It's a shame that those of you who were there, walked away for the most part with no ethics! The days of pay those who produce is shit. It's more like let's make money and screw the Reps. Forgive me but look at Samuel M. Camp CEO Pan American Labs, Larry Blansett of Blansett Pharmacal and a few more. Sorry but the truth hurts. Those glory days are long gone. R.I.P.
You are a cynical twit...not all of us walked away with no ethics. Some of us carry Mr. Kaufman's memory in our heart and like to think there are better ways of doing business. Deal with your own conscience.
Those of us who were there when it was Marion Laboratories and/or Marion Merrel Dow, felt privileged to work for a man who always knew your name, was proud of how many millionnaires he had helped make and did indeed believe in rewarding those who worked hard. Mr. K was not a perfect man, but he was a well respected man. He was good to reps, to manufacturing people as well as secretaries. He was very proud he had not ever had to lay anyone off. I often heard it said that had he not died, selling the company to Hoechst would have killed him. That was when the real changes began - and not for the better. Don't judge Mr. K and those of us who worked hard for him by the standards of today's pharmaceutical company. He was a fine man and I miss the company he owned.
You OBVIOUSLY were not an associate of the Marion Laboratories that I knew. The Dallas district singing songs-telling stories while Dick S. played the guitar is one personal memory. My wife still thinks one of the most inspiring moments was to shake hands with Mr. K at the annual meetings' meet&greets, how he could say just the right thing to rev one up-how many companies wanted you to bring your significant other to help you more productive? I have been with several companies since M became MMD and many have asked me to explain the enthusiasm and forward-looking attitude of Marion. The only other company that I think came close in recent years was Key (before Schering) and then the successor KOS (before Abbott). Glory days are not gone as many former associates have gone on to wonderful personal and business successes. That is the legacy of people that Mr. K would be proud of.
Are you kidding me? You wax poetic about a company that tried to will its management style on Hoechst-Roussel sales people when we merged. In actuality, the Steven Covey (or however you spell it) method may work for some, but not everybody needs to work from a calendar book with notations about which openings and closings worked best. I remember the first combined meeting with Marion and Hoechst people for our district. There were 14 in the room. In eight months, that number had been reduced to two who had not either left the company or transferred to another division. If that was how Kaufmann ran his business, then he could have his success. I'd rather have a life.
It is refreshing to hear someone admit their ignorance of what MARION was which was far different from the MMD > HMR frankensteined organizations. Thanks for speaking out and revealing that we were answering the mutterings of someone who never had the privilege of being an ASSOCIATE! If you don't understand that last term then you never were.......
Good luck playing the "ASSOCIATE" card on your next interview!........Douche! Hopefully you are just some old, over zealous, WWII vet!
You had to be a part of it to understand. Marion (the original Marion) was the best company I have ever worked for. I have had success at all three companies I have worked for and nothing felt as good as working and achieveing for Marion. Great People and Great Management. I am fortunate to have been given the foundation. Thank you to a great management and marketing team.
as a Hoechst rep, I remember Pete who was a Marion rep. He had one product and it was a block-buster: Cardizem. And, lucky him! As a Hoechst reps, we also had one of a kind products. We were more schooled in more than one area because we had many great products: Diabeta, Lasix, Claforan, Loprox, Topicort, Trental, Streptase, etc. And, Altace - which we had to give up the rights to because of the acquisition of Cardizen. Then we saw how Altace became a great Ace. Just a comment about how things went from great to bad with that merger. Folks from Marion, please note: your Mr. K sold out, sold YOU out, sold out big time. And, pray tell, where is he now ?? Buried In some building, which used to be one he built, which has been sold. Bottom line, he saw the way to help himself the most - not necessarily you loyal whatevers. Just a quick walk down your memory lane. Sorry if I sound a little sharp. The real bottom line is everyone is out for him/herself. And, I DO respect the work ethic that Pete had. AND, I do think that all these mergers ruined what was one a very respected, sought after way to make a good living.
I started with Marion in 1984 in Tampa. I loved it, and training was hard with Cardizem, you had to learn everything. We did go to Mr. K's house in Overland Park...and had drinks and snacks. I remember, him telling me that this is a good company with good pay, and that one thing NEVER to do was lie to a doctor or nurse. He said always be truthful and describe pt. types that are drugs are good for. He was right. I never lied to a doc, and I retired a with a lot of $$$$.
