Managed Healthcare Executive recently named Zach Jones, PharmD, of Prime Therapeutics (Prime), a 2026 Emerging Leader in Healthcare, recognizing his contributions to managed care pharmacy and his work addressing affordability, access and operational complexity in the healthcare system. 

The annual Emerging Leaders in Healthcare program highlights professionals selected by Managed Healthcare Executive editors based on peer and colleague nominations. According to the publication, the recognition is designed to spotlight professionals early in their careers who demonstrate measurable achievements and are preparing to take on larger leadership roles across U.S. healthcare. 

As part of the publication’s 2026 Emerging Leaders coverage, Johnson is described as a leader focused on translating complex clinical evidence into practical strategies that help manage specialty pharmacy trend, improve affordability and simplify operations. “For me, it comes down to using clinical evidence in ways that are practical, thoughtful and useful for plans and members,” Jones said.

In his interview with the publication, Jones reflected on a professional journey shaped by both his Minnesota roots and formative experiences in nontraditional pharmacy settings. He earned both his bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences and his PharmD from North Dakota State University, then began his career in retail pharmacy before moving into managed care through a residency at HealthPartners. 

“The most impactful turning point in my career was in my final year of pharmacy school,” Jones said in his interview. “I intentionally sought out rotations in non-traditional settings to explore paths beyond hospital and retail practice.” He said rotations at Eli Lilly and HealthPartners helped define his path and showed him how clinical insight could be applied to population-level drug management decisions, which ultimately led him toward managed care pharmacy. 

At Prime, Jones’s work has also been recognized internally for its cross-functional impact. Colleagues nominated him for being a strategic leader who helps align clinical, operational and client-facing teams around formulary approaches intended to improve cost performance while maintaining access, clinical appropriateness and quality outcomes. 

Read Jones’ profile and watch his video interview in the online feature and look for the full list of honorees in Managed Healthcare Executive’s June print issue.