How do You Say Goodbye To A 33 Year Career At Wyeth?

How Do You Say Goodbye to a 33-year Career at Wyeth?

I have worked for Wyeth for nearly 33 years in various roles as a Field Sales Representative, Hospital Account Manager, Women’s Healthcare Manager, Psychiatry Specialty Manager and District Sales Manager.  I have worked on the West Coast and the East Coast, start up territories and district, new product launches, and various other experiences.   But the years have flown by and suddenly, I have been severed by Pfizer, forced out, involuntarily retired or whatever you want to call it.   I chose to call it the next chapter of my exciting career.  Anyway, my last day of work is November 20, 2009.

As I sit here this cold, wet and dreary Saturday morning and look back over my career, I have so many thoughts. My first few years on the job, the places I’ve been able to see, the people I have met, the work I have done, the new skills I have learned, etc.  But, I want to focus on my bosses.  My first boss, Dick McGrath, hired me back in 1977 to work a territory just east of Los Angeles, California.  He interviewed people over 8 months so I felt very special being hired by him because I had no pharmaceutical sales experience at all.  Also, he took a chance hiring a woman because there were very few in the industry at that time. Dick had a 6th sense in understanding the sales process and how to close the deal.  I learned 90% of my selling skills from him.

Ed Gregory later became my boss when I asked for and got a transfer from Southern California to Upstate New York.  Ed was glad to not have to train a new rep and get an experienced rep in his district.  But the transition was an adjustment for both of us.  For me, I had a huge geography.  That was different than the compact territory I had in Southern California.  Then there was the Upstate New York weather to contend with.  It really is true that there are only two seasons in Upstate New York – winter and the 4th of July.  For Ed, it was an adjustment from a maternity leave aspect.  I had 3 more children while working for him.  I’m sure he wondered if I would make it one year without taking 2 months off.  But Ed and I had a great working relationship and I put the numbers on the board for him. In fact, Ed is the reason I did not quit the job the year we had to learn how to use computers.  He was worse than me and I thought, if he can hang in there and learn the computer, so can I.  We both survived that year and went on to enjoy many more years of work.

Bill McElroy promoted me from Women’s Healthcare Manager to Psychiatry Specialty Manager and later to District Manager.  He taught me all the analytical skills I ever learned and how to manage my business. I kid him still and tell him, “He made me the woman I am today.”  Our team won two national awards for our hard work and achievements.

Laura Telepun is currently my boss and the first women I have worked for at Wyeth. She had been my biggest on-the-job advocate and she supported not only me, but our entire management team during a very difficult year of change.

How do I say goodbye?  I simply say, “Thank you.”