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Upon graduation from the University of Georgia School of Pharmacy in 1961, Armon began preparing himself for a career in pharmacy innovation . He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Rio Grande College of Pharmacy. He continued his education through internships at Athens General Hospital, Griffin Spalding County Hospital, and a residency in institutional pharmacy at Brook Army Medical Center.
After completing his residency, Neel returned to Griffin to enter his father’s family pharmacy operation. In 1963, Armon opened Neel’s Apothecary in Griffin. Three years later, he converted the Apothecary Shop into Georgia’s first Pharmaceutical Center, a practice devoted to providing pharmacy services exclusively. Neel was the first pharmacist in Georgia to maintain patient profiles for his patients. His innovations in pharmacy services in long term care are numerous and continue to set the standard for accepted procedures and protocols today.
Neel founded Institutional Pharmacy Consultants in 1977, a pharmacy practice providing consultant services in pharmacy, computer services, medical management, system designs, nutritional support, pharmacokinetics and quality assurance. In June of 2000, Armon embarked on a new endeavor, merging with Restore Health Group, making it possible to expand services throughout the entire Southeast. After serving as Vice President of Clinical Services for Restore, he decided to get more involved in clinical drug therapy management by the development of an internet site where seniors could have available to them the services of a senior drug therapy specialist. The site is known as “MedicationXpert.com”. Along with a broad range of health care consulting, Neel will continue to do research and publishing .
As a result of Neel’s dedication and achievement, he has been recognized by his peers . Awards include: 1992 recipient of the George F. Archambault Award, consultant pharmacy’s highest honor, 1993 Innovative Pharmacy Practice Award from National Council of State Pharm. Assn. Executives (Dupont-Pharmacia), 1973 A.H. Robins Bowl of Hygeia Award, President, Georgia Pharmaceutical Assn., Phi Delta Chi “Pharmacist of the Year” Award, WSB 750 Award, NARD Awards of Merit in 1969-70-71-72-73-74., Profile of Career in Pharmacy in “The Consultant Pharmacist” Journal, Award of Appreciation, Georgia Association Nurses in Long Term Care, and Georgia Pharmacist Award of Merit. Along with chairing numerous committees on national and state levels, he has written many articles published in professional journals and presented various papers on long term care, Alzheimer’s disease, treatment of depression, anxiety, and dementia in the elderly, and performed numerous outcomes research studies relating to specific drug therapies . Currently, Neel is serving as a member of the editorial board and the advisory panel of the journal of the American Medical Directors Association, the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance’s Nursing Home Reimbursement (Case Mix) Study Committee, DMAS Special Rules Committee, consultant pharmacist to Georgia Health Care Assn., Consultant to Georgia Medical Care Foundation, Consultant to numerous Pharmaceutical Companies, appointed by the Governor to Council on Aging, Committee on Organization Affairs, 1990, for American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, Committee on Professional Affairs, 1991-92, for American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, Chairman Committee Professional Affairs 1992-93, Region IV Director, Board of Directors, ASCP, Member Hoechst-Roussel Pharmaceuticals Long Term Care Advisory Group, Chairman Janssen Pharmaceutical Advisory Group, Member Parke-Davis Long Term Care Advisory Committee, Member Eli Lilly Advisory group, member Bristol-Myers-Squibb Advisory council, Wyeth-Ayerst Advisory council, Member Georgia Pharmacy Association Council of Presidents, instructor to H.H.S. Regulatory Division on drug regimen review protocols, member editorial review board of the Consultant Pharmacist Journal, LTC Ombudsman Advisory Committee, adjunct instructor in clinical pharmacy to Mercer University’s Southern School of Pharmacy, and a member of Griffin Downtown Council. Member GPHA committee on rewriting the Georgia Pharmacy Practice Act, Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist 1997. In 1998, he received the Richard S. Berman Service Award , one of ASCP’s highest honors. This year, Armon received the Janssen Lifetime Achievement Award, Janssen's most prestigious award. Today, he operates a private practice of pharmacy in Drug Therapy Management in Senior Care in an effort to improve quality of life for seniors. In 2003-04 served for the Governor of Georgia Medicaid Reimbursement Drug Committee.
Armon is married to June Chambers Neel. They have two sons and six grandchildren . Armon’s hobbies are pharmacy, computers and fishing. In 1989, the Neel family celebrated 100 years in pharmacy. Armon represents the fifth generation of Neel Pharmacists.
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