Beckman management training program (Allergan was a subsidiary of
SKB at the time). I was as junior as they come. Even so, I was given
the opportunity to manage Allergan's highest revenue and most prof-
itable product line — enzymatic cleaners for soft contact lenses — and
I reported directly to the vice president of marketing.
The culture at Allergan back in the early- to mid-'80s was one that
encouraged risk-taking and out-of-the-box thinking — at least in mar-
keting. At the time, marketing contact lens care products consisted of
professional promotion to optometrists and ophthalmologists. It was
clear to me, however, from the work I did in market research, that con-
sumers were going to play a much bigger role in the decision process. I
was given the green light to conduct the first-ever direct-to-consumer
promotion in the history of the contact-lens-care category. This result-
ed in a 50% increase in sales over the next 3 years on a product line
with a profit margin of 95%. This, along with my new, outgoing and
confident personality gave me the opportunity to make many friends.
I was also "out" at work, which was pretty rare for the mid-'80s. I
was popular — particularly with the sales force — and I liked that! It
was like a drug to me. Plus, I was rewarded for my risk-taking, a char-
acteristic that would become ingrained in me over time. In a sense, I
felt invincible.
All of these qualities were cemented at Vistakon, the vision care divi-
sion of Johnson & Johnson that markets the Acuvue family of dispos-
able contact lenses. After a year of managing the Surevue brand, I was
selected to manage the global launch of the first daily disposable con-
tact lens. J&J was spending $200 million to launch this category, so this
was a highly visible position. The launch was successful, and I was on
top of the world! I was known and well-liked, not only in J&J, but
throughout the eyecare industry. Because Vistakon was a top advertis-
er, my husband and I even got to attend the White House
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