Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

Brad Connett: A Leader

It could be the summers spent longlining swordfish on a commercial fishing vessel off the North Carolina coast. Or, the years spent getting to know, understand and integrate sales reps from multiple independent distributors whom his company acquired while growing its presence in the medical market. Perhaps it was hours spent as a kid in his grandfather’s leather tannery – Surpass Leather Company – in South Philly, a tough part of town. Or a pick-up basketball game while he was a senior at the University of North Carolina, facing a tough, competitive freshman – Michael Jordan.

Whatever the reason, Brad Connett is cool under pressure.

That trait, plus his thirst for knowledge, desire to lead and help others succeed, and the ability to laugh, have made Connett, vice president and general manager, Henry Schein Medical, a respected figure in the industry, and this year’s inductee into the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame.

“He is a very genuine person,” says Charlie Crawford, vice president, sales operations, Henry Schein, who first met Connett when both were at Roane-Barker in the mid-1990s. “I think even today he knows all the salespeople by name. He knows something about each one of them, and he cares about them.”

Says David Vann, retired director of sales, Henry Schein, “Brad has the intelligence to understand the business from A to Z, and along with that, the natural ability to communicate his thoughts to the people he reports to, and to the people who report to him. That is unique.”

Adds Dick Moorman of Midmark, “As tough as all the change in our industry can be, and as stressful as leading teams through continuous change can be, through it all Brad keeps it fun. I cannot remember a time that I have been with Brad since 1981 when we did not laugh together at something.”

The smell of leather
Connett was born just west of Philadelphia, in Berwyn, Pa. His father, Hartley Connett, was a sales executive for Surpass Leather Company, selling tanned leather to furniture makers, car makers and others. “He was a traveling salesman,” says Connett. Hartley Connett had four brothers, all of whom worked for Surpass. Two spent a year in Australia pioneering the importation of kangaroo hides.

“Everything in our house was leather,” Connett recalls. “My dad’s car always smelled like new leather.

“I remember my dad taking my brothers and me down to the factory. It was pretty tough. The tanning business is not real safe; they use a lot of harsh chemicals. There’s a lot to it. I remember being amazed to see how these rough hides became tanned.” While his dad was on the road, Connett and his two brothers were raised by their mom, Barbara. (Today, she and Hartley live in an 18^th century stone farmhouse outside Philadelphia.)

The boys spent most of their summers at their grandparents’ house on eastern Long Island. “I was a competitive sailor, and I loved to fish,” says Connett.

He went to high school at Kent, a boarding school in Connecticut, where he was active in sports. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill accepted his application for admission, and Connett began his four years there in 1977. “I met my wife (Ginger) there, and have never left the Southeast since,” he says.

Longlining
His UNC years were a “fun and exciting” part of his life, he says. “My first summer in North Carolina, I went to Wrightsville Beach to look for a commercial fishing job. I got down there by car, walked the docks, and got on a grouper/snapper boat for three days.” The captain, a retired Marine, told Connett to look up Captain John Juni, who caught swordfish. “You can make more money with him,” he told Connett.

“Captain John sized me up and said, ‘We’ll try you out,’” he recalls. “I got on the boat that day.

“We would go out for seven or eight days, 120 miles offshore, longlining swordfish,” he says. “We were the first boat in North Carolina to do that.”

Connett worked for Captain John all four summers while attending UNC. Juni played an important part in his development.

“He was a mentor in that he showed me how you run a business – and that boat is a business,” says Connett. “He made sure his crew was disciplined, he had an outstanding work ethic, he was a freak about safety. I actually thought about getting into that business, possibly starting a fleet of commercial boats.

“But it’s a tough life. It’s a tough crowd you’re dealing with. And commercial fishing is the most dangerous profession there is. Captain John was in his mid-50s, and he persuaded me to think hard about commercial fishing as a profession.”

Sales
Connett did think hard, and took a different route – medical sales. He met a UNC alumnus, Ralph Falls Jr., who owned an independent distributor – Roane-Barker – in Raleigh, N.C. In 1981, he got his first territory – eastern North Carolina.

Falls, an ex-American Hospital Supply rep, had bought the distributor from Sam Roane in 1977. A unique and even controversial individual, Falls knew how to make a business profitable and strong, says Connett. “And he had ingrained in him the American Hospital Supply culture – put kids in jobs before they were ready and let them run,” says Connett, referring to the Chicago-based company that was acquired first by Baxter, then Cardinal Health.

Connett became sales manager seven years after joining Roane-Barker, and, at age 30, was named vice president of sales. By attending Health Industry Distributors Association meetings and being elected to the board of ABCO (now NDC), he became acquainted with some of the “titans” of the industry, including DeWight Titus, Ben Welch, Elliot Werber, Berk Biddle and Ted Almon (“who still is a mentor –and friend – of mine,” he says). “These experiences came to me while I was young. It was very rewarding, and allowed me to learn a lot.”

The ‘people equation’
In 1997, Falls sold his business to Henry Schein, which was building its medical field organization. Connett became vice president of the Southeast, and three years later, was appointed vice president of field sales by Michael Racioppi, who was heading the medical division. Henry Schein was beginning its expansion, and Connett found himself in the middle of it.

“We were East-Coast-centric,” he says. “We only had two reps west of the Mississippi.” From the late 1990s through the mid-2000s, Henry Schein acquired a number of companies to expand its market reach, including Caligor/Micro Bio-Medics, Bedsole Medical, Southern Surgical, PRN, Emjay, Columbia Medical and Scientific Supply. “We hired experienced reps as well as rookies to grow our presence over the years.”

There are a couple of keys to successfully merging newly acquired companies, says Connett. The first – and most important – is cultural alignment.

“I feel very strongly that the first and most important thing to do is (mastering) the people equation,” he says. “Make sure people know and understand your culture. I traveled extensively in order to get face to face with the reps and management teams, to make them comfortable with who we were as people, our company’s value system, the importance of the values of Team Schein.

“If you don’t take care of the people equation, you’ve blown the acquisition.”

The second key is the actual physical integration. “We have a well-oiled operations team that doesn’t rest until the job is done,” he says. That includes converting IT systems, establishing optimal inventory levels, making sure the customer experience is better than – not just equal to – what they had before.

There is another element that has been key to Connett’s success in building an effective sales force. Leadership. It comes natural to him.

“I’m passionate about developing people,” he says. “I helped start a high school lacrosse program in Greenville (S.C.). We won five consecutive state championships. It was very rewarding to see these young men develop, to see people develop.

“We’re all blessed with certain things, like the ability to play lacrosse,” he says. “The key thing is, it’s a gift, but you can’t keep that gift until you give it back.” So it is with lacrosse, with sales, with any endeavor in life. “It’s our responsibility, as people who are fortunate enough to have the chance to lead others, to give back.”

Connett’s wife, Ginger, is a retired ICU nurse and an “incredible mother of our four children,” he says. Their oldest daughter, Jessica, is a dermatologist. Twin daughters are Cassidy, a nurse, and Tristan, a dean of students. Son Tucker has an entry-level field sales territory for a San Francisco startup.

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Built to Last

“There’s nothing short-term about Brad,” says Bill Barr, vice president, Healthcare Services, Henry Schein Medical, speaking about Brad Connett, this year’s inductee into the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame. “He is all about building things to last.”

“When I first met Brad, I saw him as a sales leader,” says Barr, who met Connett in 2008, when Barr was being interviewed about the healthcare services team. “But he is a lot more than that. He has a good financial mind, a marketing mind, a good eye for talent and organizational structure … all those things beyond sales leadership characteristics.”

At that first meeting, “we were scheduled for an hour, but we spent a couple of hours together,” he recalls. “It was an easy conversation. Brad was a genuine guy. He took the time to get to know me, and to talk about the vision and where we wanted to go.”

Barr could tell then and there that Connett was a good listener. “He really listens before he speaks. He tries to uncover the needs of customers and manufacturers, and figure out how we can align with them. He puts the customer and manufacturer first, but at the same time, he keeps a watchful eye on Henry Schein. He is open to seeking the common goal with whatever party he is dealing with.”

Bill Barr

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An Interest in People

Charlie Crawford, vice president sales operations, Henry Schein, joined Brad Connett at Roane-Barker in 1996. Connett was running the sales organization, Crawford was in charge of finance and operations.

“I quickly figured out Brad had a real passion for sales,” says Crawford. “He was fantastic at leading sales teams; and he had an ability to understand customers and their needs, and then bring that information back and explain it to other folks.”

Crawford had a front-row seat to the many acquisitions that Henry Schein made in the late 1990s and 2000s. “Brad’s role was to consolidate very different sales teams into one selling team,” he says. And he performed that role well.

“He is a very genuine person. He takes a real interest in each of our salespeople. I think even today he knows all the salespeople by name. He knows something about each one of them, and he cares about them.”

In fact, Connett connects with people at all levels of the organization, continues Crawford. Though his roots lie with an independent regional distributor (Roane-Barker), he has come to understand how large corporations work as well. “He’s great in the board room, great talking to everyone from administration to maintenance.”

Connett looks for the win/win in any relationship or transaction, but isn’t afraid to make the tough decisions either, says Crawford. Over the years, Henry Schein has been forced to close some facilities, “but Brad has always tried to keep the best people on, and find a home for everybody. He is really passionate about finding the right seat on the bus for everyone to sit in.”

That includes manufacturers.

“His philosophy fit well with Schein’s,” says Crawford. “We’ve always looked at manufacturer partners to truly be partners. We have been successful at finding ways to grow market share. And I don’t think there is a single manufacturer who doesn’t know Brad on a personal level”

Charlie Crawford

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Listen. Learn. Give back.

“I remember when we used to go to HIDA Executive meetings 20 years ago, and Brad (Connett) and I were the young guns at these meetings,” recalls Darryl Lustig, vice president distributor relations and IDNs, Burdick, a Mortara Company.

“I remember that Brad would take it all in, no doubt learning the business every step of the way. Brad was always listening and learning, and then applying it along the way.

“Brad not only has learned the business, he is also about giving back and mentoring the next generation of the industry’s leaders,” continues Lustig. “He is graceful, never has a bad word to say about anybody, and is truly caring about making a difference. He has been instrumental in helping young reps and managers as they strive to understand and learn the business.

“Brad is a charismatic businessperson,” says Lustig. “You can often find him smoking a cigar and hanging with the guys till the wee hours. All the while, he is the consummate professional, and back at it the next morning.

“Brad has been approachable and honest about business relationships, to the point where you will always get a straight answer out of Brad. You can trust what you hear from Brad to be the truth.”

Daryl Lustig

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Communicator

“Brad has a natural ability to take any situation and end it with a positive thought,” says David Vann, former director of sales, Henry Schein, who retired in April 2014. “It’s amazing.” Vann crossed paths with Connett when Henry Schein acquired Vann’s company – Bedsole Medical – in 1998.

“Along with being a quality person, he is also very intelligent. Brad has the intelligence to understand the business from A to Z, and along with that, the natural ability to communicate his thoughts to the people he reports to, and to the people who report to him. That is unique.”

Connett wants everyone around him to succeed, continues Vann. “He believes that if he gives them the information they need to be successful, they will be successful.

“If I were a rookie rep or young professional, I would love to have Brad Connett’s work ethic. No one outworks Brad. Period. He never quits till the job is done. That again is a self-driven thing; you don’t teach that. On top of that, somehow he finds time to enjoy his family, boating, fishing, and playing a little golf.

“Like most of us, Brad would like to be a better golfer,” he continues. “Having said that, Brad always seems to leave a round of golf with of couple of extra bucks in his pocket.

“You always know where you stand with Brad.” That goes for the people who work with and for him, as well as the manufacturers with whom Henry Schein partners. “He has the great trait of being the best partner of any manufacturer. Not only is it his honesty, but he knows how to make things happen. He doesn’t waste manufacturers’ time.

“I would like to personally thank Brad for his friendship and all the things he did for me.”

David Vann

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Student of the Industry

Dick Moorman, vice president of distributor relations, Midmark, met Brad Connett in the early 1980s, when the latter was still at Roane-Barker. “Brad was a great person, and a lot of fun to be around as well. It did not take long for his leadership – and me – to recognize Brad’s leadership potential as well.”

“Brad was a professional fisherman in his early years,” he continues. “Not what most people think about when you say ‘professional fisherman.’ No bass boat with Bass Pro sponsorship stickers. Brad ran long lines out in the ocean and would spend nights out running those lines. Tough duty, to say the least. Probably why nothing much rattles Brad today.

“More important, I learned that Brad is a person you can trust. His word is his bond. If he says he will do something, he does it, even if it might not be in his best interest. Brad always keeps his word. Always.”

“Brad is extremely knowledgeable about the business and the industry,” Moorman continues. “That does not come to anyone who does not study it like Brad does. He has a thirst for knowledge, and when you speak with Brad, it is amazing how much he knows about the industry we are lucky to be in.”

Moorman lists some of Connett’s other attributes:

• He is giving. “He continues to give back to our industry with his knowledge and his time.”
• He is the voice of reason. “He can be a very calming force in the face of controversy. The fort can be burning down around you, and Brad will be the one who lets you know we will be OK through this.”
• He listens. “He not only listens, but you feel he is listening like you are the only person in his world right now. There are few who have the ability to listen – to really hear what the other person is saying. Brad has that innate ability, and hence, always makes you feel special when you are having a conversation.”
• He’s honest. “He will speak the truth even if the truth may be difficult to deliver.”
• He has the utmost integrity. “You know he does the right thing even when no one is looking.”
• He leads by example. “There is no, ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ with Brad. He is real. You get what you see with Brad. And … you can’t outwork him.”
• He negotiates in good faith. He really does try to make each negotiation a win for both parties.”

Lastly, Connett is fun, says Moorman. “As tough as all the change in our industry can be, and as stressful as leading teams through continuous change can be, through it all Brad keeps it fun. I cannot remember a time that I have been with Brad since 1981, that we did not laugh together at something.

“He has a unique way about him that can keep the most serious situation on the lighter side. And he is a great friend. I am very proud to be able to call Brad my friend.”

Dick Moorman

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Priorities in Check

Gene Dell, former CEO of PSS (now McKesson Medical-Surgical) and retired vice president of sales and marketing for HealthLink, got to know Connett when Dell bought into HealthLink in 2000. “Because of our mutual understanding of distribution and belief in salespeople, we could put a plan together and execute it, and we could both win,” he says.

“If you put a plan together with a manufacturer like [HealthLink], there’s a triangle involving the manufacturer, salespeople and the distributor corporation. In the middle of that triangle is a thing called success. Brad saw that and allowed us the freedom and flexibility to work with his people, with confidence that we would do nothing to hurt his corporation, and we would all win.”

Distribution has changed over the years, with the disappearance of many independent dealers and the rise of corporate entities, continues Dell. “I understand that has to happen,” he says. “Not that Brad didn’t have corporate goals to hit … but he always understood the way to hit them was to allow his people to succeed.”

What’s more, he has always kept things in perspective, he says of Connett. “I think your goals in life might get bigger, but how you accomplish them doesn’t change. Brad has kept his priorities in check. The things that are important to him are family, friendship, integrity, doing the right thing, honesty. Those are the pillars that describe Brad. And they allow him, in the face of frustration and even defeat, to still laugh.”

Gene Dell

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Looking at What’s Ahead

John Tierney, president, Americas, Welch Allyn, has been in the business 25 years, and can barely remember a time when he didn’t know Brad Connett. “He has been a pillar in the business my whole career.”

“When I started, I was in the Midwest, then West, so I didn’t intersect with Brad much in my early years. But still, you heard of him. You knew him before you knew him.” In fact, Connett’s reputation preceded him.

“He always had that depth of understanding of our business,” says Tierney. That understanding comes from his experience, first with an independent regional distributor (Roane-Barker), and now with a national supplier. “He is one of the few guys you can talk to who has that scale of experience.”

Connett brings something else to the table, says Tierney. “He knows my business as well as I do. He knows my competitors, and he knows what’s going on in the marketplace. He’s aware of what we’re trying to do strategically. We can talk to him about strengths and weaknesses. He is a wealth of knowledge, and he has that historical perspective – but always with an eye toward the future.

“He is smart enough to know the business is dynamic. He sees his role as a leader is to continue to look at where things are going. He is inquisitive about what changes we’re seeing with our customers.”

Connett is not afraid of the future. “Five years ago, when there was hysteria about physicians getting bought out, Brad was never concerned. He was always looking at, how can we capitalize on this? I’ve never seen him rattled.”

Tierney relates an incident that demonstrates Connett’s ability to seize opportunity where others might not.

“It was a few years ago. The Schein leadership team was up here at Skaneateles. Not many people choose to visit us this time of year (winter). It was miserable, cold. As we were in the meeting, the weather was going south, and people were eager to hit the airport.”

Next day, Tierney pinged Connett to see if he got out of Syracuse. Turns out he hadn’t; his flight had been cancelled. But rather than sit in a hotel room, Connett got tickets to a Syracuse/University of Virginia lacrosse game – the top men’s teams in the country. And though he favored neither, he did admire the way they played lacrosse.

But it is the way Connett treats people that is the mark of his leadership, says Tierney. “He treats everybody well. He’s steady and consistent. You’ll never hear Brad utter a bad word about anybody. That’s beneath him.

“He’s a friend to everyone.”

John Tierney

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Guide to the Industry

“Brad was my entryway into the vendor community,” recalls Mike Racioppi, senior vice president and chief merchandising officer, Henry Schein. Racioppi met Connett soon after Henry Schein acquired Roane-Barker. “He struck me as being a very seasoned guy at a relatively young age,” recalls Racioppi. “He had a great reputation in the industry, most of the vendor community knew who he was, and he spoke well at our meetings.”

No surprise, then, that when Racioppi assumed responsibility for running Schein’s medical business in September 1999, he asked Connett to be on the senior team.

Though Henry Schein was no stranger to the medical community, the personal relationships Connett had formed proved to be valuable as the company embarked on its rapid growth in field sales. “He had personally hired a lot of the reps at Roane-Barker, and I could see he didn’t just have business relationships with them, but relationships outside of work, too. He has a real bond with a lot of the reps he has hired along the way, which I find unique.”

In a sense, Connett served as Racioppi’s mentor in medical field sales. “He advised me to get in the trenches and spend copious amounts of time with the sales reps, not just the leadership [of newly acquired companies].” Racioppi did just that, attending regional sales meetings, chatting with reps after dinner, strengthening the company.

“He was my guide to the industry.”

Mike Racioppi