Roderick Craig Hammond was born in Launceston, Tasmania on the 27th of May 1945 as a result of his father’s compassionate leave from the Army in World War Two.
The first five years were in Launceston, and the next five years in Hobart’s Sandy Bay then a transfer to Melbourne in 1955. Rod completed primary education at Hartwell PS, and secondary at Burwood High School, being second to the dux in year 12.
Rod completed a Pharmacy degree, taking out two prizes along the way.
Rod’s first job in 1967 was in a Springvale pharmacy, working close to 50 hours a week when three nights at the Springvale Night Dispensary were taken into account.
In 1970, Rod transferred to another pharmacy in Croydon, buying it two years later.
Community involvement included the Croydon Chamber of Commerce committee for 20 years with 3 years as President; and Treasurer of the Louisa St Kindergarten.
Rod’s new major involvement was successfully standing for a directorship of the Amcal Chemists Board in 1983. This lasted 12 years, with 3 years as Chairman during the major confrontation between the Labour Government and the pharmacy profession over the issue of National Health dispensing remuneration. Amcal’s 650 members urged the Board to become active as a body in parallel with the Pharmacy Guild, and as a result Rod had a in person one-on-one conversation with Prime Minister Bob Hawke. Rod was the first to suggest a solution to the dispute by having a tiered mark-up on NHS prescriptions – this turned out to be integral to a new Pharmacy Agreement, but the Guild took all the credit.
The pharmacy was sold in 1999. and he moved to a Black Rock townhouse. And is still there after 21 years, working as an employee of the Black Rock Pharmacy until his retirement in 2013.
He has served on the Board and various committees of the Metropolitan Golf club for 30 years, and is still on two committees, being Greens and Reciprocals, plus is the Convenor of the Plantations Panel.In his spare time, he has run eight overseas golf tours to the UK and Ireland for pharmacists since 1995, and is a valuable source of information and guidance if any Probians are contemplating such a trip once we open up.
Rod and Pam have been happily married for 53 years and have two married sons plus four wonderful grandchildren.
September 2021.