NC MedAssist Announces Chair and Keynote Speaker of 2023 Executive Luncheon

NC MedAssist is the only statewide charitable pharmacy in North Carolina providing free prescription and over-the-counter medication to our neighbors who lack prescription insurance. Their mission is to remove some of the barriers to healthcare that thousands of North Carolinians face and provide the opportunity to access free over-the-counter medication, supplements and a variety of necessary resources to increase health, well-being and economic mobility for ALL NC residents.

However, their work is far from done. There are thousands of mothers, fathers, grandparents, children, aunts, uncles, friends across the state who need medication. They need hope, comfort and just a little reprieve from the stress of deciding what’s more important – food or medication.  NC MedAssist is working to ensure nobody has to make that decision.

Each year, the NC MedAssist Executive Luncheon brings together key community and corporate leaders across the state who have vested interest in this important work and strive to advance health equity across all 100 counties in North Carolina. Funds raised will support the organization’s programs, such as the statewide Free Pharmacy program, which provides critical, often lifesaving, prescription medications to thousands of uninsured North Carolina residents.  Many are battling chronic illnesses like diabetes, asthma, and hypertension. NC MedAssist is dedicated to meeting people where they are by providing additional programs like their Mobile Free Pharmacy Events which provide free over-the-counter medicine statewide. Additionally, their Free Over-the-Counter Store (Gerhart Community Medical Shoppe) and Transitional Job Program are critical to moving their mission forward. Specifically, in Charlotte, the Transitional Job Program provides opportunities for qualified candidates to enter or re-enter the workforce through working in the Free OTC Store and NC MedAssist warehouse.

The 8th Annual NC MedAssist Executive Luncheon, presented by Atrium Health, will be held on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, from 11:30 am-1:00 pm. The event will take place at the Charlotte Convention Center.  As a statewide entity, it is important to NC MedAssist leadership that everyone across the state have access to this event and impactful message and will be providing a virtual option as well for those who cannot join in person. The event will focus on health equity, a topic very much in line with the organization’s mission to dispense opportunities through improved health. More than 800 participants are expected to attend, and NC MedAssist has set a fundraising goal to raise $250,000 through individual giving and corporate sponsorships, such as First Horizon Bank.

John Forgan, Market President for First Horizon Bank, will serve as Chair for the luncheon. Forgan manages First Horizon’s Corporate banking team, covering Mecklenburg and the surrounding counties. He has been in banking for over 31 years, managing several commercial and middle-market teams. In addition, he serves on various boards and executive committees throughout Charlotte, including, The Schiele Museum of Natural History, United Way, Gaston County YMCA, and the Regional Chamber of Commerce. As Chair, John will lead fundraising efforts and serve as host of the event.

Cornell P. Wright, this year’s keynote speaker, will speak on “Health Equity in Context.” Wright, the first-ever Chief Health Equity Officer for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, is a prominent national leader and subject-matter expert in health equity, minority health, historically marginalized populations, and communications engagement. As an active member in the health community, Wright serves various groups, organizations, and boards, including the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute; the North Carolina Governor-appointed Andrea Harris Social, Economic, Environmental, and Health Equity Task Force; and the Southeastern Health Equity Council. Additionally, Wright has received awards from entities such as the National Institutes of Health, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; North Carolina Central University; and the National Minority Quality Forum; he was recognized as a former Spectacular Magazine Man of the Year in Health, presented during TED X UNC, and recently published an invited commentary entitled “In Search of Equity” in the North Carolina Medical Journal.

Francene Marie Morris, award-winning syndicated radio host and producer, speaker, spokesperson trainer, author, and event host, is slated to emcee this special event. Fran Marie has connected with many audiences, including WKQC-FM (Charlotte, NC), Cancer Research, WNKS-FM (Charlotte, NC), WPEG-FM (Charlotte, NC), WBAV-FM (Charlotte, NC), WSOC-FM (Charlotte, NC) and WBCN-AM (Charlotte, NC). In this role, she will connect with NC MedAssist supporters statewide through telling stories of their patients and partners, thus creating heightened excitement around health equity for North Carolina and leading to increased impact and hope.

This year’s signature event will also include several new surprises that supporters will not want to miss. For more information, visit https://medassist.org/executive-luncheon-2023/.