Berling, 78, who died on February 9th, was remembered as a gentleman entrepreneur, mentor and sales dynamo by the Bellwether League Foundation (BLF) in a press release.
In 2014, Berling was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Healthcare Supply Chain Leadership by BLF. During his acceptance speech, Berling drew immediate laughs when he quipped that he was one of the few guys left in the industry that started his career around the debut of Medicare, and in the twilight of his career actually wound up on Medicare.
Through distributors Stuart Medical and Owens & Minor, Berling not only left an indelible mark in the industry but also solidified his reputation for customer service, mentoring and training as well as entrepreneurial growth. He regularly shared credit for successes along with way with fellow executives and team members. In fact, he held near and dear to his heart the personal and professional philosophy that, “if you treat people well and take care of your teammates, they will never let you down.”
By the time Berling retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Sales Officer in late 2004, Owens & Minor quadrupled its annual sales to more than $4 billion.
During his more than 50-year career, Berling frequently gave presentations at association and trade show events and contributed time and effort to a number of local charities and humanitarian causes. He served as both a member and board member for such organizations as the Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) and the Association for perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN).
Deborah Templeton, R.Ph., Chairman, Bellwether League Foundation, expressed profound respect for Berling’s contributions and legacy. “Individuals chosen as Bellwethers do not have that honor bestowed lightly,” Templeton said. “After a rigorous application and nomination process, individuals like Henry Berling rise to the top. We are honored to have had the opportunity to recognize Henry for his innovative and visionary accomplishments and the leadership and contributions to making our healthcare delivery one of quality. He will be fondly remembered by those that knew him well, and truly missed by the Bellwether group that he walked among.”
Berling is survived by his wife Carol with whom he had been married for more than 50 years, and four adult sons, and 14 grandchildren.
