A little serendipity and a lot of talent led one manufacturers sales rep down a successful path

The Jersey Guy

A little serendipity and a lot of talent led one manufacturers sales rep down a successful path.

By Mark Thill

Art Nahan joined the healthcare industry in June of 1981, shortly after graduating from Boston University with

a degree in marketing. As far as he’s concerned, however, his career took hold about eight months earlier, when he met his future wife, Jeanne, on a blind date. “I always had an interest in healthcare,” he explains. “After graduation, I began working with my future father-, mother- and sister-in-law in Fort Meyers, Florida, selling home care products. In addition to our store in Fort Meyers, we had stores in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Reading, Pennsylvania, and I eventually hired sales reps to help increase sales there.”

As it were, Nahan and his wife both grew up in New Jersey, and the thought of raising their children in a setting that felt more like home soon lured them back to the Garden State. He worked for a DME company in Yonkers, New York, for two years, after which he joined a small independent rep group that covered the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. “I represented New Jersey for six years before branching out on my own as an established independent rep,” he recalls. “In 1996, my lifetime friend Charles Kellman left his 20-year career in the New York City garment industry to work with me. We became Art Nahan and Associates.”

The company has evolved over time, although some early relics have remained. “To this day, I use my original email Anck1@aol.com,” says Nahan. Eventually Kellman left the company to work for a rep group and then retired a few years ago. “I did pull Charlie out of retirement at one point to help me represent a company in the Metro New York area,” he says. “It’s always been wonderful to work with such a close friend who has been so successful in sales.”

Art Nahan with his family. As good as your last sale

One of the best parts of being an independent sales rep has been the autonomy, Nahan points out. “You are only as good as your last sale,” he explains. “The relationships I have created with our medical distribution partners the past 40 years have proved to be a tremendous asset for me, especially as it has become increasingly more challenging to work with dealer reps, end users and healthcare networks.” Indeed, in spite of the many technological advances that have taken hold in healthcare over the past several decades, a sales rep’s success “still comes down to owning the relationship with the distribution partners,” he says – an approach that certainly has worked in his favor these past 41 years.

“I’ve always maintained transparency on all levels,” he continues. “I routinely discuss with my dealer reps and end users exactly which companies I represent.” The recent supply chain issues that emerged with the Coronavirus pandemic have made it even more essential to communicate thoroughly and plan office setups and equipment purchases many months in advance, he adds.

“I truly enjoy the relationships I have built through the years and look forward to continuing to be part of this great industry for a long time to come,” he says. “Every territory has its challenges, from the farmlands in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to the busiest parts of New Jersey and metro New York.” But the diversity has made his job interesting and kept him in the Northeast, even as his children have grown up and left home. “To balance my work life, I take walks, and enjoy birdwatching and model trains. And Jeanne and I recently became first-time grandparents.”

In retrospect, Nahan knows he couldn’t have made it this far without a solid work ethic, impeccable product knowledge and the ability to represent top-tier manufacturers. That said, his Jersey roots have also worked in his favor, he admits. “Being a Jersey Guy definitely has given me the street smarts to work my territories in an effective way!”