Meet Phyllis R. Abbuhl, Ed. D.,
Sr. Sales Director, Western U.S.
Phyllis Abbuhl's love of learning and passion for her position stem from both a substantial career of varied experiences and a thoughtful team of "creative and determined people."
Q: What are your title and job responsibilities?
Phyllis: I'm the Senior Sales Director for the western half of the United States. I have responsibility for the supervision of 10 Regional Business Directors and 81 Clinical Business Managers.
Q: That's a lot of people! There must be a lot of pressure as well...
Phyllis: Actually, it's a healthy tension. I enjoy working in an environment of meritocracy, which holds everyone accountable. I believe the transparency Cubist provides is extremely healthy in the industry in which we work. Because we are totally accountable for what we do, each of us has a direct impact on the success of the organization. In larger companies that reality is not as closely felt. Knowing that you're making an impact on the health and well-being of patients and helping to grow a wonderful company is more meaningful than anyone can possibly know. My only regret is that I didn't get to Cubist sooner!
Q: When did you start?
Phyllis: That's a good question... I celebrated my four-year anniversary on August 16, 2009.
Q: . I imagine it's been a very fast four years...
Phyllis: It's been fast in the sense that Cubist has continued to grow and evolve very quickly. In that time period, we expanded the sales force, added more regions, began promoting an additional marketed product, and expanded the market access team. All of these dynamics roll into our area of job responsibility. It's certainly challenging in terms of one's leadership role. Not to mention watching the time fly.
Q: How large was the sales force when you started?
Phyllis: When CUBICIN was first launched, there were 75 Clinical Business Managers at Cubist. When I joined Cubist in 2005 there were 99 Clinical Business Managers at Cubist, and now there are 164 Clinical Business Managers as of October 2009.
Q: What led you to come to Cubist?
Phyllis: I had been with large pharmaceutical companies my entire career. Many of my colleagues had gone to smaller biotech companies. We were fellow directors and when I checked in with them, they would say "You really need to look into biotech." I started to research different organizations on the web to find out more about some of the opportunities that were out there in the biotech world.
I actually first came across Cubist in an internet job posting. The company was rather intriguing to me, as I had prior antibiotic experience from another pharmaceutical company. I began to research the opportunities with Cubist, and was pleasantly surprised and excited about how my experience aligned with the needs of the organization.
I originally came to Cubist as the Regional Business Director for the Southwest Region. Three months later, I was promoted to Sr. Sales Director for the West Area.
It was certainly very exciting to have things move so quickly. I have held many different positions in my career. I started out as a sales representative (much like Mike and Rob), and worked my way up from Territory Rep, Hospital Rep; Account Manager, District Manager, National Account Manager; Marketing Liaison; Regional Director and Director of Account Management. In my spare time, I earned my doctoral degree in Organization and Leadership.
Congratulations!
Phyllis: Thank you. I look back and think, "Where did you find the time?" They also call the doctoral degree the "terminal degree." I can attest to the fact it almost killed me, as I was also working full time. [Laughs]
Q: What is your undergraduate degree?
Phyllis: I have a Bachelor's in Education and a Master's in Administration. I went to Michigan State University for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees. My doctorate was conferred at the University of San Francisco.
Q: So you've had a varied career in terms of the areas of responsibility. Have you felt that has helped you in your current role?
Phyllis: Oh, most definitely. I believe the variety of responsibilities I've held has given me a greater degree of insight into Cubists' strategic direction. I can draw from my past experiences to offer experiential insights to the organization. I truly enjoy the opportunities this position affords me.
I certainly don't want to overlook the quality of the people on my team and at Cubist. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by creative and determined people who have so much foresight into what our organization should look like in the future. That continues to spur my quest for knowledge and keeps me on my toes!
Q: What is a typical week like for you?
Phyllis: Well... there's no such thing as typical. [Laughs] Let me run down the sundry of activities that constitute a week. I spend time in the field with my Regional Business Directors, and as often as possible, with some of the Clinical Business Managers. Coaching, data analysis, strategic planning, managing performance, and working with external customers takes a considerable amount of my time. There is also a lot of involvement with Cubist's home office via conference calls and membership on various committees in the organization.
Q: Where are you from originally?
Phyllis: I'm from Grosse Ile, Michigan, which has a population of about 10,000. That is where I was born and raised, and where my family still resides. Grosse Ile, which means "big island," got its name from the French when they inhabited that part of the world. We can see Amherstburg, [Ontario] Canada, right across the channel.
Q: Where do you reside now?
Phyllis: Austin, Texas.
Q: Texas must be very different from Michigan.
Phyllis: Yes. Yes, it is. It's a little bit warmer than Michigan; I can assure you of that! Austin is a beautiful city. It's the capital of Texas, the University of Texas is here, we have the lakes and the hill country, and it is also the Live Music Capital of the World. So it's a very eclectic, vibrant city, and often voted one of the top four cities in the U.S. in which to reside.
Q: Are you a big music fan? What type of music do you follow?
Phyllis: You name it. I like every genre of music. I can't say there's anything I dislike, except I might be stretching the truth to say I like Rap. Being in Texas, country music is big. For a little factoid, Willie Nelson happens to be my neighbor. There are local restaurants and hangouts - He'll just show up for a hamburger or his warm-up band will take the stage. He's just a normal, everyday guy living on 500 acres down the street.
Q: What's your absolute favorite music? If Grosse Isle were to be cut off from the rest of the world, what CDs would you have with you there?
Phyllis: If I didn't say "Madonna," my team wouldn't believe it. Let's just say my favorite song is "Material Girl" (from her Like a Virgin CD). I'm a very fun-loving person and I like bling, so it all kinda fits in. [Laughs] I went to two Madonna concerts this past year - she's absolutely on top. So: Madonna's Madonna, Madonna's Like a Virgin, Bruce Springsteen's Born in the USA, Johnny Cash's At Folsom Prison, and Journey's Greatest Hits.
Q: What are your favorite books?
Phyllis: I keep up with the Top 10 business list on the professional side. However, I travel on airplanes so often that I read "diversion" types of books to pass the time: Tom Clancy, Mario Puzo, Robert Ludlum, John Grisham, James Patterson, Jonathan Kellerman, Stephen White, etc. When I'm not working on the plane, these books help me forget where I am - I hate the thought of being in a tube at 35,000 feet in the air - and pass the time quicker.
Q: Seen any good movies lately?
Phyllis: You know, I have to admit I do not go to the movies very often as I tend to spend my time outdoors. I've always been very athletic and have to be outside. I play golf every chance I get - it's truly my passion. I spend the majority of my free time at the golf course, so if I rent a DVD, it's one of the big hits. Rest assured, I do watch all the PGA and LPGA tournaments on TV!
Q: Is there anything else you'd like to mention?
Phyllis: I would encourage everyone in the organization to appreciate the opportunity that we have here at Cubist. We are very fortunate to work for a company that believes in the life-work balance and provides an opportunity to really demonstrate your skills and your abilities. I believe this is truly, truly a unique place to be. That's why I tell people "embrace it," as this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!