This month, we sat down with Kahil, who was recently promoted to a regional manager role for the south central portion of the US. This month he is celebrating his five-year anniversary with Cook.
When did you join Cook?
I started working at Cook five years ago in December 2009. At first I was in the field assisting with a territory in Maine until I earned my own territory in July 2010.
What did you do before you came to Cook?
Prior to joining Cook, I was a regional manager in the northeastern part of the country at a small, startup pharmaceutical company. After three years at that company, I found myself looking for more stability in my career.
Why did you join Cook?
I wanted to be at a company that valued employees and treated them right. So I reached out to some friends and clinicians, and they recommended that I look at Cook. The clinicians told me that they always had positive interactions with experienced reps, and that was something I valued.
How have you maintained a work/life balance?
The management at Cook has been incredibly supportive of me both professionally, and personally. When I was the district manager in Boston, my wife was offered an amazing opportunity close to her hometown in Georgia.
We decided to give things a year to see if something could work out for me to move down to Georgia with Cook while I stayed in Boston. Shortly thereafter, we learned that my wife was pregnant.
Within 24 hours of calling human resources, I heard from my regional and national sales managers, who were all really supportive. I remember saying, “I’m in Boston and am visiting my wife in Georgia on the weekends, what can we do?”
They said, “When do you need to get down there?” and we worked it out for me to transition down to Georgia much quicker than I ever expected.
What makes Cook different?
We put patients first and we take care of our people. It’s a family atmosphere and people aren’t treated like numbers here. When I walk into an account, as long as I’m doing the right thing for patients, I know I’m OK. And that’s a rare thing in business. It’s usually all about closing a sale, and while I take pride in that, it’s a little different here.
What’s the best part of your job?
I like being able to talk to clinicians and other healthcare professionals, but the group of people at Cook are a true support system for me. They make my job a lot easier in the field. I can call anybody and it’s always welcome. I get to interact with wonderful people.
What are you looking forward to in your new role as a regional manager?
I’m focused on putting a good plan in place for us to succeed. I feel comfortable in this role and am eager to prove that they chose the right guy. For me it’s all about our team and helping them execute. I’m going to focus on being available and as supportive as I can be for them.