REP Corner

Caught by Sales

Tim Morris didn’t pursue medical sales. Medical sales pursued him. And he couldn’t be happier.

McKesson Medical-Surgical account executive Tim Morris and his wife, Jessica, were youth ministers for about six years after college. “People often ask me if I miss being in ministry,” he says today. “My response is always the same: ‘I never left it.’”

Instead, his experience in ministry helped Morris develop a servant attitude toward all people, including his physician customers in southeast Georgia. “I try to serve my customers so they can serve their patients.”

Morris was born and raised in Pittsgrove, New Jersey, about 40 miles south of Philadelphia. His parents – Jake and Susan Morris – were teachers in the same school system. His dad sold swimming-pools on the side.

“My parents were both extremely hard workers and loved being teachers,” he says. “I cannot tell you how often we would run into former students who would come up and say hello. It was evident to me at a young age that my parents truly cared for their students and loved helping them see and fulfill their potential.” He graduated from Asbury College (now University) in Wilmore, Kentucky, with a major in Christian ministry.

“My wife and I met at a very young age and were married young as well,” he says. “I would say my goal in college was to experience life with her, and to convince her to marry me. Toughest sale of my life. From the moment we met, we became best friends, and I just wanted to share life with her.”

After her youth ministry work, Jessica began graduate school to pursue a degree in education. (Today she is a professor of reading and literary education in the Teacher Preparation program at the Coastal College of Georgia in Brunswick.) Meanwhile, Tim took a job selling TV ads for a local news channel to earn some extra income.

“Long story short, I loved sales,” he says. Tim Morris and family.

45% of people with diabetes who have had a lower extremity amputation pass away within 5 years 1 45% of people with diabetes who have had a lower extremity amputation pass away within 5 years 1 45% of people with diabetes who have had a lower extremity amputation pass away within 5 years 1 45% of people with diabetes who have had a lower extremity amputation pass away within 5 years 1

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TCC-EZ ® – Helping more Diabetic Foot Ulcers close faster • Total Contact Casting is recognized by clinicians as the Gold Standard and Preferred method for off-loading DFUs. 3, 4 • The use of Total Contact Casting has been shown to reduce amputation rates by more than half. 3 MEDIHONEY ® – Combining the art and science of wound care to help you achieve favorable patient outcomes • In a randomized controlled trial, 2 the effects of use of a MediHoney dressing were studied in patients with Type II diabetes and Wagner Grade 1 and 2 diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) over a 16-week period. • Mean duration of healing time was 31 days (± 4 days) in the MediHoney group vs 43 days (± 3 days) in the control group. Know what your doctors and nurses will want to know… TCC-EZ ® – Helping more Diabetic Foot Ulcers close faster • Total Contact Casting is recognized by clinicians as the Gold Standard and Preferred method for off-loading DFUs. 3, 4 • The use of Total Contact Casting has been shown to reduce amputation rates by more than half. 3 MEDIHONEY ® – Combining the art and science of wound care to help you achieve favorable patient outcomes • In a randomized controlled trial, 2 the effects of use of a MediHoney dressing were studied in patients with Type II diabetes and Wagner Grade 1 and 2 diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) over a 16-week period. • Mean duration of healing time was 31 days (± 4 days) in the MediHoney group vs 43 days (± 3 days) in the control group. Know what your doctors and nurses will want to know… TCC-EZ ® – Helping more Diabetic Foot Ulcers close faster • Total Contact Casting is recognized by clinicians as the Gold Standard and Preferred method for off-loading DFUs. 3, 4 • The use of Total Contact Casting has been shown to reduce amputation rates by more than half. 3 MEDIHONEY ® – Combining the art and science of wound care to help you achieve favorable patient outcomes • In a randomized controlled trial, 2 the effects of use of a MediHoney dressing were studied in patients with Type II diabetes and Wagner Grade 1 and 2 diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) over a 16-week period. • Mean duration of healing time was 31 days (± 4 days) in the MediHoney group vs 43 days (± 3 days) in the control group. Know what your doctors and nurses will want to know… TCC-EZ ® – Helping more Diabetic Foot Ulcers close faster • Total Contact Casting is recognized by clinicians as the Gold Standard and Preferred method for off-loading DFUs. 3, 4 • The use of Total Contact Casting has been shown to reduce amputation rates by more than half. 3 MEDIHONEY ® – Combining the art and science of wound care to help you achieve favorable patient outcomes • In a randomized controlled trial, 2 the effects of use of a MediHoney dressing were studied in patients with Type II diabetes and Wagner Grade 1 and 2 diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) over a 16-week period. • Mean duration of healing time was 31 days (± 4 days) in the MediHoney group vs 43 days (± 3 days) in the control group. Know what your doctors and nurses will want to know…

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1. Moulik PK, Mtonga R, Gill GV. Amputation and mortality in new-onset diabetic foot ulcers stratified by etiology. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(2):491-494. 2. Kamaratos AV, Tzirogiannis KN, Iraklianou SA, Panoutsopoulos GI, Kanellos IE, Melidonis AI. Manuka honey-impregnated dressings in the treatment of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers. Int Wound J. 2012;9:1-7. 3. Fife CE, Carter MJ, Walker D, Thomson B, Eckert KA. Diabetic foot ulcer off-loading: The gap between evidence and practice: Data from the U.S. Wound Registry. Advances in Skin and Wound Care. 2014;27(7):310-316. 4. Armstrong DG, Nguyen HC, Lavery LA, van Schie CH, Boulton AJ, Harkless LB. Off-loading the diabetic foot wound: a randomized clinical trial. Diabetes Care. 2001;24(6):1019-1022. 1. Moulik PK, Mtonga R, Gill GV. Amputation and mortality in new-onset diabetic foot ulcers stratified by etiology. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(2):491-494. 2. Kamaratos AV, Tzirogiannis KN, Iraklianou SA, Panoutsopoulos GI, Kanellos IE, Melidonis AI. Manuka honey-impregnated dressings in the treatment of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers. Int Wound J. 2012;9:1-7. 3. Fife CE, Carter MJ, Walker D, Thomson B, Eckert KA. Diabetic foot ulcer off-loading: The gap between evidence and practice: Data from the U.S. Wound Registry. Advances in Skin and Wound Care. 2014;27(7):310-316. 4. Armstrong DG, Nguyen HC, Lavery LA, van Schie CH, Boulton AJ, Harkless LB. Off-loading the diabetic foot wound: a randomized clinical trial. Diabetes Care. 2001;24(6):1019-1022. 1. Moulik PK, Mtonga R, Gill GV. Amputation and mortality in new-onset diabetic foot ulcers stratified by etiology. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(2):491-494. 2. Kamaratos AV, Tzirogiannis KN, Iraklianou SA, Panoutsopoulos GI, Kanellos IE, Melidonis AI. Manuka honey-impregnated dressings in the treatment of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers. Int Wound J. 2012;9:1-7. 3. Fife CE, Carter MJ, Walker D, Thomson B, Eckert KA. Diabetic foot ulcer off-loading: The gap between evidence and practice: Data from the U.S. Wound Registry. Advances in Skin and Wound Care. 2014;27(7):310-316. 4. Armstrong DG, Nguyen HC, Lavery LA, van Schie CH, Boulton AJ, Harkless LB. Off-loading the diabetic foot wound: a randomized clinical trial. Diabetes Care. 2001;24(6):1019-1022. 1. Moulik PK, Mtonga R, Gill GV. Amputation and mortality in new-onset diabetic foot ulcers stratified by etiology. Diabetes Care. 2003;26(2):491-494. 2. Kamaratos AV, Tzirogiannis KN, Iraklianou SA, Panoutsopoulos GI, Kanellos IE, Melidonis AI. Manuka honey-impregnated dressings in the treatment of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers. Int Wound J. 2012;9:1-7. 3. Fife CE, Carter MJ, Walker D, Thomson B, Eckert KA. Diabetic foot ulcer off-loading: The gap between evidence and practice: Data from the U.S. Wound Registry. Advances in Skin and Wound Care. 2014;27(7):310-316. 4. Armstrong DG, Nguyen HC, Lavery LA, van Schie CH, Boulton AJ, Harkless LB. Off-loading the diabetic foot wound: a randomized clinical trial. Diabetes Care. 2001;24(6):1019-1022.

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A phone call Six months later, Henry Stone, the owner of an Atlantabased distributor called Onesource Health, called the local church looking for a salesman in the area. “My motherin-law answered the phone, and the rest is history,” he says. “Quoting the old saying: ‘Do you want to make God laugh? Just tell God your plans.’ The saying is so true. I never would have guessed that I would be doing what I am doing.”

Two years after Morris joined Onesource, Stone sold the company to PSS, which in turn became part of McKesson Medical-Surgical. But to this day, Stone remains one of Morris’ best friends and a mentor.

“I can never express how grateful I am for this man,” he says. “For the first four months of my career in medical sales, I rode in the car with Henry. We would talk about products, selling techniques and how to serve customers. Henry has coached me through medical sales, buying a home, being married, starting a 401(k) and even the birth of my two amazing daughters. Henry and I are both fortunate to each have two daughters, and he has been an amazing life coach through everything.

“I would say one of the most valuable lessons Henry has taught me is one that I think about everyday – ‘You can never go wrong with doing what’s right.’”

Several years ago, after attending a McKesson lab event, Morris discovered a new passion in his work.

“It was like a light switched on when I realized the benefit of fast and accurate testing in the medical field,” he says. “I can see the doctors I serve provide better medicine when we bring lab testing inhouse. Knowing that I am able to give a doctor the tools necessary to provide a faster diagnosis makes me feel like I am making a difference in my territory.”

He gained something else from that first lab event. “I developed a friendship with three other reps who encourage, teach and assist me through my job as an account manager – Matt Van Dam, Katie Dill and Jonathan Poulin. They have had an enormous impact on my view and understanding of lab.” The four colleagues collaborate daily via email, phone or text, he adds. Love story Morris believes sales – like life in general – has a lot to do with love.

“I love my customers,” he says. “I often joke that I see and speak with my customers more often than I speak or see my extended family. I would say that my customers have almost become family to me. The people of South Georgia are just amazing people. I feel like I am making a difference. I feel like this job has significance.”

He owes much to his manager, Chris Hopkins. “Five years ago, I got a call from Chris that another territory was opening up, and he asked if I would like to interview for it. That was the second phone call that changed my life.

“My family and I packed up and moved to Saint Simons Island, Georgia. Some would say we moved to paradise, and I wouldn’t disagree.

“Chris became my new manager and began to encourage and challenge me to grow in my career in medical sales. He pushed me to attend trainings, he invested in ride days with me, and most important, he became a leader and close friend to me. To this day, Chris and I speak almost daily. Most of the time it is about life, with a little bit of ‘work’ throughout the conversation.

“I wouldn’t say that I chose a career in medical sales, I would say that medical sales pursued me.”

The Morrises have two daughters: Sadie Bea, age 7; and Sally Beth, age 5.

“I never thought I would be a ‘girl dad,’ but I love it,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine life any other way. I love finding princess stickers and notes on my ‘work stuff.’ As my wife likes to say, ‘Our hearts are full.’” “Knowing that I am able to give a doctor the tools necessary to provide a faster diagnosis makes me feel like I am making a difference in my territory.”