Sam Robb
Sam Robb, director of customer development for SCA Personal Care, was awarded the Professional Women in Healthcare’s Jana Quinn Inspirational Award at the HIDA 2015 Streamlining Healthcare Conference in Dallas, Texas. Robb is the seventh recipient of the award, named after Jana Quinn, a marketing manager in distribution and manufacturing, who died of cancer in 2007.
“Every year, PWH celebrates the memory of one of our founders, Jana Quinn, by recognizing someone in our industry – woman or man – who inspires us and leads by example,” said Heather Llorca-Kropp, chairperson of PWH and vice president of marketing communications and channel management, DUKAL Corp., in her remarks at the award ceremony. “We received many good nominations, but one person clearly stood out. The comments from co-workers and industry colleagues not only touched on his inspirational qualities, but spotlighted his passion for the great industry we serve.”
A graduate of Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Robb has worked in the medical/surgical, janitorial, paper, industrial food service, office products and wholesale distribution industries for more than 30 years. From 1981 to 2004, he worked for Kimberly-Clark Professional and Kimberly-Clark Health Care as executive director of health care and then healthcare national accounts. In 2004, he joined Georgia-Pacific as vice president of distribution, a position he held for three years. He operated a consulting company, The Robb Group, prior to joining SCA Personal Care in 2014. He currently sits on the board of HIDA.
Passion for the industry
Citing several nominations for Robb, Llorca-Kropp said, “One person illustrates it this way: In any industry, you can find two types of people — those who complete the task of the day, and those who have a true passion for the product, the people, the competition and the community of people who make up the broader scope.
“[Sam] has been successful because he embodies the latter,” she said. “He is a strong supporter of distribution as a business strategy for manufacturers. He values the importance of partnership and is committed to finding resourceful ways to provide solutions to customers’ pain points.”
Llorca-Kropp quoted another nominator: “He was the best boss I ever had, but now he has moved to a best friend. He is a great mentor. When he identified a weakness or an incident where I did something wrong, he approached me in a way that allowed me to understand and change. He simply asked me to take a step back, look at what I was doing, and think about the outcome.”
And, just as was Jana Quinn, Robb is well-known in the healthcare industry, she continued. “Sam is a character,” said one nominator. “When you attend a tradeshow and share the company you are with, you inevitably get asked the question, ‘Oh, do you know Sam?!”
Passion for life
Jana Quinn was a family person, who showed courage, grace and love of family and friends before and during her battle with cancer, said Llorca-Kropp. “She was an inspiration to others.” Like her, Robb is a family person who also understands personal struggles.
“His only son, Sam, was diagnosed with bone cancer at the tender age of 16. He was a budding athlete, excelling at basketball, football and baseball. He endured multiple surgeries, months of chemotherapy and tragically, at 20 years old, died during a surgery to remove a tumor that had emerged on his lung. He is gone but will never be forgotten. His mantra, ‘Fightin’ Till the Last Breath,’ lives on in all who knew him.”
Said one nominator, “His internal sorrow did not make him bitter, but instead developed into an understanding that presents itself as an outward pouring of kindness and sensitivity to others.”
Following his son’s death, Robb created the Sam Robb Fund, to support the Sam Robb Fellow at the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Services of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University of School of Medicine. Funds also are used to support Open Arms, a program through which CURE Childhood Cancer staff and volunteers provide and serve meals to hospitalized childhood cancer patients and their families.
“Sam Robb is a true inspiration,” said Llorca-Kropp.
Past recipients of Jana Quinn Inspirational Award
2015: Sam Robb, SCA Personal Care
2014: Colleen Stern, NDC
2013: Alex Caldwell, The Claflin Company
2012: Yates Farris, Independent Medical Co-Op
2011: Jackie Jones, NDC
2010: Anne Eiting-Klamar, Midmark Corp.
2009: John Moran, Welch Allyn