Honoring Distinguished Service — Marshall and Tiernan Inducted Into AIM/R Hall of Fame

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Organizations like AIM/R are much more than a community of today’s membership. They’re a reflection of all those who have come before, helped build the group’s foundation and added layers of knowledge and experience along the way.

AIM/R wanted a way to formally recognize — and memorialize — all of those contributions. Several years ago, they established the AIM/R Hall of Fame and announced the inaugural group. Since then, 12 were added. And during the AIM/R 46th Annual Conference, SVP of Industry and PR Brian Morgan of The Morgan Group introduced Tom Tiernan, CPMR, and Gregg Marshall, CPMR, as the newest inductees into this prestigious group.

“I am honored to be introducing these two gentlemen,” said Morgan. “Tom and Gregg were both very instrumental in AIM/R’s growth and helped elevate the group’s identity and respect within this industry.”

They also were very early proponents of CPMR certification, a rigorous three-year program that is often compared to a masters’ degree for reps. In the mid-1990s, Marshall was the first AIM/R member to complete the program and Tiernan was the second. At that time, most plumbing reps were not familiar with it.

“Thanks to the endeavors and example of reps like Gregg and Tom, quite a large percentage of our members have since earned the CPMR designation,” Morgan said. “It takes commitment and drive to take on a challenge like that, but I believe they’d all describe it as a tremendous benefit to their businesses.”

2018 AIM/R Hall of Fame recipients — Gregg Marshall and wife Lorraine.

Gregg Marshall, CPMR, CSP, CMC, formerly with J.N. Marshall, Inc.
AIM/R President 1998-1999

The first recipient got his start very similarly to many of the legacy stories within our association and industry. His dad started the J.N. Marshall agency in Colorado in 1949 and was joined by his brother in 1953. Gregg Marshall came on board in 1986 to primarily focus on operations and finance. They built a successful agency with multiple offices covering the Rockies region. J.N. Marshall became Marshall-Rodeno Associated when they merged with Rodeno & Associates in the early 2000s.

Throughout his career, Marshall had been actively involved with AIM/R, serving as conference chairman in Marco Island and president in 1998-1999. In being named to the Hall of Fame, Marshall reflected back on the four key cornerstones he had wanted to help the group accomplish:

Improve and increase the educational offerings of the association.
Take a more active role in the industry.
Promote the importance of the rep function across the industry.
Improve the committee structure and operations.

Well done, Gregg Marshall!

Brian Morgan presenting the 2018 AIM/R Hall of Fame award to Tom Tiernan (right).

Tom Tiernan, CPMR, of Tom Tiernan & Associates
AIM/R President 2000-2001

Tom Tiernan was also inducted to the Hall of Fame this year. Based in Wisconsin, Tom Tiernan & Associates also covers Iowa, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota. His son, Michael, has joined the firm and is now the third generation at the business. Tiernan served in the military during the Vietnam War and as he describes, was “patched up” by the Canadian Medical Team there. After returning home from service, he formed the agency in 1972. Former Haws executive Pat Kelly was one of the first who encouraged Tom to get involved with AIM/R.

“There was always so much good information that members could share between each other that really helped us grow our agencies,” Tiernan said. “Some of it was thought-provoking ‘open your eyes’ types of discussions while some others were everyday operational practices.” Tiernan said that the multi-track conference program AIM/R often offered for larger and smaller reps was a significant benefit for agencies like his that he considered small firms.

“I never had a ‘big’ line,” he said. “I was always trying to pick up new business anywhere. Some reps drive by potential business every day; I’m the one who always stopped my car. Looking back, I’m proud to say that we worked hard and had fun doing it.”

Congratulations, Tom Tiernan!

The leadership, integrity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit of members like Tiernan and Marshall have helped AIM/R create real awareness across the supply channel about the important role of manufacturers’ reps in the sales and marketing process.

“In an era and an industry that are constantly changing and always ‘on the move,’ it’s important to remind ourselves that the AIM/R of today was built through the efforts of some very insightful, dedicated reps who believed in the value this association brought to their firms — and what it would bring to those who followed them,” emphasized Brian Morgan.

About AIM/R

AIM/R (www.aimr.net) is a trade association dedicated to enhancing the quality and value of independent sales representative agencies serving the plumbing, HVACR, kitchen & bath, waterworks and irrigation markets. AIM/R promotes and improves the rep function through education, networking, communication and leadership, and its members are the top agencies in the industry.