Barbara Woodworth

 

When identifying the pharmaceutical industry, the US Census Bureau includes “all companies engaged in researching, developing, manufacturing, and marketing drugs and biologics for human or veterinary use.” Additionally, for statistical purposes, the Federal Government, according to the International Trade Administration, Office of Health and Consumer Goods, classifies all medicines, including products developed through the use of biotechnology, as part of the pharmaceutical industry.

 

According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturing Association (PhRMA), and reported by Select USA (created at the federal level to showcase the United States as the world’s premier business location), the US is the world’s leading pharmaceutical market and the leader in biopharmaceutical research. With more than 810,000 persons employed in this country’s biopharmaceutical industry in 2012, the industry proves itself a significant – and vital – job creator.

 

MAKING AN IMPACT AT BD

As worldwide president, BD Medical-Diabetes Care, a division of leading global medical technology company BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), Ken Miller finds impacting patients around the world the most satisfying part of the position he has held for the past eight months. “Observing the impact BD products and services have on people is highly rewarding,” he says, mentioning a six year-old boy who avoided insulin therapy because of his “pain and fear” of injections until being introduced to BD’s 6mm insulin syringe.

 

Incidents such as this highlight the cutting edge work performed at BD, a company of 45,000 associates. Serving healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry, and the general public, Franklin Lakes, NJ-headquartered BD (www.bd.com) manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment, and diagnostic products.

 

Miller holds a BA in business from the State University of New York at Albany and an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Recruited directly out of college to join Rorer Pharmaceuticals, “each subsequent assignment I took on was the result of a recommendation or being recruited directly,” he explains.

 

In healthcare his entire 25-year career, Miller notes, “Each role has added new skills, perspectives, and appreciations for what it takes to develop and lead high-performing organizations.” This knowledge base includes, in the area of sales, the understanding that the customer always comes first; in marketing, that the patient needs to be at the core (center) of every successful marketing campaign; and a greater appreciation for cultural differences and unique market needs and dynamics, learned from an expatriate assignment in Basel, Switzerland.

 

Excited to join BD and the Diabetes Care business in 2011, Miller was drawn to the company’s expertise and high-quality products that significantly improve the lives of people with diabetes. He was additionally attracted to BD’s workplace culture, which embraces open, honest dialogue, diversity, and leadership courage. “As the multi-faceted healthcare industry evolves and changes, the creativity, innovation, and commitment of the workforce becomes even more critical to the company’s success,” he states.

 

The goal of increasing representation of women and people of color in leadership positions throughout BD’s more than 50 worldwide locations is now in place. So, too, are mentoring and networking programs designed to promote continuous learning while expanding and facilitating the development of associate resource groups. The company’s commitment to advancing its purpose-driven culture of helping all people live healthy lives is active as well.

 

Identifying on-the-job challenges, Miller notes that while prior focus was on developed markets, concentration now includes underserved communities where the greatest impact can be made. He does, however, allude to transition struggles such as operating against strong global economic pressures that put restrictions on how healthcare dollars are allocated. “Our customers need improved healthcare solutions and they understand that yesterday’s solutions can no longer solve today’s problems. There is a need to be proactive rather than reactive when addressing challenges,” Miller remarks. “Current customers need improved healthcare solutions that yesterday’s answers no longer address.”

 

Miller believes a global and collaborative mindset is critical in today’s market, as is global thinking in conjunction with local representation to create highly collaborative teams. “One lesson I’ve learned,” reports Miller, “is to lead boldly and always keep the patient at the center of all my decision making.”

 

Overall he sees the healthcare industry – and BD – as promising in terms of job outlook. “Digital health and informatics hold the promise of revolutionizing the industry and ultimately delivering better outcomes for patients,” says Miller, who serves on the board of directors for JDRF, North Rockland Chapter, supports and volunteers for several causes including ending illiteracy and homelessness, and remains true to his mantra – “Be tough on standards and tender-hearted on people.”

 

DRIVING CHANGE AT BAXALTA

Headquartered in Northern Illinois, Baxalta (www.baxalta.com), the employer of a 16,000 worldwide workforce, is a global biopharmaceutical company passionate about improving lives and advancing innovative therapies in hematology, immunology, and oncology. According to David Lee, director, strategy & operations, oncology, the company is committed to maintaining an environment of competence, efficiency, teamwork, and performance. “Baxalta embraces change and seeks diverse perspectives and partnerships that benefit patients and make a positive impact on the world,” says Lee.

 

A graduate of Harvard Medical School with a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Lee joined Baxalta eight months ago, coming to the company with impressive credentials and prior experience. Building from scratch with a collaborative and diverse team to ultimately make a difference in people’s lives is near and dear to Lee, who as a student founded an orphanage in Mexico.

 

Later, while serving as development program lead at a previous employer, he was involved in preparing for the threat of a global pandemic by developing and testing a novel vaccine for this strain in just five months. “This accomplishment is a constant reminder of Baxalta Oncology’s mission to ensure that patients are kept at the center of everything the company does,” says Lee whose dedication for working in the field of oncology stems from his mom’s, partner’s, and other family member’s experience with cancer. “I not only engage in my work on a personal level, I take heart in knowing that what I do impacts the lives of many others,” he says.

 

Confident that this industry is a good use of his skills, Lee does, however, acknowledge his desire to continually be challenged, especially as Baxalta builds its oncology pipeline and portfolio. Actively involved in launching an important biologic treatment for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, as well as being immersed in early stage development of two more oncology products, Lee plays a significant role in building the strategies needed to execute these plans. “There is no road map telling me what to do or how to do it. It’s up to me to identify the needs and ways to address them,” he says.

 

Awareness of this prompts Lee to define two key attributes necessary in his line of work. “First – know what needs to be done without being told; and second – be able to work cross-functionally and have the ability to get along with global teams with very different backgrounds. Knowing what motivates individuals, no matter how diverse, is extremely important, particularly in the fast-growing areas of oncology and biopharmaceuticals,” he says, stressing the company’s consistent need for highly skilled and motivated individuals who really want to make a difference.

 

Working with a diverse group of people in a global organization is some-thing Lee particularly enjoys. “Everyone has a different outlook on the world, the future, and their work. Interacting with these individuals and learning about them is a favorite part of my job,” says Lee.

 

He has long been active in the Asian American community, starting with founding the Boston Asian American Students Alliance (BASA) as a student and serving as national president and board member of the Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association. Today he continues to remain active in minority and diversity activities in his communities.

 

MEETING CHALLENGES HEAD ON AT VALEANT PHARMACEUTICALS

Lindari Nol-Morin, executive director, US Compliance, for Quebec-headquartered Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc., has over 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. “Experiencing my father’s life-long battle with aplastic anemia, and seeing how the right medications and treatment enabled him to live a normal life despite numerous hospital trips, made me want to work in healthcare to better the lives of consumers and patients,” she explains.

 

With a bachelor’s of science in chemistry from Carlton University in Ottawa, Canada and an MBA from Seton Hall University, Nol-Morin believes she was fortunate to have worked in many areas of the industry, including quality assurance, policy, managed markets, and compliance, both in the US and Europe.

 

“My European experiences provided me with in-depth insight into international policies, a particular benefit for working at Valeant (www.valeant.com), a multi-national company with more than 18,000 employees worldwide and US headquarters in Bridgewater, NJ,” says Nol-Morin, who is based in NJ.“Valeant is a progressive, exciting place to work – a place where opportunities abound for new and current employees and where the belief is that the company’s success coincides with employee achievement of personal and professional goals.”

 

Called by a recruiter five years ago while working as a consultant, Nol- Morin was hesitant to switch careers. “I loved working as a consultant and was loath to join any company – that is until I met with the chief compliance officer at Valeant,” she relates. Impressed with the company, she agreed to oversee US compliance operations before joining the company permanently after a year. “I love the ‘craziness’ of the job. There is never a dull moment, especially with the acquisition of many companies from different healthcare-related industries. I thoroughly enjoy having the opportunity to learn, expand my knowledge, and grow professionally,” she says.

 

Although she consistently faces challenges with the constant acquisitions of companies, Nol-Morin is well equal to the task. “It is imperative that new employees adhere to and comply with policies and procedures, regulatory requirements, and Valeant’s culture of speed, action, and decision making,” she states. “Because the company is a lean organization, prioritization is critical, making cross-functional work within a team environment an essential skill to master.”

 

For Nol-Morin, a broad industry background made for a particularly smooth transition from consultant to employee. For those considering work in the field of compliance, she cautions that a wide breathe of experience is important for amassing a vast understanding of the different roles and responsibilities found in various departments. No matter the choice of sector within a company, however, she comments, “It is essential to love what you do. Do it well and it won’t be just a job.”

 

As for Nol-Morin, Valeant affords her the opportunity to work in more than one area of compliance and to take on the various responsibilities found in each. “That makes my job both interesting and enjoyable,” says Nol-Morin, who sees the field of compliance within the pharmaceutical/healthcare arena growing significantly. Valeant, too, she mentions, is always looking for new employees to become part of the success of the company. In addition to compliance, positions can be found in research & development, sales, marketing, finance, and IT, among others.

 

DRIVING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AT BECKMAN COULTER LIFE SCIENCES

It was 11 years ago that Jessica Fernandez joined Beckman Coulter (www.beckmancoulter.com), a global company with American-headquarters located in Brea, California. A Miami native and University of Miami alumni, she was both familiar with the company’s Miami location and impressed with its reputation as one of the great biomedical companies. For more than 80 years, Beckman Coulter has been in the forefront of developing, manufacturing, and marketing products that simplify, automate, and innovate complex biomedical tests with the ultimate goal of improving patient health and reducing the cost of care.

 

Today, as district manager, Life Sciences, Southern District, Fernandez credits her initial business center and field service work for the company’s diagnostic hematology products with facilitating her ability to gain the valuable experience she needed to prepare for her present position.

 

“As technical support engineer, I developed the unique skill of creating reports that provided critical field data to technical support, manufacturing, and development groups,” comments Fernandez, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering as well as an MBA. Also, as technical support engineer, she served as liaison between the field organization and the business center, where she was involved in troubleshooting, repairing instruments, and creating service procedures for the field.

 

As district manager, Fernandez is well aware of the importance of her knowledge and skill level. “I’m able to quickly assess and improve upon reports that provide vital data essential for making superior business decisions,” she says. Responsible for changing the reporting procedure for her division’s revenue, Fernandez developed a more efficient and faster method of placing critical information in the hands of managers, allowing them to better contribute to the growth of the business.

 

Knowing early-on that she wanted to work for a medical device company in a hands-on capacity, Fernandez says, “I wasn’t interested in working in a lab or creating design documents. As a sociable and fundamentally technical person, who learns best while actively involved, the role of tech support was perfect for me.”

 

Currently, one of her greatest onthe- job challenges is driving employee engagement. “As an outgoing, personable, and knowledgeable individual, I am very involved in keeping people motivated by building relationships among my staff. I do regret, however, not being able to increase the amount of face-to-face interaction between these groups due to their remote locations,” she remarks.

 

As for needed skills, among others she cites determination, goal-driven, excellent communication, openmindedness, leadership, business acumen, and advanced computer proficiency. As a Hispanic woman in a male-dominated field, Fernandez had to prove she was qualified for an engineering position. “I had to learn as much as I could and work extra hard to deliver results in a timely manner,” she says.

 

Her advice to women and minorities – and everyone overall – is to “be confident - yet humble, learn from those around you, work hard, meet deadlines, build strong relationships, be accurate, do not jump to conclusions, and remain positive. There will always be challenges, but keeping an eye on the target helps keep you on track. Every job creates an opportunity for you to shine, so strive to be the best at whatever your job requires.”

 

What Fernandez enjoys most about her positon is being able to be creative, make business decisions, and coach and develop engineers. “It’s always rewarding to see your team grow and be successful while making a positive contribution to the organization” she says. At Beckman Coulter, she also enjoys being able to implement changes on her own that help drive positive results.