Larry Merlo is joining the First Lady as a guest at the 2015 State of the Union address on January 20. Watch it live at 9 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

LARRY MERLO

Last year, CVS Caremark President and CEO Larry Merlo announced that CVS would be the first major retail pharmacy to eliminate tobacco sales in all of its stores. Soon after, the company changed its corporate name to CVS Health -- a symbol of the organization's broader commitment to public health.

Through its 7,800 retail pharmacies, 900 walk-in medical clinics, and a pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 65 million plan members, CVS Health serves 100 million people each year. The company also trains pharmacy technicians through apprenticeship programs, offers scholarships to future pharmacists, and engages diverse students interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers.

CVS Health has also established programs to hire long-term unemployed workers and create summer jobs for youth, and has a longstanding commitment to hiring qualified veterans and military spouses.

Merlo, a pharmacist by education, joined CVS/pharmacy in 1990, and currently lives in East Greenwich, Rhode Island with his wife of 36 years, Lee Ann.

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know