by Charles Cohon, President and CEO, MANA
It might be the nicest compliment MANA has ever received. And it came to me in the form of a question.
A rep called me to discuss a thorny issue he was having. It was a challenging problem, so we brainstormed potential strategies and solutions for about a half an hour.
By the end of that call we identified a pretty good strategy for the rep to use.
And that’s when the rep asked me the question that was a compliment I never expected.
“Charley, I have had consultation sessions like this with you and also with Jerry Leth in the past, but MANA has never sent me a bill. How much do I owe you?
The question caught me by surprise. Such a nice compliment! It took me a moment to reply.
“Business telephone consultations are a benefit included with your MANA membership,” I explained. “Jerry and I get calls from MANA members facing thorny problems every week. And because Jerry and I have fielded so many of these calls over the years, we’ve both already seen a lot of the problems that give MANA members heartburn.
“As a matter of fact, the problems and solutions that have come out of the consultations we’ve done over the years have given us perspectives and solutions we can bring to bear on problems we hear from reps calling us today.
“Jerry and I can’t give legal advice, but MANA membership does include a legal telephone consultation benefit, where the 23 attorney members of MANA will give MANA members a half-hour complimentary consultation before the clock starts running.
“So the answer to your question is, Jerry and I will always be happy to help you, and there is never a fee when you give us a call. Just keep renewing your MANA membership, and we’ll be here when you need us.”
Charles Cohon, CPMR, is CEO and president of MANA. In 2016 Cohon earned the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation after completing American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) coursework and testing. Cohon also earned an MBA with honors and with concentrations in strategic management and entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and was founder and owner of a very successful Illinois manufacturers’ representative firm for nearly 30 years before joining MANA.