Although he’s been a member of the MANA staff for only a little over five years, Jerry Leth, the association’s manager of membership, has a rep track record stretching back several years beyond that time.

Prior to joining the MANA staff in 2000, Leth had carved out a successful career for himself as an independent manufacturers’ representative. “I started as a rep serving the nuclear power generating industry,” he explains. “When the passage of the Energy Deregulation Act of 1994 adversely affected the business, however, I followed the recommendation of another rep and made contact with a company that made systems for manufacturers of medical devices.” That’s the market he served until he joined MANA.

Leth’s experience with the association predates his time as a staff member. “Back when I was a rep, I heard from fellow reps how important MANA was and they convinced me to join.” Among the benefits that membership provided him during his time as a rep were the networking opportunities and the steady stream of information that appeared in the pages of Agency Sales magazine. “The ability to rub elbows with other reps in the Northern California Chapter meetings was a great help to me. That, and the articles in Agency Sales that described what other reps encountered in their businesses, not to mention the classified ads that appeared monthly, were very beneficial.”

As he looks back to the point when he became a member of the MANA staff, Leth explains, “I was at a point when I was thinking about retirement. Just at that time, I received a mailing from the association, and mixed in with all the other material was a notice that they were looking for someone to join the management team. I called to inquire about the position and immediately was struck by the sense of purpose I found among the staff members. That’s what attracted me, and that’s why I put my retirement plans on hold.”

In his position heading up member services, Leth is one of the association managers who is ready to assist members and associates when they seek business counseling. He’s also the one most members will have contact with for matters concerning local networking chapters.

With a number of years under his belt as a member coupled with five years as a integral part of the MANA staff, Leth offers the view that in addition to the “tremendous sense of purpose the association has in meeting the needs of its members, I’ve been overwhelmed by the level of knowledge and information the association has concerning reps. Perhaps one of the greatest challenges we have in that area is to effectively disseminate all that’s here. To that end, members ought to be aware of and take advantage of the steady flow of information contained in the seminar programs, in the pages of Agency Sales, and in the special reports that are published. One of the best things we as staff can do to is to carry the message to our members for them to pick up the phone and call us any time they have any need. That’s why we’re here, and chances are they’ll find the help they need.”