I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Brad Hilton, the 2024 HIDA Chairman of the Board and Matt Rowan, the president and CEO. The three of us had a wide-ranging discussion on distribution and the med/surg community. We covered a lot of ground – the value of industry relationships, collaboration among stakeholders and the government, and legislative issues to watch were some of the topics. We’ve got a recap of podcast on page 34 of this issue.
When the future of distribution came up, both Brad and Matt really leaned into the topic. They mentioned that during a recent board meeting, several leaders brought up the idea of offering scholarships for college students to attend upcoming HIDA events to get a feel for the industry. So, the association sponsored 11 college juniors and seniors from around the country to attend its recent MedSupplyChain Conference. These students got to spend time with the government leaders, distributors and suppliers, and immerse themselves in the conversations.
How we think about the next generation of talent today is an important part of tomorrow’s supply chain, and something that is top of mind for Brad and Matt. “How can we be a little bit more proactive, rather than reactive, on hoping that talent is in the industry?” Brad told us.
Some of tomorrow’s leaders are already in the field calling on accounts. This year we’ve made it a priority to reach out to these NextGen reps and get their insights. In this issue we feature Fisher Healthcare’s JP Espinosa, and Midmark’s Adam Toney. You’ll want to read their thoughtful responses on what it takes to succeed in a post-pandemic market.
Plus, if you haven’t already, be sure to check out the podcasts that Brian Sullivan and I are doing with familiar names from the industry, sales experts, authors, athletes, and more. We’ve dubbed it The Cure with Scott and Sully, and it’s available on iTunes and YouTube.
Dedicated to the Industry,
R. Scott Adams