The newest member of the President’s Council is an alumnus who, after forging a highly successful career, takes great pleasure in returning to campus and discovering such varied and significant progress. “It feels great as a graduate to come back and see the amazing facilities, personnel, and programs,” says John H. Tucker ’87. “I’m really excited to be reengaged with the University.”
Tucker earned his bachelor’s in political science with plans to enter law, but changed course when he discovered that sales was a great fit. “My degree prepared me well to go in many different directions. I fell in love with sales and eventually entered the pharmaceutical field,” he says.
His early résumé entries include a variety of both hospital- and retail-based sales and marketing positions, which propelled him to positions of increased responsibility. He has served as CEO of three successive firms: Alcresta, a developer of enzyme-base products for patients with acute and chronic diseases; Algal Scientific, a developer of autoimmune products; and scPharmaceuticals, his current company.
“Big Pharma” is sometimes pilloried for high costs, but Tucker’s small firm is a completely different story. “We specialize in drugs that are focused on taking down the cost of health care,” he explains. “scPharmaceuticals is developing therapies that treat patients outside of the hospital, which is the highest cost setting of care. Programs focused on lowering the cost of healthcare—that’s our job.”
The President’s Council collaborates with PSU’s leadership in identifying, cultivating, and soliciting individuals and organizations for private support of the University’s mission and vision for the future. Tucker has keen interest in that vision and is impressed with many aspects of PSU’s current trajectory.
His longstanding interest in mental health issues and reducing associated stigmas drew his attention to the Counselor Education and School Psychology Department’s work in addressing the substance abuse crisis. (See “Campus Wellness” article in this issue.) “What Plymouth State is doing around mental illness and addiction is amazing. I’ve looked at a lot of different programs across the country, in big state universities and small liberal arts schools, and I think Plymouth is on the cutting edge.”
Tucker recently toured the new Human Performance Center, in a freshly-renovated section of the Physical Education Center, and reminisced about his student days. “I was on the football
team and still have fond memories of the old ‘weight room.’ The new Strength and Conditioning Lab that’s planned will be phenomenal. I couldn’t be more impressed with these new facilities—the ice arena, ALLWell North, and plans for the Stadium and Turf Field. They are necessary not only to attract the right students but also to give them enriching experiences when they come to PSU.”
As a business executive, Tucker is quite adept at hiring, and he validates the Integrated Clusters learning model. “Critical thinking is the most important thing I look for,” he says. “If someone can take a problem from the beginning all the way to the end, work either as part of a team or independently and critically think through problems to get to solutions, that’s what is imperative in a company like ours. Plymouth is doing this better than anyone right now.”
He is eager to get more involved with the University as a member of the President’s Council. “I love the direction the school is going,” says Tucker. “Plymouth State has given so much to me and I’m glad to give back as much as I can.”■ Peter Lee Miller
