Barrett Toan
Chairman
Express Scripts Inc.
Laureate 2006
Undeniably an individual of his times, the teenaged Barrett Toan had already determined to make a career in public service when, in 1965, he happened upon a magazine article about the state of U.S. health care for the elderly and poor that magnified his aspiration. Congress had introduced the national health plans, Medicare and Medicaid, to improve healthcare access and affordability for senior citizens and low-income individuals and families. With an M.A. degree in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s renowned Wharton School, Barrett united business skills with his desire to help people in a career that allowed him to help shape health-care reform. A succession of leadership roles, including as a state Medicaid reformer and commissioner of the Division of Social Services, inspired him ultimately to join Express Scripts, Inc. There, beginning in 1989, he quickly rose to president and CEO by diversifying the prescription mail-order company into one of the U.S.’s premier pharmacy benefit managers, providing health-plan design and management for business and government clients. Today, Express Scripts works closely with drug manufacturers and medical professionals throughout the U.S. and Canada to provide more than 59 million clients and plan members safe, low-cost medications. Barrett retired from Express Scripts in 2005, but remains active as chairman of the board for the many communities Express Scripts serves. This leader who possessed a clear-sighted vision of his future continues to work for health-care availability and affordability for all.
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