Company: AmeriSource Bergen

Founders: Tinkham Veale II (AmeriSource), Lucien Brunswig (Brunswig Drug), and Emil P. Martini (Bergen Drug Company)

Industry: Pharmaceutical and Wholesale Drugs

History:

AmeriSource Bergen is the company formed by the merger between AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswick, two of the world’s leading drug wholesalers.

Lucien Brunswig, son of a French doctor, immigrated to the United States in the 1870’s. He, like most of the immigrants, was penniless. However, he was able to work for an American druggist. With his meager pay, he was able to open his own drug store in Atchison, Kansas. Later on, Brunswig entered into a partnership with George Finlay of New Orleans. The partnership flourished. Upon Finlay’s death, Brunswig took over the company and expanded it further west, as far as California. He partnered with F.W. Braun in 1887 and in 1907 bought out Braun’s share and renamed the company to Brunswig Drug Company.

The Bergen Drug Company, founded by Emil Martini, purchased Brunswig Drug Company in 1969. The result was Bergen Brunswig Corporation. The company acquired several companies, further expanding their enterprise.

Tinkham Veale II founded Alco Health Services in 1977, the company that would later become AmeriSource. Its area of operations initially covered Pennsylvania and Delaware. Veale then managed to expand Alco Health’s base by acquiring several drug companies in various states.

In 2001, with competition at their tail, AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig merged to create AmeriSource Bergen. The company then created medical and health services designed to reduce costs and improve patient care and outcome, aside from drug marketing and distribution. Presently, AmeriSource Bergen continues to provide quality lines of branded and generic drugs, health care services and equipment.

Leadership:

AmeriSource Bergen Board of Directors

• Richard C. Gozon – Chairman of the Board
• Rodney H. Brady – President and Chief Executive Officer, Deseret Management Corporation
• Charles H. Cotros – Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sysco Corporation
• Edward E. Hagenlocker- Retired Vice Chairman, Ford Motor Company
• Jane E. Henney, M.D. – Senior Vice President and Provost for Health Affairs, University of Cincinnati
• J. Lawrence Wilson – Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Rohm and Haas Company
• R. David Yost – Chief Executive Officer, AmerisourceBergen Corporation
• Henry W. McGee – President, HBO Video
• Michael J. Long – Senior Vice President and President, North America and Asia/Pacific Components for Arrow Electronics, Inc

Trivia: AmeriSource Bergen is ranked 27th on the Fortune 500 list for 2006.