Meet Jerry Sullivan — a hometown staple and a key member of the Mac’s Pharmacy family for the past eight years.
Jerry was born and raised in Townsend, Tennessee, where his parents, Jean and Jerry Sullivan, owned the local Exxon station (The Townsend Shopping Center) for over 50 years. He attended Townsend Elementary, Walland Middle School, and graduated from Heritage High. As the oldest of four boys, Jerry’s family roots run deep in East Tennessee. One of his brothers now lives in Wisconsin, another in Clinton, and the youngest works with Foothills Excavating in Alcoa.
How long have you worked for Mac’s Pharmacy?
I’ve been a Pharmacy Tech for 11 years in total and have spent the last eight with Mac’s Pharmacy. I was actually one of the original team members at City Drug before Mike Wilhoit purchased it.
What inspired you to work in pharmacy?
My cousin called one day to talk to my brother about a job opening at City Drug. I happened to answer the phone, and since my brother wasn’t interested — I took a chance. I was ready for a change, and the rest is history.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
My role has evolved a lot over the years. I started as a pharmacy tech and eventually took over our medication sync program. I’ve also worked with all of our retail locations to help mitigate DIR fees. When we opened our Townsend location, I was brought in to lead with my experience and help streamline medication packaging — making it easier and more convenient for our customers.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in pharmacy?
There are no one-time problems in pharmacy. If you solve it once — remember how you did it! That applies to everything from insurance claims to feeding paper into the robot.
What do you do in your free time?
I’ve been married to my amazing wife Melissa for 15 years. She’s a radiation therapist at Thompson Proton. We have two daughters: Stormie (26), who lives in Johnson City and trains safety dogs, and Claudia (21), a vet tech at Embassy. Music is a big part of my life. I’ve been in bands for over 20 years. Currently, I play keyboard and sing in a band called High School Reunion. We rehearse weekly and play all over — last Friday we were at Bluetick Tavern and last Saturday we played at The Burgers in Lenoir City. We cover ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s music — everything from The Weeknd and Janis Joplin to Elton John. My favorite song to perform is Don’t Stop Believin’ — it gets the crowd going every time.I also play piano at Green Meadows United Methodist Church and DJ weddings on the side.
What’s one product you’d recommend from Mac’s Pharmacy?
I’d have to go with the nicotine patches. It took me about a year, but with patience and persistence, I finally kicked the habit. They made a big difference.
