UPS (NYSE:UPS) named a senior UPS manager to direct a new enterprise team focused on serving the diverse needs of the global healthcare industry.
Bill Hook, who most recently oversaw UPS’s relationship with healthcare strategic accounts, has been named vice president of healthcare logistics. In his new role, Hook will direct a team that ties together for healthcare customers small package and heavy freight transportation services along with 3rd party logistics, distribution and a network of regulatory-compliant and controlled environment facilities.
The team will focus on healthcare companies engaged in biotechnical development or that manufacture or coordinate research trials in the pharmaceutical, medical device and equipment and surgical supply markets.
„Healthcare has an increasingly complex supply chain, unique requirements and societal impacts that necessitate this focus,“ said Kurt Kuehn, UPS senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. „We’re combining UPS’s supply chain management capabilities and healthcare expertise to accelerate new product entry, provide detailed inventory, expiration information and reporting compliance and respond to service and critical care needs.“
The healthcare supply chain has become incredibly complicated over time through reliance on multi-level distribution partners. These can include suppliers and clinicians through hospitals and physicians as well as retail channels, direct-to-consumer delivery and technicians to repair sophisticated equipment.
Using UPS healthcare expertise, companies can streamline inefficient supply chains. The resulting savings and benefits are derived from the way companies work with their suppliers; the way they package, label and ship devices and temperature-sensitive products; the way they store and fulfill orders; how they handle and offer visibility to those orders, and ultimately, order-to-cash management for more rapid payment. Through it all, UPS works with these customers to comply with changing regulations to ensure product safety and critical care responsiveness.
The UPS healthcare logistics focus will be organized along four functional areas to address UPS products, customer relationships, global infrastructure and information technology. The team will constantly assess industry trends and emerging issues to develop the resources most useful to the healthcare industry.
Hook has more than 20 years of healthcare experience, having served as president of Livingston Healthcare Services, Inc., which UPS acquired in 2000. Prior to Livingston, Hook worked as the president and chief operating officer of Medigas Inc., a division of Praxair Canada, Inc. He graduated with honors from the Richard Ivey School of Business located in London, Ontario.
Angela L. Watson, a 17-year veteran UPS manager, will succeed Hook as the vice president of healthcare strategic accounts. She most recently oversaw strategic accounts in the southern United States, developing a number of innovative enterprise solutions for customers.
UPS, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2007, is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS’s stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
