Rep pitches a perfect game

Balancing a career, family and volunteer work is no easy task, but Pennie Vanderlin, a comprehensive care rep for Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, has found that enjoyment, hard work and a good support system are the keys to success.

As well as being a successful sales rep, Vanderlin is a member of the Central Pennsylvania American Lung Advisory Board and a volunteer with Little League. Williamsport, PA, Vanderlin's hometown, was home to the first Little League World Series back in 1939. And Vanderlin has done her part to preserve that history. In 1995, for example, she co-chaired a fundraiser to restore the baseball field and clubhouse.

Vanderlin's team spirit carries over to her career. "When I am waiting in the doctor's office, I talk with the patients," she said. "It's great to hear that a patient's daily activities have become easier because of a product I sell. Hearing positive reinforcement from physicians and patients makes me very proud of the industry."

And, if a physician seems overwhelmed and stressed, Vanderlin will ask how he or she is doing and not discuss her product. "I may not make a sale that day, but the next time I call on that physician, he or she will remember the respect I showed," Vanderlin said. Showing respect, working hard and going above and beyond what is expected are a few factors that contribute to her success.

However, Vanderlin graciously attributes most of her success to her family: "I have a wonderful support system. My husband Jim and I made an agreement that when we had kids one of us would stay home. We decided that he would run his own restoration furniture company from our home. The honesty and respect that I show physicians I show my family as well."