Cardinal Health’s Mary Place believes true success comes when the team thrives.
By Pete Mercer
Mary Place is a national vice president, corporate accounts/acute care for Cardinal Health’s U.S. medical products and distribution business. In a recent interview with Repertoire Magazine, she discussed her career at Cardinal Health, the challenges facing the industry, and what she looks for when she’s building a team.
Place joined Cardinal Health as a vice president, strategic accounts, non-acute markets, in 2017 after building decades of experience in healthcare. By 2022, she had been promoted to her current position, where she is responsible for driving sales strategy, revenue growth and market expansion within national IDNs. For this role, Place said that she has to balance strategic vision with tactical execution to ensure long-term success in an ever-changing market.
Building a med/surg sales career
A registered dietitian, with a master’s degree in clinical nutrition and experience in the acute care setting, Place explored opportunities that would combine her clinical background with her interests in business. Between networking with colleagues and broadening her exposure to companies in the healthcare industry, she began carving out a career in medical sales.
In the early days of her career, one of Place’s mentors tasked her with identifying her leadership core values. For Place, qualities like integrity, trust, inclusivity, clarity of goals, curiosity, and adaptability help guide her through the day-to-day as a leader in this space.
She said, “I strive to create an environment where team members feel valued and motivated, understanding that true success comes when the team thrives. Fostering a culture of collaboration, growth and positive change is at the core of my leadership approach.”
Through formal leadership training and development opportunities, Place experienced ways to step outside of her comfort zone. “My career trajectory has reinforced the importance of continuous personal growth and self-development in becoming an effective and impactful leader.”
Place stated that taking that leap into a position of leadership was a challenging and transformative move. Even though it took her time to find her footing, voice, and confidence, Place understands that those are all a part of that greater journey in leadership.
For those who are also on the journey, Place recommends seeking out one or two altruistic mentors and leaders who believe in your potential and are invested in your success. “These trusted voices can provide guidance and support you as you navigate the complexities of leadership, which is a continuous learning process that will push you in new and unexpected ways.”
Navigating industry M&As
There is no facet of the healthcare industry that is immune from challenges, which leaves it up to those operating within the industry to successfully and deftly navigate those challenges.
Place said, “In today’s fast-paced healthcare environment, one of the biggest challenges we encounter is navigating an industry driven by mergers and acquisitions, where business models and evolving purchasing decisions are constantly reshaping the landscape.”
Each health system customer has a different set of needs, leaving Place and her team to develop strategies to meet and satisfy each of those needs. She said, “We have to adapt strategies in real time to meet their needs effectively. By maintaining this flexibility and understanding, we can ensure our solutions align with our customer’s shifting goals and expectations.”
Despite the numerous challenges that Place and her team face, there are plenty of opportunities to celebrate accomplishments and look forward to the future for Cardinal Health’s medical products and distribution business.
“One thing I’m energized about is the push for increased clinical standardization and optimization within clinically integrated networks,” Place said. “I find that it drives consistency, improved outcomes, and operational efficiency across care delivery models. However, no matter the environment, our team remains focused on providing tailored products and solutions to support our customers in achieving their value-based goals and advancing their cost containment initiatives.”
Additionally, Place said that Cardinal Health has been making ongoing investments to better support their customers and promote resiliency across the supply chain. This includes expanding its U.S. distribution network, modernizing facilities, and introducing innovative products that complement Cardinal Health’s already broad portfolio.
She said, “I am excited about the organization of our teams and resources, which positions us to deliver unparalleled value to our customers through a seamless experience across the continuum of care.”
Building a team
Building an effective team is a crucial component of any leadership position. Companies rely on the creativity and experience each team member brings to the table.
A part of Place’s responsibility includes building teams of high-performing individuals to carry out the mission and vision of Cardinal Health. To build her team, she looks for people who are results-oriented, have integrity, demonstrate strong communications skills, operate with an innovative mindset, are open to inclusivity, and can be strategically agile. With these intangible qualities, these team members have an increased likelihood of driving meaningful and sustainable success.
Place strives to lead by example, demonstrating the values, work ethic, and behaviors that she expects from her team members, hoping to create a foundation of trust and respect. She believes that by embracing diverse perspectives, she can spark creative thinking and help her teams navigate challenging situations.
“Building and leading a high-performing team that consistently delivers exceptional results requires discipline and focus on my core leadership principles,” Place said. “This means establishing clear goals and expectations to drive alignment and accountability, promoting autonomy while offering guidance as needed, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.”