• PharmD, Owner
• John Higgins grew up right here in Rutherford County graduating from RS Central High School then obtaining his Associate of Science at ICC. In 1990 he graduated with his PharmD from Campbell University. His care and commitment to family and friends in Rutherford County has been a continuous part of both his professional and personal life.
• John worked at Rutherford Regional Hospital and Spindale Drug while in Pharmacy school; and Revco immediately after graduating Campbell. In 1991, just one year after starting his professional career, John took the position of Staff Pharmacist here at Smith’s Drugs of Forest City. In 2000 John purchased the family owned business and has functioned as Owner-Pharmacist since then.
• While always John’s goal to maintain the excellent customer relationships and family values established in 1939, he had a vision to move Smith’s Drugs into the multi-service, modern facility he currently operates.
• Smith’s Drugs of Forest City has everything to meet today customers’...

• PharmD
• Andy joined the Smith’s Drugs of Forest City family as a Staff Pharmacist in July 2020. He, like others in the pharmacy, is a “local”; having grown up in Shelby, North Carolina. He graduated from Crest High School and received his Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) in 2015 from Wingate University.

Andy worked as an Intern with CVS while attending college and after his graduation, he ultimately became the Pharmacist in Charge at the Boiling Springs, NC location. He went on to take the position of Staff Pharmacist and Medication Therapy Management Specialist at Ingles Pharmacy in Shelby, NC.

We at Smith’s are extremely happy to welcome Andy to our Pharmacy staff. He brings a wealth of experience and the Smith’s Drugs’ shared value for the people we serve. He has expressed to us that his favorite aspect of being a Pharmacist is “building relationships with people in the community and helping them manage their medication.”

When not at work, Andy enjoys...

• Pharmacist
• Lori has worked as Staff Pharmacist at Smith’s Drugs of Forest City since October 2014. She received her BS Pharmacy from the University of Georgia in 1991 after graduating Oconee County High School. Lori has served a number of communities as Retail Staff Pharmacist over the years of her career.
• Lori loves horses and the outdoors. She has written several articles for the Paso Fino Horse World publication.
• Lori finds her career as a Pharmacist most satisfying when she is “making a difference in someone’s healthcare by listening to their concerns and looking for ways to improve their care.”
• Stop in to see Lori with any Pharmacy questions or services you need. She’s always helpful and caring.

PharmD

I was born and raised in Forest City, NC. I graduated from Rutherford Early College High School and Isothermal Community College in 2016 with my Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees. I started working at Smith's Drugs as a pharmacy technician in 2017. I became a pharmacy intern upon starting school at Wingate University in 2018. I graduated from Wingate University with my Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree in May 2022 as a member of the Rho Chi Honor Society and valedictorian of my class. I began working as a pharmacist at Smith's Drugs in June of 2022.

I enjoy being a pharmacist because it gives me the opportunity to answer medication-related questions and help patients of my community improve their health.

When I am not working, I enjoy reading, bowling, and traveling to amusement parks to ride roller coasters.

• PharmD/Long Term Care
• Blair Pruett is the newest member of the Smith’s Drugs of Forest City Pharmacy staff having just graduated from Wingate University with the Class of 2018. She divides her time between the long-term care operation and the pharmacy. Blair is another of our “hometown” staff members and reports that she feels “beyond blessed to begin my career so close to home, allowing me the opportunity to give back to a place that has given so much to me!”
• She was a member of Rho Chi (top 20% of her pharmacy school class) and Phi Lamba Sigma (Wingate’s pharmacy school leadership society.) She hopes to continue her career in long term care pharmacy and eventually become a consultant pharmacist where she can advocate for patients residing in nursing facilities and ensure they receive optimal care.
• Blair tells us that the thing she likes best about being a pharmacist is “building relationships with patients. We get to be on the front lines and communicate with our patients...