{"id":241497,"date":"2026-02-24T11:31:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:31:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=241497"},"modified":"2026-02-24T13:03:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T18:03:10","slug":"the-story-of-the-century-harold-katzs-100-year-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/02\/the-story-of-the-century-harold-katzs-100-year-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Story of the Century: Harold Katz\u2019s 100 Year Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Harold
Harold Katz as a young boy in the 1930s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Growing up in Bridgeport, Connecticut, with his older brother and parents, Katz worked at a local drug store as a soda jerk in high school. While mastering the skill of making banana split sundaes for customers at the soda fountain, he developed an interest in medical problems<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Growing up during the Great Depression, Katz received advice from his parents to\u00a0<\/span>pick<\/span>\u00a0a practical career that would always be in demand. With his passion only a train ride away, Katz chose the Connecticut College of Pharmacy (now the UConn School of Pharmacy) to pursue his B.S. in Pharmacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was working as a part-time soda jerk at a drugstore with a soda fountain, serving banana splits and sundaes<\/span>. And I was\u00a0<\/span>pretty good<\/span>\u00a0at it.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Like many of his classmates\u00a0<\/span>during World War II<\/span>, Katz was drafted into the United States\u00a0<\/span>Army<\/span>\u00a0before pursuing his studies on-site in New Haven.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Proudly serving his country<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0from 1944 to 1946, Katz spent his service on the island of\u00a0<\/span>Sibu in the\u00a0<\/span>Philippines<\/span>\u00a0and<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0Japan\u00a0<\/span>under occupational duty.<\/span>\u00a0While in the Philippines, Katz was only an island apart from his older brother<\/span>\u00a0Bernie<\/span>, also serving in the U.S. Army,\u00a0<\/span>although he did not know of this proximity until after his return home.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Harold
Harold proudly serving his country during his WWII service (1944-1946)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With only two months of <\/span>pharmacy experience<\/span>, Katz was put in control of\u00a0<\/span>a dispensary\u00a0<\/span>during his\u00a0<\/span>time<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>\u00a0Japan, where he treated soldiers for infections<\/span>. A bit older than the creation of penicillin, Katz effectively cur<\/span>ed many infected soldiers with\u00a0<\/span>this\u00a0<\/span>antibiotic.\u00a0<\/span>When he\u00a0<\/span>wasn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0on duty at the dispensary, Katz\u00a0<\/span>created a collection of memories from his time in Japan. Exploring\u00a0<\/span>Japanese nature<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with his fellow soldiers,\u00a0<\/span>including a climb to the top of Mount Fuji,\u00a0<\/span>Katz fondly remembers\u00a0<\/span>the landscapes, people, and culture<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After returning home from Japan, Katz continued his studies at the Connecticut College of Pharmacy<\/span>, with a price tag of $500 per semester<\/span>. Commuting by train with classmates each day, Katz attended\u00a0<\/span>lectures<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>di<\/span>d experiments in\u00a0<\/span>the auditorium amphitheater of an old Yale building<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>Because<\/span>\u00a0his \u201ccampus\u201d was only about 80 feet across and 50 feet long, Katz\u00a0<\/span>became close to many peers in his 50-person class<\/span>es and continued these relationships after his time\u00a0<\/span>as a Husky.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Harold
Harold and Doris at their daughter’s wedding in 1984<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Graduating in 1950 with\u00a0<\/span>a\u00a0<\/span>B.S. in Pharmacy,\u00a0<\/span>Katz did relief work before taking a job at\u00a0<\/span>Rexall, a major drugstore cooperative.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>He married<\/span>\u00a0his love\u00a0<\/span>Doris<\/span>\u00a0Po<\/span>merance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>i<\/span>n 1952<\/span>\u00a0and soon Katz<\/span>\u00a0realized his late-night shifts at Rexall\u00a0<\/span>didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0align with<\/span>\u00a0married\u00a0<\/span>life<\/span> and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>took a job at Eli Lilly<\/span>\u00a0as a medical representative. While medical representatives serve as salespeople today, Katz joined a medical representative industry<\/span>\u00a0that was focused on\u00a0<\/span>expertise<\/span>, rather than persuasion. Knowing details about medications, their potential side effects, and interactions with other drugs, Katz<\/span>\u00a0developed close and trusted relationships with the physicians he worked with. Driving around the state of Connecticut to\u00a0<\/span>deepen these relationships, Katz completed his driving during the day and his paperwork at home so he could take every opportunity to spen<\/span>d time with his wife and children.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI remember the relationships I made\u00a0<\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0Eli Lilly.\u00a0<\/span>That\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0why I loved the job.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Rick,
Rick, Jeffrey, and Ellen enjoying a beach day together in 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Living in New Britain for several years before moving his family to West Hartford, Katz completed a 32-year-long career at Eli Lilly while raising his three children, Rick, Jeffrey, and Ellen. Reflecting on his busy past of raising a family while having a successful career, Katz excitedly remembers when one of the boys inadvertently emptied the company car of gas and work obligations instantly became a challenge. To Katz, the event morphed into a quality teaching experience. Finding success in the pharmacy industry, Katz and Doris inspired their children to find their own success. Rick<\/span>,<\/span> a graduate of the University of Vermont, has a successful career in food safety inspection and prevention <\/span>analysis<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Jeff<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>graduated from Yale\u2019s medical school and is a professor at Harvard Medical School.<\/span>\u00a0The baby of the Katz family, Ellen, got her<\/span>\u00a0BSN<\/span>\u00a0degree from\u00a0<\/span>Duke b<\/span>efore working as an RN<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>obtaining an MPH,\u00a0<\/span>and becoming a business owner.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Putting his children\u00a0above all else, Katz\u00a0and\u00a0Doris\u00a0spent\u00a0their\u00a0lives\u00a0living below\u00a0their\u00a0means\u00a0to build\u00a0generational wealth for\u00a0their\u00a0family.\u00a0Sacrificing\u00a0a\u00a0lavish lifestyle\u00a0to ensure his children\u00a0could\u00a0pursue their\u00a0goals, Katz’s\u00a0love\u00a0for his family is\u00a0immeasurable.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM<\/span><\/span>y wife, may she rest in peace, would be especially pleased to know that our children\u00a0<\/span>have\u00a0<\/span>their feet on the ground and are\u00a0<\/span>earning<\/span>\u00a0their way.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Harold
Harold at his desk in Boca Raton, Florida, taken earlier this month<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After his children <\/span>left the nest<\/span>, Katz and\u00a0<\/span>Doris<\/span>\u00a0became\u00a0<\/span>proud<\/span>\u00a0snowbirds, spending summe<\/span>rs<\/span>\u00a0in Cape Cod and\u00a0<\/span>winters\u00a0<\/span>in Boca Raton, Florida.\u00a0<\/span>Retired from his full-time career as a pharmacist but unable to rest from his passions, Katz continued to do relief work in Cape Cod and\u00a0<\/span>Florida<\/span>\u00a0pharmacies<\/span>\u00a0well into his eighties<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>With a passion for recycling, which started during\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>early years of his career, Katz became the head of recycling at his senior living facility in Florida. Educating\u00a0<\/span>community members about the importance of recycling while implementing greener initiatives, Katz\u00a0<\/span>knows that\u00a0<\/span>big changes<\/span>\u00a0start small.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cM<\/span><\/span>y passion is recycling, which is a necessary thing. When I moved into senior living, new people came in from everywhere, and they knew nothing about it.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Passionate about seeing his c<\/span>ommunity thrive, Katz was a<\/span>lso a<\/span>\u00a0columnist in a local newspaper<\/span>\u00a0for many years<\/span>, serving\u00a0<\/span>around 1700\u00a0<\/span>familie<\/span>s<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Writing<\/span>\u00a0articles<\/span>\u00a0centered on pharmacy, senior living, and health and wellness, Katz has pinpoin<\/span>ted releva<\/span>nt topics<\/span>, like\u00a0<\/span>expiration<\/span>\u00a0dates on medication and sexual function,\u00a0<\/span>to effectively educate his community<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"One
One of Harold’s newspaper articles written in 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After losing his wife of almost 65 years in 2019, whom he calls his bride, Katz\u00a0<\/span>remains<\/span>\u00a0close to his family.\u00a0<\/span>He\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0a prou<\/span>d grandfather and great Papa to five great<\/span>–<\/span>grandchildren.\u00a0<\/span>Although he spends his days\u00a0<\/span>enjoying his retirement, Katz always has th<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0latest edition of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>U.S. Pharmacist<\/span><\/span><\/em>\u00a0lying on his desk<\/span>\u00a0and excitedly looks ahead with the same passion and service that have defined his first\u00a0<\/span>century<\/span>\u00a0of living.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Katz will celebrate his 100<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0birthday on\u00a0August\u00a015<\/span>th<\/span>,\u00a02026,\u00a0with family and close friends\u00a0at\u00a0his Florida home.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At\u00a099\u00a0,\u00a0Katz is living proof that a pharmacist\u2019s care can endure far beyond a career. Through one remarkable life story, Katz connects UConn Pharmacy\u2019s past with its future and reflects the values that have defined the\u00a0School\u00a0for a century.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Turning 100 this August, Harold Katz (B.S.) has lived a lifetime many of us would be fortunate to have. A 1950 graduate of Connecticut College of Pharmacy (now UConn\u2019s School of Pharmacy), Katz is a proud WWII veteran, a life-long pharmacist and drug detail man with an Eli Lilly and Company career spanning 32 years, and a devoted family man. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":221,"featured_media":241500,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1864],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[2644],"class_list":["post-241497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pharm"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-23 14:07:00","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/221"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=241497"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241497\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":241524,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/241497\/revisions\/241524"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/241500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=241497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=241497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=241497"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=241497"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=241497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}