Iowa Pharmacy Association

What Iowa Pharmacy Association does

The Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) is a private nonprofit professional membership association representing all pharmacy professionals and practice settings in Iowa. Founded in its current unified form in 1999 through the merger of the Iowa Pharmacists Association and the Iowa Society of Health-System Pharmacists, IPA serves licensed pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, student pharmacists, and Iowa-licensed pharmacies across community, independent, chain, hospital, health-system, ambulatory care, and academic settings. The association delivers a portfolio spanning advocacy, continuing education, leadership development, peer-reviewed publications, and regulatory compliance resources, and is one of the few unified pharmacy associations in the United States.

IPA's core offerings include the Iowa Pharmacy Law & Information Resource Center (a subscription service meeting Iowa Code and Iowa Board of Pharmacy reference library requirements), the UMPJE Study Guide (digital), the peer-reviewed Journal of IPA, three podcast series (What Why & How, Trailblazers, Emerging Leaders), the Career Center, and the Outcomes Innovative Pharmacy Grant Program. Signature events include the Annual Meeting, Pharmacy Day on the Hill, the Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference (jointly presented with the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin), the Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference, Standard of Care Symposium, IPA Goes Local regional events, and IPA Practice Forums. The IPA Foundation administers the Max W. Eggleston Summer Executive Internship, Executive Fellowship, scholarship programs, and the completed $375,000 Thomas R. Temple Leadership Endowment.

IPA's business model is anchored in recurring annual membership dues across multiple tiers (Engaged, Connected, and Informed for pharmacists; Associate, Student, and Technician; Business Partner and Platinum Business Partner for pharmacies, with auto-renewal through December 31, 2026), supplemented by event registration fees, publication sales, the Law & Information Resource Center subscription (available to out-of-state pharmacies), Foundation donations, and fundraising events. Technology infrastructure runs on Naylor Association Management Software handling membership, events, content, and the e-commerce storefront. The association operates from Urbandale, Iowa, and has driven significant state-level regulatory outcomes, including HF 2297 PBM transparency legislation (2014) and SF 383 PBM reform signed by Governor Reynolds (2025).

Name

Iowa Pharmacy Association

Legal name

Iowa Pharmacy Association

Website

https://iarx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Iowa Pharmacy Association is a unified nonprofit professional membership association representing all pharmacy professionals and practice settings in Iowa, delivering membership tiers, advocacy, continuing education, leadership development, publications, and compliance resources across the state.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Professional pharmacy association
• Pharmacy advocacy services
• Continuing pharmacy education
• Membership association management
• Pharmacy law resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Urbandale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: IPA generates primary revenue through annual membership dues from pharmacists (Engaged, Connected, Informed tiers), associate members, students, technicians, business partner pharmacies, and Platinum Business Partner pharmacies. Auto-renewal options are available for pharmacists and business partners.
2. Event Registrations: Revenue from registration fees for IPA events including the Annual Meeting, Leadership Pharmacy Conference, Bill Burke Student Leadership Conference, Standard of Care Symposium, and various webinars. Event fees are subject to refund policies with administrative fees.
3. Publications and Study Guides: Sale of the UMPJE Study Guide (digital access) at $150.00, Test & Treat Toolkit, and other pharmacy-related publications. Refund policy states all publication purchases are final.
4. Iowa Pharmacy Law & Information Resource Center Subscription: Subscription service for Iowa Pharmacy Law & Information Resource Center, meeting Iowa Code and Iowa Board of Pharmacy requirements for pharmacies to maintain a reference library.
5. IPA Foundation Donations: The IPA Foundation receives donations through Sustaining Donor programs (annual or monthly), LDF (Legislative Defense Fund) contributions, and various fundraising events including the Eggleston-Granberg Golf Classic.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Iowa Pharmacy Association is a unified professional membership association representing all pharmacy professionals and practice settings in Iowa. It delivers tiered membership programs (Engaged, Connected, Informed for pharmacists; Associate, Student, Technician; Business Partner and Platinum Business Partner for pharmacies), continuing education, legislative and PBM advocacy, leadership development conferences, an Iowa Pharmacy Law & Information Resource Center subscription required for compliance, and a Foundation that funds innovative pharmacy practice grants.

Product overview

Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA) operates as a unified professional association representing pharmacy professionals in Iowa. Rather than a single technology product, IPA offers a portfolio of membership services, educational resources, and professional development programs. Core offerings include the Iowa Pharmacy Law & Information Resource Center subscription, UMPJE Study Guide (digital), and peer-reviewed Journal of IPA. Leadership development programs include Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference and Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference. IPA Foundation administers Outcomes Innovative Pharmacy Grant Program (Original Track up to $10,000; Entrepreneur Track up to $50,000), Executive Fellowship, and Max W. Eggleston Summer Executive Internship. The association provides podcasts (What, Why & How; Trailblazers; Emerging Leaders), Career Center, and various advocacy resources for pharmacists across Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IPA Foundation: The charitable and educational arm of IPA supporting innovative pharmacy practice initiatives, leadership development, and student pharmacist support
• Iowa Pharmacy Recovery Network (IPRN)
• Max W. Eggleston Executive Internship
• Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference
• Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference
• The Journal of the Iowa Pharmacy Association
• IPA Foundation Outcomes Innovative Pharmacy Grant Program

Products and services

• IPA Pharmacist Membership (Engaged, Connected, Informed tiers)
• IPA Business Partner and Platinum Business Partner Membership
• Iowa Pharmacy Law & Information Resource Center Subscription
• UMPJE Study Guide
• Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference
• Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference
• Max W. Eggleston Summer Executive Internship
• IPA Executive Fellowship
• Outcomes Innovative Pharmacy Grant Program
• The Journal of IPA
• IPA Career Center
• IPA Annual Meeting

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully advocated for PBM reform legislation (SF 383) signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds in 2025, protecting Iowa pharmacies from unfair PBM practices.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CPESN IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPESN Iowa (Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network) is a network of community pharmacies providing enhanced clinical services. Randy McDonough of Towncrest Pharmacies leads CPESN Iowa and has received Outcomes Innovative Pharmacy Grants for pharmacy performance network development. Partnership supports MTM services, transitions of care, and value-based care models.
• Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference with University of Iowa. Source of executive fellows, PGY1 community-based pharmacy residents, and student pharmacists. Hosts Leadership Pharmacy Conference participants from Iowa. Partnership develops future pharmacy leaders.
• University of Iowa College of PharmacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference with Drake University. Source of executive fellows, PGY1 community-based pharmacy residents, and student pharmacists. Partnership supports research collaborations and leadership development.
• Naylor Association Management SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides association management software for IPA's website, membership database, event registrations, financials, and committee management. Supports member-only content delivery and online store functionality.
• Pharmacy Society of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference with IPA. Both organizations select 10 pharmacists annually from each state for joint three-day leadership development program in Galena, IL.
• McKesson CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead contributor to Thomas R. Temple Leadership Endowment Fund. Supported Trinity Pioneer ACO-MTM program and New Practice Model Initiative. Partner in Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative activities.
• Main at Locust Pharmacy Clinic and Medical SuppliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owners Lisa Ploehn and Ann Burke (daughters of Bill Burke) provide $10,000 annual grants to support Bill Burke Student Pharmacist Leadership Conference since 2005. Named conference in honor of their father in 2008.
• OutcomesMTM / Cardinal HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPA provided seed money in 1999 to launch OutcomesMTM, which became national leader in MTM services. Following Cardinal Health acquisition in 2015, original investors established Outcomes Innovative Pharmacy Endowment with $726,000 donated to support future pharmacy innovation grants.
• Alliance of Coalitions for Change (AC4C)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with IPA for 2017 IPA Goes Local opioid crisis community meetings across 8 Iowa cities. Combined professional perspectives for local solution strategies.
• Cedar Rapids Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal law enforcement partner for IPA Goes Local opioid crisis events providing community engagement and perspective on drug abuse issues.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP): National association for health-system pharmacists; relevant because IPA was formed in 1999 by unifying the Iowa Society of Health-System Pharmacists with the state community association.
• National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA): National association for independent community pharmacists; broader geographic scope and overlapping PBM reform advocacy agenda where IPA and NCPA jointly filed amicus briefs.
• American Pharmacists Association (APhA): National professional association for pharmacists; broader portfolio and membership across all U.S. states but offers overlapping advocacy, CE, publications, and practice resources that compete for pharmacist attention and dues.

Direct peers

• Minnesota Pharmacists Association: Midwest state pharmacy association serving pharmacists across practice settings with membership, advocacy, CE, and events — comparable in structure, scope, and member offerings to IPA.
• Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin: State pharmacy association that co-organizes the Decker-Temple Leadership Pharmacy Conference with IPA (selecting 10 pharmacists from each state annually). Most direct peer given joint programming and similar scope.
• Illinois Pharmacists Association: Adjacent Midwest state pharmacy association offering membership, legislative advocacy, CE, and events for Illinois pharmacists; structurally and operationally analogous to IPA.
• Nebraska Pharmacists Association: Regional Midwest state pharmacy association with overlapping member base profile (community, hospital, and chain pharmacists) and similar advocacy, CE, and event programming.
• Kansas Pharmacists Association: State pharmacy association offering comparable membership tiers, legislative advocacy, and professional development services for Kansas pharmacists; analogous operating model.
• Missouri Pharmacy Association: Midwest state pharmacy association providing similar membership, advocacy, and professional development services to Missouri-licensed pharmacists; comparable scope and governance model.

Others

• National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP): National body that supports state boards of pharmacy, including the Iowa Board of Pharmacy that IPA engages with on regulations; adjacent regulatory ecosystem player whose work intersects with IPA's law reference product.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/IowaPharmacyIPA
• Facebookfacebook.com/IowaPharmacyAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-pharmacy-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iowa Pharmacy Association