Turley strengthened Eckerd, chain drug industry

Drug Store News, Oct 20, 1997 by James Frederick

Stew Turley, the 1997 REX Retailer Hall of Honors Award recipient, retired last year as top executive of Eckerd Corp., stepping away from a 31-year career with one of chain drug retailing's premier companies. But he left a deep and lasting imprint on both Eckerd and the chain drug industry.

Both are stronger and better prepared for the future because of him. Both bear the stamp of his strong leadership capabilities--including a clear sense of his company's mission, an ability to adapt quickly to new conditions and new business opportunities and the ability to impart his vision to others.

Turley, a native of Mt. Sterling, Ky., who was educated at the University of Kentucky and Rollins College, joined Eckerd in 1966 after serving as general manager of Crown, Cork and Seal Company's largest plant. Beginning as manager of non-drug operations at the drug chain, he rose to senior vice president and director by 1971. Turley served as chairman and chief executive from 1975 until his recent retirement, when he turned over the leadership reins to chairman and chief executive Frank Newman.

Over the past two decades, Turley led Eckerd to superpower status as a multibillion dollar retailer and top industry innovator. His tenure included Eckerd's successful leveraged buyout in 1986--one of the largest in history at that point--and its lucrative return to public ownership in 1993, as well as its expansion into new markets throughout the Southeast, Southwest and mid-Atlantic regions.

With Turley at the helm, Eckerd also established itself firmly as one of chain drug retailing's bestrun, most technologically driven firms, with award-winning store designs and a willingness to experiment with new ventures in home health care, optical centers, one-hour photo and supply-chain automation.

Turley is also recognized as one of the most influential executives in the wider chain drug industry. As chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores--a position he held twice, in the late 1970s and again in the late 1980s--he sought to instill the same values he brought to his own company.

The contributions Turley brought to the industry haven't been lost on NACDS president and chief executive Ron Ziegler, who formed a close friendship with the Eckerd executive over the past decade. "Describing Stew Turley would take nearly all the positive words in the dicitionary," Ziegler said. "He is one of the rare individuals whose dedication and commitment to his industry and sense of service carry over to his many community and charitable endeavors."

Indeed, Turley has found time to serve as vice chairman of the Florida Council of 100, director of the Florida Council on Economic Education and president of the U.S. Ski Team Foundation. In addition to serving on the boards of several corporations, Turley has also been honored for his humanitarian efforts by the Cardinal's Committee of the Laity with its D.A.R.E. Award, and by the Jewish National Fund with its Tree of Life Award. In 1994, he also received the Corporate Leadership Award from the National Council on the Aging.