Published on July 15, 2024 by Alison Ingle  
Carter Harrison

Some family traditions run deeper than others. The Harrison family has made remarkable contributions to the field of pharmacy and is recognized as the first family of pharmacy in the state of Alabama. Carter Harrison ‘24, a recent graduate of Samford’s McWhorter School of Pharmacy, is carrying on the family legacy by pursuing a career in pharmacy.

The family’s journey in the pharmaceutical field began with James Harrison Sr., who started working at a drugstore at the age of 15. He opened Central Drugs, the family’s first drugstore, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1944, marking the beginning of a legacy that would span four generations.

The journey continued with his son, James (Jimmy) Harrison Jr. '56. After playing basketball for two years at the University of Alabama, he was determined to follow in his pharmacist father's footsteps and decided to attend pharmacy school. Harrison Jr. then transferred to what was then Howard College, where he still holds the record for the most points scored in a basketball game, 48. In 2019, he was inducted into the Samford Athletics Hall of Fame.

The family’s drugstore grew to six locations before Harrison Jr. developed the family business into the nation’s second largest privately held drugstore chain, Harco Inc., which comprised 153 stores throughout the southeast. Chain Drug Review named Harco the nation’s top community drug store chain in 1995, and two years later, the business merged with Rite Aid Corporation.

Harrison Jr. received many accolades honoring his service to his community and state through numerous educational and service enterprises. Through his efforts, in 2002, Auburn University renamed its pharmacy school for his father, who was a 1928 graduate.

The family tradition continues through two additional generations, with grandson, Ronald Harrison, also a pharmacist, and now great-grandson, Carter, is stepping into the profession. Carter currently is employed at Senior Care Pharmacy of Birmingham, which provides pharmacy services to long-term care facilities.

“Growing up, I heard many stories about Harco Drug, not only from my dad and grandfather but also from former employees and customers,” said Carter. “Those stories left an impression on me of the impact a pharmacist can have on a community.”

During McWhorter School of Pharmacy’s hooding ceremony this spring, Carter was honored with the Community Pharmacy Management Award for displaying management and leadership qualities during his fourth year APPE rotations. “An acknowledgment for characteristics that align with my grandfather’s values and ambitions is an honor that I will remember proudly as I begin my pharmacy career,” he said.

This story was first published in the summer 2024 issue of Seasons magazine.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.