Program and grad year: BSc(Pharm)’95
Career: CEO and Founder, Pure Integrative Pharmacy; Senior VP, Pharmaceutical Distribution & Specialty Pharmacies, Pattison Food Group
Building for the next generation: Bob Mehr recognized with 2026 UBC Alumni Builder Award
Bob Mehr, BSc(Pharm)’95, has spent more than three decades building a career in pharmacy and healthcare while maintaining strong ties to UBC’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. As a pharmacist, entrepreneur and healthcare leader, he has created opportunities for students and graduates, supported experiential learning and mentorship, and contributed to the growth of the Faculty.
In recognition of his longstanding contributions to the UBC community, Mehr has been named a 2026 recipient of the UBC Alumni Builder Award.
“This recognition is deeply meaningful because it comes from a community that has had such a profound impact on my life and career,” says Mehr. “UBC provided me with the education, mentorship, and opportunities that shaped who I am as a pharmacist and leader.”
Building a career in pharmacy
Since graduating from UBC Pharm Sci in 1995, Mehr has built a career as a pharmacist, entrepreneur and healthcare leader, leading pharmacy, healthcare distribution and specialty healthcare businesses across Western Canada.
In 1999, he founded Pure Integrative Pharmacy, bringing together conventional pharmacy services with a broader focus on health and wellness. What began with a single pharmacy on Vancouver Island has since grown to more than 20 locations across British Columbia, alongside a compounding laboratory serving patients and healthcare practitioners. But for Mehr, the most meaningful measure of what he has built isn't the number of locations or businesses.
“To me, building is about creating something that lasts beyond your own involvement,” he says. “It means developing people, fostering trust, and creating environments where others can succeed.”
That approach extends to how he views leadership in pharmacy.
“As a leader, I measure success not only by business performance but by the number of people who have grown in their careers, the communities that are better served, and the positive impact that continues long after a project or initiative is completed.”
Investing in future pharmacists
Mehr has maintained strong ties to UBC Pharm Sci throughout his career. He has hired and mentored Pharm Sci students and graduates, supported experiential learning opportunities and contributed philanthropically to the Faculty, including as a lead donor to the Pharmaceutical Sciences Building campaign. Investing in students is particularly important to him.
“Every professional benefits from someone who believed in them early in their career. I certainly did,” says Mehr. “Investing in students is an opportunity to repay that support while helping shape the future of our profession.”
He sees that investment as increasingly important as pharmacists take on expanding roles as clinicians, educators, innovators and healthcare leaders.
“Providing students with mentorship and real-world experiences helps bridge the gap between education and practice while building confidence and professional skills,” he says. “Supporting the next generation is not simply an investment in individuals; it is an investment in the future of healthcare and the communities we serve.”
His relationship with students isn't one-sided. Mehr says working with emerging professionals also gives established leaders an opportunity to learn.
“They bring fresh perspectives, new ideas, and an energy that challenges us to keep improving.”
A lifelong UBC community
The Alumni Builder Award recognizes alumni whose contributions have enriched the UBC community through their leadership and service. For Mehr, the recognition is particularly meaningful because of its emphasis on helping others succeed.
“If my contributions have helped create opportunities for students, professionals, or organizations to succeed, then I feel I have honoured the values that UBC instilled in me many years ago.”
He is also quick to share the recognition with those who have been part of his own journey.
“While I am honoured to receive this award, I see it as a reflection of the many people who have supported me throughout my journey, including my wife and two daughters, mentors, colleagues, students, and teams I have had the privilege to work alongside,” he says. “Building anything worthwhile is never an individual effort.”
It is a lesson he hopes other Pharm Sci alumni will carry with them, along with a willingness to remain part of the UBC community long after graduation.
“Stay connected to UBC. The Faculty is more than a place where you earned a degree; it is a lifelong community,” says Mehr. “Whether through mentorship, volunteering, teaching, hiring students, or philanthropy, there are many ways to give back.”
For Mehr, that connection ultimately comes back to the idea that has guided much of his career: building something that will benefit the people who come next.
“UBC gave many of us a foundation for success. Staying engaged is one of the best ways we can help ensure that future students have the same opportunities to learn, grow, and lead.”