Table of Contents

• COMMITTEE REPORTS
  • MEMBERSHIP REPORT
  • SOCIAL REPORT
  • SPEAKER COORDINATOR REPORT
  • TREASURER REPORT
• LEADS
• NOTABLE MENTIONS
• SHOW & TELL
• QUESTION OF THE DAY
• MAIN SPEAKER

Committee Reports

Membership Report
(Click here to go to the Membership page)

We are going to kick up membership again.  Is there a business we could bring in to fill a personal need?  Look at your clientele and outside sources that you would do business with.

Althea Bussert brought in a guest and potential new member today, Guy Sawyer of Tile Plus.  Guy started his business in 1982.  He has a small crew, one employee.  He does residential remodels - showers, countertops -"that kind of thing".

Social Report
(Click here to go to the Social Event page)

Besides the holiday party, Althea is also working on a possible October event.  Jim Crosman agreed to organize an after-meeting golf date.

Speaker Coordinator Report
(Click here to go to the Speaker Schedule)

• 09/17/04     Ralph Cunningham
• 09/24/04     Roger Carpenter
• 10/01/04     Open
• 10/08/04     Keith Miller

Treasurer Report

We have $10,900 in the account and the membership dues billing has gone out.

Leads Report

46-19, 16-19, 08-20, 08-46, 08-14, 08-41, 08-23, 37-09, 37-46, 44-40, 17-19, 17-25, 42-13, 42-26, 32-20, 18-44, 18-17, 26-19, 26-25, 26-13, 28-45, 24-38, 24-16, 10-32, 10-22, 45-30, 45-17, 45-02, 13-26, 35-20, 03-44, 03-41, 03-13, 43-40, 43-42, 43-14, 40-10, 02-13, 19-27.

Notable Mentions

Thank you to Stuart Schindler for bringing in copies of an article about business success stories. 

A big thank you goes out to David Lathrop, Bill LaLonde and Greg Stewart for a great job done on the board!

We are going to print new brochures around mid-October.  New members will need to get their pictures taken and their bios submitted.  Other members need to make sure their information is current.

We are going back to wearing name tags.  We have a large group now and it is hard for new members to learn who we are.  A sample badge was passed around.  Your first badge is on the house.  Members will be responsible for dropping them in the case when they leave the meetings.  If you lose yours, you will be charged for the replacement.

Question of the Day

None.

Ricardo Orrantia
SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals

Ricardo has been a pharmaceuticals rep for over 32 years.  He works for GlaxoSmithKline.  Drugs are used for a lot of things.  Ricardo is making a push to educate consumers on their benefits.

The industry has changed dramatically with the aging of America.  You have heard about the need to do something about the high costs of drugs in political speeches lately.  And people are making news for being incarcerated in Mexico while trying to buy cheaper drugs there and bringing them back to the United States.  These things make it even more important for companies to educate consumers.

If you do buy your drugs from other countries, be aware of the risks.  Not all drugs are of the same quality.  Some may even try to sell you placebos.  Even generics, which pharmacies often push, are not necessarily of the same quality.

Drugs are more expensive here.  Companies base pricing on many things including the cost of living which is higher here.  But consumers need to realize that they are not just paying for the ingredients.  You are also paying for past and future research that ultimately will save consumers money.  Medicines are much cheaper than treatments and surgery.

Although states are paying more for medicines than ever before, their overall medical costs are down because they have lowered hospital spending and treatment costs.

Because of the advances of research over the past 100 years, diseases have been aborted or controlled by drugs.  They are of a tremendous benefit for people fighting cancers that can't be cured.  The right drug treatment can help them get out of bed and back to a more normal life filled with activity and happiness.  They live longer and better lives.

Unfortunately for many diseases such as Alzheimer's, a cure is not available and treatments are limited.  Research is critical and necessary.  But research takes time and money.  It takes between 7-15 years between the "idea" and making the medicine available to patients.  You have to get the right molecular tool to affect the disease within the cell without affecting the rest of the body.  Clinical trials must be completed before the results are submitted to the FDA for review.  Only after FDA approval can a drug be made available to the public.

Most marketing campaigns won't make back the costs.  But they are trying to reach people that fall in the middle -Those that make too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to afford descent medical coverage.  GSX wants you to have access to the best medicine has to offer.  Pay attention to your health.  Strive to stay healthy because healthcare costs are still rising.

"Life should begin with age and its privileges and accumulations, and end with youth and its capacity to splendidly enjoy such advantages."
Mark Twain