New pharmacist joins staff at Ritzville Drug

A new face greets customers at the pharmacy of the Ritzville Drug Company from Wednesday through Saturday. John Flores began working part-time at the pharmacy last week and undergoing training to help relieve the amount of hours currently worked by Sam Duncan.

Duncan will remain the main pharmacist on Monday and Tuesday, but is relinquishing his full-time position to catch up on some well-deserved rest. For the past nine years, Duncan has worked as the primary pharmacist at the store.

Flores currently resides in Cheney with his wife Punky and together they have three children: Tony, David and Nilita. Flores received his pharmacy degree from Washington State University in 1987 when two of his children were in high school.

Originally from New York City, Flores enlisted in the Air Force and volunteered for the Vietnam War. After serving his county in the war, he was stationed in Puerto Rico and finally at the Fairchild Air Force Base.

After his time serving in the Air Force, Flores worked in electrical research and building development. The variety in his talents and interests led him to become a part of the Community Health Center, Lakeland Village and worked as a manager for Medco.

“I had a lot of experiences taking me to a lot of different places,” Flores said. “This here is one of my loves. I would love to finish it in a town like this.”

Flores has enjoyed having the opportunity to learn the history of the Ritzville community and being introduced to his customers on a first name basis. He likes having a conversation with his customers and learning about them outside of their medical needs.

With the transition between pharmacists, Duncan encourages customers to be considerate during the switch. While Flores is a trained pharmacist, the insurance and technology aspect varies based on location and he is making adjustments.

“There are a lot of new things every time you step into a new job,” Duncan said. “On weekends he’s by himself and people will have to be patient.”

Duncan believes it will be a smooth transition and people will quickly adjust to the new face. Like Duncan, Flores has a strong sense of humor and a friendly personality.

“He was the most personable and more of a go-getter,” Duncan said about his decision to hire Flores over other applicants. “He’s a people person, and you’ve got to have that for this job.”

Over the next few weeks, Duncan will remain in the pharmacy to help Flores with any issues that may arise. After the training period is over, Duncan plans to use his time off to complete chores and relax while still working two days a week.