Concordance executive retires after 43 years in the business
Ask a veteran of medical sales to name the most important trait or characteristic of a high-quality sales rep, and you might expect answers like “persistence,” “responsiveness,” or “a service orientation.”
Ask Tom Harris, and you’ll get a quote from British novelist Jane Austen: “It’s not what we say or think, but what we do that defines us.” Perhaps not a surprising response from someone with a master’s degree in social psychology.
Harris retired this summer as CEO emeritus of Concordance Healthcare Solutions.
Born and raised in Chicago, Harris joined the family business – Harris Hospital Supply – in 1976. (His grandfather, William Harris, had founded the company during World War II.) “Right out of graduate school, I didn’t know what the heck I wanted to do,” he says. “And 43 years later, here we are.”
They were an interesting 43 years, though, he says. “I was fortunate in that my career was constantly changing. It was timing, to some degree.”
Harris was named CEO of Harris Hospital Supply in 1986. In 2003 he joined other investors in acquiring St. Louis-based Midwest Medical Supply (later named MMS—A Medical Supply Company), and moved his family to St. Louis. Three years later, MMS acquired the Caligor Hospital and Extended Care divisions of Henry Schein. In 2016, MMS, Kreisers and Seneca Medical merged to form Concordance Healthcare Solutions, for which Harris served as co-CEO with Roger Benz.
“There was always some kind of new challenge, and that’s half the fun of a career,” he says. “Thirty-four years ago, as CEO of a $10-$12 million distributor in Chicago, I never expected to be co-CEO of a $1.3 billion company. It was a great way to cap my career.”
But back to that question: What’s the most important trait of a high-quality sales rep?
“In any sales position – which I was in for many years – you’ve got lots of choices. There’s what best for me, individually. There’s what’s best for the company – and that had a different twist for me, as a family member. And there’s what’s best for the customer. Those can be conflicting thoughts.
“But it’s like anything in life. You have options. You try to do the right thing. And you usually win.”
Harris comes well-prepared for the challenges of retirement. When asked about the most important thing(s) one can do to prepare for a successful retirement, he answers, simply, “Stay healthy. Maintain a positive attitude and a sense of humor.”
Farewell to a friend
Reprinted from a Concordance Healthcare Solutions blog by Christy Coppus, marketing director, June 26, 2019, marking Tom Harris’ retirement on June 30.
With June 30 being Tom [Harris’] official last day as a full-time employee of Concordance, we take a look back at all he has contributed to the creation of our company and to the healthcare distribution industry throughout his 43 years in the business. Without Tom’s leadership and vision, Concordance would not be what it is today; his dedication and commitment to our company and our employees is something that we are truly grateful for.
Earning his Bachelor of Science and Master of Art in Social Psychology at Texas Christian University (TCU), Tom spent his college career working hard in the classroom and on the tennis court. He played Division 1 tennis for TCU and made sure to fit some fun into his schedule throughout the years.
After graduation in 1976, Tom returned to his hometown of Chicago and began a successful career in the family business, Harris Hospital Supply. Starting first as a sales rep, Tom was promoted to director of sales in 1983, and that November he married his beautiful wife, Mary. With a growing company and a growing family, Tom was appointed president and CEO of Harris Hospital Supply in 1986 and also served on the Illinois Masonic Medical Center Foundation Board and as a Chairman of the Healthcare Materials Corporation (HCM).
After 20 years with the family company, Tom branched out and joined a group of St. Louis investors and together they bought Midwest Medical Supply (MMS). Continuing his position as CEO of Harris, he now also held the title of executive vice president of MMS and was one of two managing members of the newly acquired company. In 2003, Tom officially merged the two organizations together when he announced the sale of Harris Hospital Supply to MMS, at which time he relocated from Chicago to St. Louis with his family.
Through the moves, mergers and acquisitions of other small medical supply companies, Tom remained a steadfast leader for MMS. In 2016, MMS merged with Kreisers and Seneca Medical to create a near-national distributor. With the vision and direction of Tom, along with his counterpart, Roger Benz, and the members of the operating board, Concordance was officially created.
Tom served as co-CEO beside Benz for the first three years of Concordance, helping to pave the way for the bright future our company holds. We are now home to over 1,200 employees, with 20 distribution centers across the country and continued growth for our locations on the horizon. We serve the entire care continuum with the same dedication and hard work that Tom has committed to this company over the last 43 years.
Now living full time in sunny Florida, Tom will be enjoying his retirement with his wife. We are happy to know that, while he will no longer be our CEO, Tom will remain a member of our Senior advisory board and have a hand in steering Concordance through the years to come, making sure we are always upholding the values that the company was founded on.