Friends, Mentors, and Hall of Famers

Each year when we publish the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame feature stories, I look forward to writing the Publisher’s Letter for this issue. Usually, it is about how deserving the inductees are and what they have given of themselves to the industry. While this year’s inductees embody both of those things, they are also personal friends and mentors to me.

As a young sales rep working for HealthLink in the mid-1990s, Doug Harper (who was the VP of Sales for PSS in the Northeast) always took time to speak to me and coach me when I would run into him. During that time my territory had 13 PSS branches in Doug’s geography. Each branch held monthly sales meetings where several manufacturers would give a 15-minute dog and pony show. Part of my job was to get invited to these meetings as often as possible.

One night after I spoke to the PSS Philly branch, I offered Doug a ride to his hotel. On that ride he did two things. He impressed upon me the importance of understanding how the reps were incentivized and paid. He also ensured that I got in on every branch meeting I could attend. This is who Doug is – no matter who you are in an organization, if he can help you, he does, without question. I ended up writing a PSS plan for the sales organization at Sempermed explaining their pay plan to the rest of my team. That document got me promoted to national accounts and changed the course of my career. I will forever be grateful to Doug.

Mark Seitz is a mentor, friend, and incredible human. I was fortunate enough in my career to work for Mark. While it was only two years, he made a huge impact on me and showed me how to lead with compassion and sincerity. You never felt like you worked for Mark; you always felt like you worked with Mark. A couple times a week Mark would walk around the office and sit with everyone for a few minutes. He called this practice “watering the plants”. During these sit downs he was able to take the temperature of the organization, ask great questions about projects and initiatives, and at the same time get to know the people he worked with.

Mark made us feel like no huge decision was ever made without him talking through it with the organization. The reality was he knew the decision he was going to make, but he made us feel like we were steering the ship with him. Fifteen years later, Mark still checks in with me. His first question is always, “How are things with you and your family?” He’s still watering the plants even in retirement.
These two individuals are so deserving of their induction into the Hall of Fame. Congratulations Doug and Mark, and thank you for all you have done for me and my career.

Dedicated to the Industry,
R. Scott Adams