John Moran says …
John Moran, identified as “Salesman” on LinkedIn, retired as vice president of corporate distribution from Welch Allyn in 2010. “It was absolutely impossible not to like Henry,” he says of Berling. “It was fun to be with him, either at Owens or at his house having a beer after he finished cutting his lawn with a push mower.” Following are some more of Moran’s takes on Henry Berling.
- “Owens & Minor was lean. Very lean. I don’t think anybody wore just one hat over there. If you worked at Owens & Minor, you had to be pretty nimble.
- “Henry was very busy, but he always took time with people. You could be in his office for an hour and 15 minutes. He didn’t keep that close a track of time.”
- “Henry was intuitive, instinctive. He knew how to make the company profitable. And he understood manufacturers. He treated vendors with respect and made sure their needs were met.”
- “Henry always had family in the forefront. He was so proud of his own, but would always inquire about yours.”
- “Henry had an incredible number of contacts. There were times I thought, ‘He can’t know all these people.’ But he did.”
- “He didn’t tell jokes. He told stories about real people. Perhaps he embellished a few of them.”
Dan Eckert says …
Dan Eckert, CEO of StatLab, joined Owens & Minor when the company acquired National Healthcare & Hospital Supply of Orange, California, in 1989. He served as director of national accounts from 1989 to 1992. “Henry was fond of nicknames,” he recalls. “I became ‘Danny Boy’ pretty quickly after joining his team. He was also notorious for looking you straight in the eye and giving you a very firm handshake.”
- “When I joined the company, Henry flew me around the industry and introduced me to suppliers, hospital systems and GPOs. He knew almost all the key leaders by first name, and in many cases, we didn’t even make appointments. We would just show up and they would agree to meet with us.”
- “Owens & Minor was a relationship company, and it started with Henry. The basic strategy [for growth] was to build on our strong regional and local hospital relationships to gain the support of the GPOs they belonged to. [With hospital customers], the strategy was to get our foot in the door, prove we were trustworthy and that we would do what we said we would do, and then build a bigger relationship on that foundation.”
- “Our manufacturer partners knew they could rely on and trust us. When there were issues with product quality or supply, Henry would always err on the side of giving them the benefit of the doubt and working through it.”
- “In his own way, I think Henry took his responsibility as a mentor to me and others on the team very seriously. He cared and he showed it. I learned more of the fundamentals of our business and developed my early convictions as a leader working for Henry. It’s rare to find that early in your career, but so key.”
- “Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned from Henry was that relationships built on integrity and trust matter as much or more than your ‘pitch’ to get the business.”
Doug Harper says …
Doug Harper, president, NDC Homecare, was an executive with physician supplier PSS (now McKesson Medical-Surgical) while Henry Berling worked with Owens & Minor in the acute-care market. “I am very glad I did not have to compete with Henry,” he says. “He is the epitome of a Southern gentleman – and a dogged competitor. One of his many skills was to build true partnerships with customers that lasted forever, as they knew he certainly wanted their business and he always had their best interest at heart.”
- “Henry’s success with acquisitions was due to the simple fact that the owners of these companies simply trusted him and knew that a partnership with him would be great for them and their teams.”
- “Henry was – and is – a valued mentor to many. Although he has zero patience for underachievers, he is always willing to help anyone who works hard and is a true advocate for their customers and company.”
- “Many people begin their careers well-intentioned to be a ‘true partner and advocate’ for their customers and companies. However, that intention often gets lost due either to the egos of success or the pressures of an industry. Henry has never wavered from his values and hence has enjoyed great successes, friends and admirers.”
- “Our industry is better today thanks to Henry Berling, and I am honored to be his friend.”