LTEN Hall of Fame

The LTEN Hall of Fame acknowledges the valuable contributions that trainers and distinguished members have made to the life science training industry. Below are the inductees who have been honored by LTEN.

Past LTEN Hall of Fame Inductees

Chuck Pearson (Inducted 2021)
Pearson was honored for his lifetime of educational service to others, his career-long commitment to life sciences sales training and his dedication to lifting all LTEN members. Pearson’s colleagues at Astellas were watching virtually from the Chuck Pearson Learning Center as their friend and former leader was honored. Sampson and Last also announced that the LTEN board has created the Chuck Pearson Learning Scholarship, which starting in 2022 will be awarded to applicants to help them learn through LTEN events and programs.

Kevin Kruse (Inducted 2020)
Kruse has had a long history with LTEN, beginning in the early 1990s when it was still NSPST (National Society of Pharmaceutical Sales Trainers). In 2010 , when the network was called SPBT (Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers), Kruse became executive director and eventually led the rebranding to LTEN.

Evelyn Nichols (Inducted 2020)
Nichols is a former member of the LTEN Board of Directors who retired in 2019 after 21 years as the co-owner of Informa Training Partners. IN addition to her seven years on the board, some of the highlights of her time with LTEN include helping the organization grow members and the professional and personal friendships she’s developed.

Marjorie Brody (Inducted 2019)

Marjorie Brody has been an LTEN member for more than 10 years, but she has been supporting the life sciences industry for much longer. Brody founded BRODY Professional Development more than 30 years ago, after a successful career teaching communications and presentation skills as a college professor.  While her company supports many different industries, about 85 percent of their work is in life sciences and remains a focus for them.  She has also found that life sciences leaders appreciate the value and necessity of developing people, and back that support with money and time, ensuring well-trained employees.

Frank Cirillo (Inducted 2019)

For Frank Cirillo, life sciences is a family business, providing careers for himself and his daughters. LTEN is certainly a family affair too. He’s a former president when the network was known as NSPST.  Now retired, Cirillo continued his life sciences career after his NSPST presidency. Today his three daughters,  Alison Quinn, Sharlene Cirillo and Leslie Cirillo-Plante, all work in healthcare.

Linda Morales (Inducted 2019)

For Linda Morales, life sciences learning has been a part of her whole career, from her days as a representative to serving as director of training for Parke-Davis. She was in that role when she began her involvement with LTEN back in the NSPST days. Then, in 1995, she “went to the dark side” and started her own company, Healthcare Innovations (HCI).  Morales, who regularly attends and exhibits at the LTEN annual conference, remembers when the expo hall was basically card tables with little paper signs. Now, of course, the Learning Village has evolved into a gathering place with professional booths delivering multimedia experiences.

David Purdy (Inducted 2019)

David Purdy first became involved with LTEN – then NSPST – when he was invited to present at the annual conference in 1991. He came back as an attendee the following year, and for the next 26 years in a row. Even before suppliers could be members, Purdy was engaged and involved.  Purdy, the president of Psychological Consultants Inc. (PCI) until his retirement at the end of 2018, spent his career working with clients in various industries, but enjoyed his life sciences work the most.

Bob Rodman (Inducted 2018)
Bob Rodman was one of the early LTEN leaders, back when our group was originally known as NSPST (the National Society of Pharmaceutical Sales Trainers). Rodman became a strong advocate for the organization and eventually served as business manager, where he worked closely with the Board of Directors, staff and members to create a strong network. Rodman retired from life sciences training and left LTEN in 2011. He now works as deputy AARP driver safety coordinator for the state of Connecticut.

Steve Rauschkolb (Inducted 2018)
Rauschkolb, managing partner of The Crisfield Group, also joined back in the NSPST days, in 1995. He became a member of the Board of Directors in 1997 and was second vice president in 1998, when NSPST became SPBT, the Society of Pharmaceutical and Biotech Trainers. He moved up to first vice president in 1999 and became president of the board in 2000, and then served again in 2003 and 2004. Today, Rauschkolb remains an active member of LTEN and serves on the LTEN Editorial Advisory Board and frequently writes for LTEN Focus on Training magazine. Interestingly, Rauschkolb was leading the organization when the Hall of Fame was originally created.

Gerald “Jerry” Clor (Inducted 2016)
Jerry Clor was a Senior Manager, Market Access Training, with UCB Pharma, and a longtime member of LTEN and the life sciences community. Jerry passed away last October after a lengthy illness. In his many years as a life sciences trainer, and as a husband and father, Jerry was a constant inspiration to all who knew him. While battling his own illness, he developed a program that he presented to a group of cancer patients/survivors to help them understand insurance and healthcare issues.

Mack Thompson (Inducted 2016)
Mack Thompson started his educational career as a high school teacher in North Carolina, and went onto many life sciences training positions, for companies including Wyeth, Pfizer and CMR Institute. He regularly challenged his students to be leaders of tomorrow, and never lost his love for teaching and career development. When he passed away last October, his family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Mack Thompson Memorial Leadership Development Program at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in North Carolina.

Sal Barilla (Inducted 2004)
LTEN Founder Sal Barilla, a former trainer at Burroughs Wellcome, organized the first meeting of pharmaceutical sales trainers in 1971. That group eventually grew into the National Society of Pharmaceutical Sales Trainers (NSPST), or what is now LTEN. After a long and successful career in pharmaceutical sales and training management, Barilla went on to run an event management firm in California. Sal passed away in 2012.

“Receiving the Hall Of Fame Award was a real honor, and an experience I will always remember,” Sal says. “It’s so gratifying to see what has become of the Society that I gave birth to back in 1971. The vision I had back then has been realized many times over. Seven trainers attended my first meeting in March 1971. In 2004, there were 525 trainers, and 396 vendors and guests in Orlando. I’d like to thank all of the officers and members, past and present, for helping make my dream a reality, and a special thanks to the Board for bestowing this honor upon me.”

Al Boyette (Inducted 2003)
Al Boyette held numerous positions with Syntex Labs, including regional training manager, district sales manager, manager of market research, and product manager. In 1979, he was promoted to director of training and education. Under his leadership, the Syntex training department became a pioneer in the use of computer-based education for pharmaceutical representatives. In fact, Al was the first in the industry to convert all of the new-hire technical training to a computer-based learning format.

“For my peers to remember that I ‘did good work’ for the Society, to the extent that they wanted to give me this honor and this recognition, is a bit overwhelming,” Al says. “Really, all that any of us have left after a long career in any field, whatever it may be, are memories. And I now have the best memory of all: To have been a part of such an important industry and an organization that contributes so much to society. To be recognized for my own contributions and achievements is something that I will never forget.”

Jim Dutton (Inducted 2001)
For more than a decade, Jim Dutton was president of the CMR Institute, the leading not-for-profit independent provider of non-branded, non-biased educational solutions for the pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industries. According to his peers, Jim has personally driven the training profession to another level of excellence. Jim has also served on the LTEN Board of Directors.

“Training, and the recognized value of training and education in our industry, has come a long way,” Jim says. “I believe a large part of the credit should go to SPBT and the role this organization has played in elevating the level of training and development within the industry.”

Bob Lanting (Inducted 2001)
Bob Lanting retired in 2001 as vice president of global learning and development at Pfizer after 36 years with the company. One of the crowning achievements of his career was the fulfillment of his lifelong dream to build a state-of-the-art global learning center. This goal was achieved in September 2000 with the ribbon-cutting of the Pfizer Learning Center in Rye Brook, NY. Bob is a former vice president on the LTEN Board of Directors.

“It has been a joy to work with so many fine professionals over the years,” Bob says. “They have been an inspiration to me throughout my career, and the openness with which we were able to discuss and solve our many common challenges has been most rewarding.”

Royce Leavelle (Inducted 2002)
Royce “Rocky” Leavelle, founder of Romar Learning Solutions, has been an ongoing leader and supporter for numerous industry professionals. He established Romar in 1986, with the goal of serving pharmaceutical and healthcare companies through the development of individually designed training programs. Before that, Rocky spent 20 years with the Roerig division of Pfizer.

“It is a real honor and privilege to be a member of this unique group,” Rocky says. “This honor has to be shared by my daughter, Kaye Leavelle, and the dedicated, loyal members of the Romar team. Without their commitment to our mission statement of always putting the client first, Romar would not be the success it is.”

Marie Mickey (Inducted 2005)
Marie Mickey has designed, developed, and delivered leadership and training for sales, marketing, and headquarters personnel for more than 22 years. Through her tour of the industry–including stops at GlaxoWellcome, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, and Pharmacia–she’s worked in every major therapeutic area, and helped develop leadership talent at all levels. She has also served on the LTEN Board of Directors.

“Few trainers have won this award,” Marie says. “I’m honored to now be numbered among them. This award is particularly coveted because it represents recognition from the toughest audience a trainer can have–one’s peers.”

Paul Pinsonault (Inducted 2003)
Paul Pinsonault, past president & CEO of Pinsonault Associates, began his career in the pharmaceutical industry in 1965 when he joined Warner Chilcott Laboratories. He held many titles during his career, including director of training, vice president of sales, vice president of career development, and vice president of managed care. Pinsonault was a member of LTEN for more than 30 years and is a past president. He was also one of the driving forces in transforming LTEN from a training society to a professional development organization. Paul passed away in 2005.

Paul offered these thoughts at his induction ceremony: “My admission into SPBT’s Hall of Fame is the highlight of my 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry. I can still remember when seven trainers got together in 1971 to form what is now SPBT. Today, SPBT is a robust organization that is recognized by virtually every pharmaceutical and biotech company as the premier training society. To those who are passing through training to other responsibilities, I guarantee that when you look back on your career, you will remember all the people you touched.”

Maragaret Pyles (Inducted 2001)
Margaret Pyles was the first female President of the National Society of Pharmaceutical Sales Trainers (the former LTEN) from 1991 to 1992. A true icon in pharmaceutical training, Margaret retired after more than 20 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she completed her career as vice president of training and development.

“I have gained far more from my association with the Society than I have given,” Margaret says. “I have learned so much about training concepts and techniques through my contacts within the Society. At every national or regional meeting, I found ideas from workshops, speakers, and industry partners that I was able to implement in my department.”

Frank Walsh (Inducted 2002)
Few people are better known to LTEN than Frank Walsh. In 1951, Walsh joined Pfizer and went on to head Pfizer’s Training and Development Department until that fateful day in 1973, when he and his wife, Anne, took on the duties of executive director of NSPST (the former LTEN). They kept membership records, set meeting schedules, coordinated mailings, organized conferences, and continued to attract new members. Frank passed away in 2003.

Fran Wilburn, one of his daughters, had this to say at his induction ceremony: “NSPST has been such a large part of his life since its conception. And I know he is both humbled and thrilled at his induction into the Society’s Hall of Fame. He has always had a sincere affection for those within the Society, and feels honored to have been a part of the Society’s beginnings as well as its growth. He shares with me a deep sense of gratitude for the recognition he has received.”