recipient of the Delbert D. Konnor Award of Excellence in Pharmaceutical Administration. Caiden’s passion for advancing pharmacy practice and his innovative research embody the vision and values that inspired this award. His work reflects the kind of scholarly excellence that Dr. Konnor sought to support through this lasting legacy. Read the full press release about Caiden Lukan and his award-winning work.

About Delbert D. Konnor (1938-2022)

Delbert (Del) Daniel Konnor joined the Phi Delta Chi Alpha Eta Chapter at Wayne State University in 1959, where he earned his BS Pharm and MS in Pharmaceutical Administration degrees.

As part of his career path, Del was selected as Manager, Voluntary Compliance Program, for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where he forged relationships with national trade and professional associations in the healthcare industry. He served as liaison to state regulatory boards and professional schools. Del was the DEA Public Information Officer for the Office of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs. He was detailed by the U.S. Executive Branch to serve as the first Director of the White House Conference on Prescription Drug Misuse, Abuse, and Diversion.

He worked as a Registered Pharmacist for two community pharmacies and served as a Lecturer in Pharmaceutical Administration at Wayne State University from 1962-1968, where he taught pharmacy law, marketing, management, accounting, and professional relations.

Del went on to serve as the Assistant to the Executive Vice President, National Association of Retail Druggists (NARD, now known as the National Community Pharmacists Association, NCPA).