Editors’ Note

George Paz joined Express Scripts in 1998 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and became President in 2003. In 2005, he was named Chief Executive Officer and the following year was elected Chairman of the Board. He currently also serves as a member of the board of directors for Honeywell, Inc. Paz holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Company Brief

Express Scripts (Lab.Express-Scripts.com) manages more than a billion prescriptions each year for tens of millions of patients. On behalf of their clients – employers, health plans, unions, and government health programs – they make the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable. Express Scripts uniquely combines three capabilities – behavioral sciences, clinical specialization, and actionable data – to create Health Decision Science, their innovative approach to help individuals make the best drug choices, pharmacy choices, and health choices. Headquartered in St. Louis, Express Scripts provides integrated pharmacy-benefit management services, including network-pharmacy claims processing, home delivery, specialty benefit management, benefit-design consultation, drug-utilization review, formulary management, and medical and drug data analysis services. The company also distributes a full range of biopharmaceutical products, and provides extensive cost-management and patient-care services.

What has been the core mission for Express Scripts?

For nearly three decades, Express Scripts has focused on making the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable for the Americans we serve.

How has the company been so consistently successful for such an extended time?

Express Scripts’ success can be attributed to our team’s consistent commitment to doing right by our clients and our patients. We only succeed when we are making care more affordable and more effective. By aligning with our clients on a common cause, our leaders are able to inspire their employees to achieve truly extraordinary goals.

What do you consider to be your company’s most important values?

The Express Way is a set of core values including Integrity, Mutual Respect, Passion, Alignment, Collaboration, and Service that defines who we are and how we work. The Express Way is the underpinning of everything we do, and we expect all employees to incorporate these values into their daily work. When we evaluate our employees each year, we look at “What” the employee accomplished, but we weigh just as heavily “How” the employee went about her job. Our culture is shaped from the way we do business, the values that guide us, and how we seize opportunities and overcome challenges.

What differentiates Express Scripts from its competitors?

We understand that better decisions lead to healthier outcomes. This is why Express Scripts uniquely combines three capabilities – behavioral sciences, clinical specialization, and actionable data – to create Health Decision Science, our innovative approach to help individuals make the best drug choices, pharmacy choices, and health choices. As the country’s largest PBM with a legacy of independence, we have the scale and the will to challenge conventional thinking, and to push back against those organizations that strive to increase the cost of healthcare in America. Our model of alignment – where we make money when our clients save money – makes us one of the few companies in the healthcare industry that benefits financially when the cost of care decreases.

How have you worked to develop a culture of innovation?

Express Scripts never stands still. Employees at all levels of the organization are empowered to find new solutions to complex problems and that mentality provides a level of nimbleness that few companies our size possess. Within our Research & New Solutions Lab, our healthcare researchers, clinical specialists, and behavioral scientists collaborate to pilot next-generation solutions to enhance patient care and improve healthcare affordability.

What priority have you placed on increasing the strength and diversity of your workforce?

Since our inception in 1986, Express Scripts has recognized that the key competitive differential for success is people. Diversity among them has been essential because our clientele and the patients we serve are as diverse as America. Our diversity spans generations – one-third of our employees are baby boomers, one-third are Generation X, and one-third are millennials. Nearly 70 percent are women and 35 percent are a minority. Diverse teams are more creative, more dynamic, and much more innovative – all factors that lead to Express Scripts’ collaborative processes, technological advances, and organizational and economic growth. Solving the nation’s healthcare challenges requires fresh solutions, and only through our diverse and talented workforce are we able to succeed.

What is the value of corporate responsibility for the company?

Our mission to make the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable has a significant impact on the lives of tens of millions of people. But our impact extends far beyond our role as a pharmacy benefit manager. Through charitable giving by Express Scripts and the Express Scripts Foundation, coupled with giving and volunteering by our employees, we make a positive difference in the communities where we have a presence. Our giving focuses on initiatives that enable access to health and medical services; educate underserved youth and supporting pharmacy education; provide services to U.S. military troops and their families; strengthen communities by aiding children and families in need; and respond with disaster relief for devastated communities.

What is the benefit of being in a state like Missouri?

We serve tens of millions of Americans around the country, but we never lose sight of the fact that our home is in Missouri. The local community has embraced Express Scripts and the region’s workforce has fueled our growth for nearly three decades. In return, we’re proud to be a vital element in Missouri’s economic engine – each year, we deliver more than a billion dollars of positive impact for the local economy.

What does a leader need to keep uppermost in mind to run a successful organization?

For any CEO, it’s critical to surround oneself with a strong team. It’s precisely what I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve at Express Scripts. My goal as Express Scripts’ leader is to coalesce the organization around core objectives, ensure that all groups are in alignment with one another, and unleash the talents of our teams.

What are the key priorities you are most focused on going forward?

If we focus on delivering quality service to our clients and patients, and support this commitment with the right resources and the best technologies, I am confident that we will achieve all of our future goals. While we continue to bring new and innovative solutions to market, our mission has not and will not change. We will continue to make the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable for Americans.•