Changing of the guard at UPS: Bill Hook retires, John Menna promoted

When UPS acquired Livingston Healthcare Logistics in 2000, it also obtained Bill Hook, who would become the VP of Global Strategy for what became UPS Healthcare Logistics. That unit has since grown from 10 distribution centers to 45 around the world, encompassing 6.4 million sq. ft. of compliant, dedicated space for storing and distributing pharmaceuticals, medical devices and related healthcare products. Hook is now retiring, and will be replaced by John Menna, a 28-year veteran of the company and formerly director of customer technology, and VP of marketing in Latin America and the Caribbean. Hook is taking a senior advisory role during the transition.

"UPS has built its healthcare logistics leadership through the development of innovative industry-specific solutions, a focus on aggressive growth in our global network and expansion model, in line with - and at times ahead of - customer demands," said Hook in a statement. "It has been an exciting and rewarding time to work at UPS.”

"Working closely with our customers around the world, UPS will continue to develop innovative, industry-leading healthcare solutions to meet the evolving needs of the industry," added Menna.

Along the way, UPS Healthcare Logistics acquired multiple logistics companies worldwide, including Pieffe (Italy), CEMELOG (Hungary) and, most recently, Polar Speed (UK). It missed out on an intriguing opportunity when parent UPS’ bid to acquire TNT Express, a Dutch delivery company with broad clinical logistics expertise, was rejected by European authorities, but the company has forged ahead with other acquisitions and with organic growth.

UPS Healthcare Logistics is in hotly contested space, with more and more national and multinational logistics and distribution companies targeting the healthcare-products space, which lacks the volume of other industries but more than makes up for that in growth and in needed specialized services. The company has also made a compelling case for more direct distribution by life sciences companies, either through handling their internal logistics capabilities on an outsourced basis, or by assuming a customer-service role for life sciences customers directly.