Business

Henri R. Bersoux

In December of 2008 I left the world of big business on the heels of a very successful turnaround. I was hired as the Vice President and General Manager of PMSI-msa, a division of AmerisourceBergen, to smooth a transition from prior management following the acquisition of Health Advocates Inc. and to stabilize a difficult post merger integration. Together with existing management and some new hires we stopped a decline in revenues, right-sized the organization and restored it to profitability in less than six months. In this period revenues were restored from $900,000 a month to $1.3 million a month. Once the turnaround was completed the company was sold. It was not easy. Just a year prior to my departure I had flown to California to close an office and lay off 20 people just before Christmas. The fact that I was cleaning up an overhiring situation not of my own making did not help take away the stress and sadness of the situation. However, we had to get costs in line so we could focus on growing the company again, which we eventually did. It is not that it was my first layoff or firing but on this trip I reflected that my 25 year of "falling up" the corporate ladder did not bring me the joy I thought it would. It is fair to say that this trip to California was for me a moment of enlightening that would cause a two-year gradual sea change in my personal values as well as my views on politics, the economy, personal relationships and much, much more. These are described in other areas of this site. For the benefit of my children, this was Dad's career as described in my last resume:

"Henri R. Bersoux is a seasoned executive who has built, led and grown profit focused companies. He is a fast moving agent of change extensively tested under very challenging conditions. He reliably and predictably produces strong growth, improves efficiency and handles difficult situations with grace under pressure. As a proven leader Henri Bersoux integrates seamlessly into the fabric of any organization, quickly building relationships and respect. Henri Bersoux is known for making positive changes and delivering strong results on an aggressive schedule with minimal disruption. Mr. Bersoux rose through business ranks and ultimately into general management principally as a sales & marketing executive. He quickly acquired growth as his core competency. He has successfully transferred this primary skill set across multiple industry groups. He is a quick study and assimilates complex issues very rapidly.

"Before joining PMSI Mr. Bersoux served as the president & chief executive of a small regional life insurance organization. Mr. Bersoux joined the carrier in January of 2002. He and his new management team funded 76% growth in three years strictly from operations in the first three years. The carrier’s principal lines of business included travel health & accident, pre-need and credit life.

"Prior to joining ACA Mr. Bersoux was Vice President & General Manager of the e-business and supply chain division of a $400 million public technology company. He created and executed a go-to-market strategy for a business unit focused principally on new accounts. He devised a sales approach and recruited, trained and fielded a high performance sales force. Mr. Bersoux packaged the company’s service offerings with clear value propositions and grew the new account sales pipeline from nothing to $7 million in 12 months even as the Internet "bubble" was bursting.

"Mr. Bersoux served "Big Four" professional services firm Ernst & Young from July of 1993 until early 2000. He was promoted 3 times in 6 ½ years, culminating in his appointment as a director in the firm in 1997. Mr. Bersoux served the global accounting and consulting giant in many different positions: he brought electronic marketing to the life insurance practice; helped double the $250 million dollar practice’s average engagement as its Market Segment Executive; led the firm's efforts in branding, corporate identity, internal communications, Internet research, web design, technology innovation, creative services (print and digital), internal marketing, recruitment marketing, marketing research and commercial publishing – as the firm’s national director of creative services; and he implemented this firm's first three global websites and its second generation e-commerce site as a director of global client connectivity in the firm’s Center for Business Knowledge.

"From 1989 to 1993 Mr. Bersoux developed policies and championed issues management strategies for dealing with a crisis of confidence in the life insurance industry following the widely publicized failures of several large companies. As a senior communications associate he was the leading national spokesperson on solvency and financial matters for the life insurance industry. He was widely and successfully quoted in most top tier publications, from news magazines such as Time and U.S. News to the New York Times.

"Prior to 1989 Mr. Bersoux held gradually more responsible positions as an account executive and manager in Washington, D.C. advertising, public relations and marketing companies with a focus on the travel and hospitality industry.

"Mr. Bersoux holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, from which he graduated in three years while working several sales positions. He is completely bilingual in English and French."