Tag: membership

FOCM Networking Events and New Members

As in my last blog post, I am doing catch up and am committed to not being more than 10 years behind.

So from October 2016, while attending the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) meeting in Chicago, I ran into one of FOCM’s premier members, Vicky Martin. That, in a nutshell, is how FOCM networking often works—no planning, no calendar invite, just being in the right place long enough for a familiar face to appear.

AAO is a massive meeting, yet somehow the life sciences world still manages to feel small. Quick introductions turn into longer conversations, updates are  exchanged, and just like that, another reminder of why FOCM exists in the first place: to maintain, create, reinforce relationships wherever life sciences industry folks gather.

Vicky Martin

Fast forward into March 2017, I was in RTP and held a networking event at Bar Louie in Brier Creek. Four people (Tim Sauls, Derrick Ferrar, Kate Mullis and Lynne McKerlie) received their FOCM Membership card following the strict protocol of trying and failing to suppress the elation that comes from being welcomed into the organization and all that it entails.

Derrick Ferrar
Kate Mullis
Lynne McKerlie
Tim Sauls

So yes, this is another look in the rearview mirror—but it’s also a reminder. The value of FOCM has always been in the people and the moments between meetings. And even if I’m catching up on the posts, the connections themselves have never gone stale.

More to come—because there’s still plenty of “not quite 10 years old” FOCM history left to share.

For more information about FOCM and its mission: About FOCM Networking

FOCM Membership Ceremony

From the archives – wow how could it be 5 years ago already. Yes I’m that far behind in posting. Starting Global Life Sciences Alliance https://globallifesciencesalliance.com/ in 2020 has kept me very busy. However, one credo* that FOCM lives by is there is no time limit to posting membership ceremonies and we refuse to not share these fine individuals caught in one of the happiest moments of their lives. This is evidenced by my most recent post from 2018 – https://focmnetworking.com/networking/focm-events-happen-spontaneously/

The subject of today’s post is from a FOCM networking event in Houston, TX in September 2019. The event took place on September 10, the night before the Outsourcing for Clinical Trials Texas conference. It was held at Goode Company Armadillo Palace; 5015 Kirby Dr, Houston.

I know a lot of people in the Houston metro area from having worked for ICON Clinical Research’s Interactive Technology Group with its headquarters in Sugarland, TX. So I was happy to be attending an event in Houston – giving me a reason to have a networking event and reconnect former co-workers and friends.

Receiving their membership cards in the traditionally somber ceremony, Trish Jacquet, now with Medidata Solutions and Matt Foster, now with Veeva Systems could not contain their excitement.

Trish Jacquet
Matt Foster

*any and all credos are subject to change at the whim of FOCM’s founder

FOCM Membership – New Member

Is it possible I’m almost 10 years behind in posting membership photos??!!??   Why yes, yes, it is possible and entirely true.  But with my dogged persistence, in the end we’ll be all caught up.

Whilst (I love using this old-timey word whenever I remember to throw it in) I wish I were more caught up, sometimes its nice to see things from long ago. Remember taking your film to be developed and then waiting for the pictures to be ready.  Sometimes it would days to months since the time the photo was taken.

So here is Gracelyn McDermott pictured with her FOCM membership card which I mailed to her as I was out of them at the (I think it was) DIA 2014 and mailed it to her. Grace and I worked together at ICON for about 10 years.

Gracelyn McDermott membership

She took a photo of herself with the card so that I could post it.  I assure you that when she learned that she was getting her membership card, she was exuberantly happy and delighted. FOCM is proud to say that her career has skyrocketed ever since.  Grace is now the

FOCM Membership Ceremony

You would have thought those first days of Covid lockdowns would have been a great time for me to try to catch up on my backlog of posts. But no, here I am during a snow storm warning in Wilmington, NC doing some catchup.

So, Mike Jones sent me this picture in June of 2014, so it had to be at a DIA Annual Convention. This is of dear friend and former co-worker at ICON Clinical Research, Robin Tuck receiving her FOCM membership card.  The sheer joy on her face says it all doesn’t it? Clearly this was before I’d been taught how to edit photos by FOCM member Michelle Jacobson. She literally changed reality in front of my face by lightening and changing the contrast of  a back lit photo.  FOCM will provide 1 year free FOCM membership ($20 dollar value) to the first person who contacts me who will then be sent this photo, lighten it up and return it to me. Upon receipt of improved photo, the membership will be issued.

Robin Tuck FOCM Membership Ceremony

FOCM at DIA 2019

The annual Drug Information Association (DIA) conference in 2019 was held in San Diego June 23 – 27. It was a busy, busy conference making it memorable and historic. On Sunday night FOCM, Zymewire along with Almac, MC10 and Medable hosted “Clinical Reconnections”, the pre-DIA networking event at Social Tap Eatery. This was the 4th year of this event. Over 320 people attended.

Along with Michele Sacher, we presented on Self-Branding for Social Media. We added Christina Cantrell for the next workshop on the importance of knowing yourself for effective networking.

Several months ago I posted about Jodi Andrews receiving her FOCM card. There were two other card ceremonies, one each for Meghan Alonso and Rhonda Rusinski. I’ve known Rhonda from the early 2000’s having met while we were both working at ICON Clinical Research. Meghan had recently joined Clinipace and she asked her colleagues who would be a good person to connect with, someone known as an industry connector. They directed her to me. It was a pleasure to welcome them both into the organization.

Sunday Professional Development Workshops
Clinical Reconnections
Meghan Alonso FOCM Card Ceremony
Rhonda Rusinski FOCM Card Ceremony

Epic FOCM New Member Inductions

Twas (still thinking of Christmas stories) a fantastic week in May in Valley Forge, PA. Attending the Arena International Outsourcing in Clinical Trials East Coast meeting turned out to be truly historic and the pictures prove it.

A FOCM networking event was held on Monday 20 at J Alexander’s restaurant in the King of Prussia Mall area. As usual, I didn’t take attendance, but I do recall that in attendance were: Dave Gibboni, Christian McCracken, Pete Nieto, Kate Mullis, Vicky Martin, Scott Robertson and probably, possibly, Ted and/or Richard Gastineau. Some of us managed to get a picture taken.

Pete Nieto, Christian McCracken, Chris Matheus, Dave Gibboni

There were three FOCM membership card ceremonies. Two of the recipients are clinical research industry veterans, heavyweights, emerituses (emeritae?), big deals to be sure. And one recipient has a bright future now that he has his card. The joy on these people’s faces is undeniable. And a current member displays the FOCM nametag sticker. Scroll down to see.

Bill Taaffe
Mike Ruane
Kevin Keenan with Sue Ruane photo bombing this somber event
Mike DeBerry

FOCM Member Displays Membership Pin

On June 11, 2019 in RTP, NC I attended Heather Hollick’s book release event. Heather wrote a book on networking, entitled Helpful: A Guide to Life, Careers and the Art of Networking. I was introduced to Heather by Tanyss Mason. It was Christine Sears who recommended Tanyss get in touch with me when she was undertaking a job search. Heather and I clicked immediately over a phone call on our mutual view of networking.

Helpful

The book release event was held at the NC Biotech Center. I promoted this event to the FOCM network. Five members joined the approximately 40 others. I was pleased to see member Peter Benton in attendance. As I walked over to say hi, he pointed out that he was wearing his FOCM membership pin. Peter thought FOCM should have some kind of salute, the three finger salute isn’t going to be it, but it was a good attempt on short notice.

Peter Benton FOCM Pin

New FOCM Member

While attending SCOPE in mid-February in Orlando, I had the good fortune of welcoming Marie Perrone into FOCM. I had met Marie several years before via an introduction by long-time FOCM member, friend and former co-worker, Deb Nichols. It took so long for Marie to get her card due to some strange, but ultimately explainable issues in the background check that is run on all FOCM member candidates. The joy of receiving her card and the overwhelming relief to have resolved the items of her past is quite evident in the photo of this memorable event.

Marie Perrone receives her FOCM Membership card
Photo taken by Deb Nichols

FOCM at Global Clinical Supplies Conference

The month was April, the year 2016, the event: the #1 clinical research industry’s clinical supplies conference – Global Clinical Supply Group.  Several important events happened with photographic evidence to support it.

It was my honor to give a FOCM membership card to one of my favorite co-workers of all-time, Roxann Pinguelo.  Is she thrilled or what?

Roxann Pinguelo

FOCM also welcomed Ryan Jarvis to the organization and Russ Brierley and Renee Brown were on hand to witness these ceremonies.

Ryan Jarvis

Russ Brierley, Ryan Jarvis, Roxann Pinguelo, Renee Brown

Historic FOCM Card Ceremony

This FOCM card-membership ceremony was a very significant one for several reasons –

  1. It just happened on November 11, 2017 – making it very recent given my usual delay in posting such things
  2. It’s too important to delay until I catch up
  3. recipient and I probably first met when we were pre-schoolers and
  4. we spent our formative years in that oasis in the desert known as Yuma, AZ
  5. we slow danced to Stairway to Heaven or maybe it was Nights in White Satin in 8th grade
  6. wandered around Yuma on New Year’s Eve with a few friends and a few bottles of Boones Farm wine generously donated by our sisters when we were 13

At the recent Kofa High School reunion, this significant event (photo below) was captured.

Jody (Ambur) Nestell received her FOCM membership card.  Other than family members, I believe she is the youngest card-holder that I’ve known the longest.  Perhaps only Brady Leffler and Jody’s cousin, Ray Face, if they’re ready to accept the responsibilities of card holdership could surpass this.

Jody (Ambur) Nestell receives her card!