When employees are asked what they like most about Red Oak, virtually everyone in the company says, “The People.”
We are a diverse group of individuals – over 60 strong – who work together in innovative and unexpected ways to deliver value to our parent companies. Get to know a few of our talented team members…
Road to Red Oak: I joined Red Oak after spending 15 years at CVS where I held numerous roles including Pharmacist, District Manager, and Regional Director of Acquisitions. The business side of Pharmaceuticals has always intrigued me and when I heard of Red Oak I jumped on the opportunity. I put my name forward, interviewed for Director of Pharmaceutical Sourcing and was offered the role.
Role at Red Oak: I own the pharmaceutical supplier relationships for CVS and Cardinal Health – everything from negotiations to industry knowledge. We manage supply, deal with disruptions and negotiate contracts to make sure patients and providers have the generics they need at the best value.
Why Red Oak? We have a very close knit group. We collaborate every day and we take time as a team to celebrate our successes. In procuring pharmaceuticals, I know that we make a difference in improving drug access for our patients.
Most valuable skills: Being a pharmacist – having a strong knowledge of pharmaceuticals – and my experience with negotiations and relationship building. At CVS, in my last role, I essentially built relationships with independent pharmacy owners and brought their businesses over to CVS. I then worked with the store teams to transition the business over and make it as smooth as possible for the patients and the store teams.
Tips for new hires: There’s definitely a diminished amount of red tape here. If you want action, you can make it happen pretty swiftly. We have the luxury of having our leadership right down the hallway.
Road to Red Oak: While at CVS, I was looking for my next challenge. The opportunity to work at a “small” joint venture was exciting to me – the idea of an expanding industry, new knowledge base and growth opportunities.
Role at Red Oak: My first six years at Red Oak were spent managing the Finance team responsible for all budgeting and forecasting for our parent companies. Having worked so closely with the Sourcing team, I knew I wanted to try something new that would impact the business in an entirely different way. My role now is to build strong partnerships with manufacturers to ensure patient access to critical generic drugs while driving value for CVS and Cardinal Health which requires strategic thinking and negotiating.
Best Work Day Ever: Some of my best days are spent in meetings with cross functional teams challenging each other to be the best and drive the most value for our parent companies. Before joining Red Oak, I had never worked on a team where everyone was a rock star. With that level of intelligence, ambition, and collaboration in one room, fireworks just happen.
Best Tip for New Hires: Stay hungry and stay curious! You were hired because we knew your unique skillset could have a positive impact. Remain committed to asking the questions, seeking out better solutions, and making a difference and you will be successful!
Favorite Work Perk: Red Oak’s dedication to philanthropy. The company organizes volunteering events during the workday to support local organizations in need. They also match $1,000 of your annual charitable contributions. If you prefer to contribute by donating your time, Red Oak will still make a monetary matching donation!
Road to Red Oak: I was a pharmacist in India. I came to the U.S. in 2002, joined the CVS Pharmacy Merchandising Team, then moved to Sourcing two years prior to Red Oak’s formation. I’ve been here since the beginning.
Role at Red Oak: As a member of the Sourcing team, I work closely with suppliers to get the best value for our Parents. We manage thousands of products and there are a lot of moving parts in this industry.
Why Red Oak? The biggest thing for me was that, while Red Oak is a startup, it has the backing of two large healthcare companies. I wanted to have the experience of building a company, but with the security and stability of the Parents.
Most valuable skills: Experience. Knowing the industry and understanding finance.
Tips for new hires: Take your time. Understand the needs of all stakeholders and remember that value isn’t simply measured by lower prices.
Road to Red Oak: I was working in healthcare in Boston and looking for a change. I was casually keeping my eye out for jobs and I stumbled upon this new startup opportunity. I interviewed, then took a leap of faith. And, it happens to be something that I absolutely love.
Role at Red Oak: My team is responsible for data management as well as contract validation, administration and execution.
Why Red Oak? It’s very dynamic. There’s always something happening. The days go by very quickly and it’s fun. That’s what I love about it. That and the people on my team.
Biggest Contribution: I helped build and now manage a custom application that basically “marries” the data from our two parent companies. It lets our sourcing team quickly query, review and then use data.
Road to Red Oak: I worked for Walgreens for 22 years. I started out as a retail pharmacist, then became a District Pharmacy Supervisor and then a District Manager.
Why Red Oak? After 22 years, I felt it was time for a change, so I moved on over to Red Oak and couldn’t be happier. Every day, I work with a group of exceptionally smart people, who are dedicated and care about their work. You can’t ask for more than that.
Role at Red Oak: A large part of my job is helping to ensure good supply of generic drugs for CVS and Cardinal Health. That involves a lot of strategic thinking, negotiating and building strong relationships to get high-quality products and good value for our parents and their customers.
Biggest Contribution: I bring a different perspective. I was an external hire. Several team members came here through CVS or Cardinal Health. My experience as a pharmacist and in the retail industry brings added value to the team.
Best Tip for Applicants: The perfect candidate is someone who can manage their time, learn independently, think critically, and work collaboratively. It’s a very collaborative environment here.
Best Work Perk: The charity match is one of the ways Red Oak gives back to the community. Red Oak matches your charity donations up to $1,000 annually. I think that’s amazing. Also, we have gym membership reimbursements. It’s a great way Red Oak supports our health and wellness.
Road to Red Oak: I previously worked at Cardinal Health. I was brought over to help Red Oak install their infrastructure and never left.
Role at Red Oak: I’m the IT guy. I do everything related to IT – from phones to networking to security. I’m it.
Why Red Oak? I’m on a small team, so I’m more involved with things and part of the whole decision-making process. Also, no one is title-driven here. Everyone is approachable and part of the team.
Biggest Contribution: I bring new technologies and tools to the company with the goal of improving our operations.
Best Work Day Ever! Every day is the best work day ever. On my day off, I still come in. I just love what I do.
Road to Red Oak: I started working at Citizens Bank in 2006 and worked my way up the finance ladder, to Senior Financial Analyst before joining Red Oak in 2016.
Why Red Oak? For me, this is a new industry — doing data as opposed to financial forecasting and budgeting is completely different and constantly keeps me on my toes. I’ve been here for four years and I continue to learn something new every day. I enjoy the challenge.
Role at Red Oak: My biggest job is to ensure that data coming in from the parent is valid. Every finance and sourcing decision and every contract that goes out the door is based on the data that we validate.
Most Valuable Skill: I’m extremely detail-oriented. Here, we validate down to the unit. There’s no threshold for variance.
Best Tip for New Hires: Bring that enthusiasm. Coming in here with that hunger to learn makes a big difference in how successful you’ll be.
Favorite Work Perks: I love the business casual dress code!
Road to Red Oak: I came from Hill Holiday Advertising in Boston. I was an operations analyst there. One of my friends worked at Red Oak. There was an opening and she thought it would be a great opportunity for me.
Role at Red Oak: I used to support the sourcing team as a senior analyst, running finance statistics that serve as kind of a starting point for deals. Today, I’m in operations where I’m more in touch with our parent companies. I help out on launches, acquisitions and supply disruptions.
Why Red Oak? I’ve never worked in generics before. The industry is fascinating, exciting and dynamic. Every day presents a different challenge that I find interesting and engaging. The people and culture here make going to work really enjoyable.
Best Work Day Ever! I was working directly with our VP of Sourcing. We had a situation and we were running different scenarios. I was able to see more sides of the business than I am normally exposed to, which was exciting.
Favorite thing to do in Foxborough: My family and I spend a lot of free time at the YMCA. We go for swim lessons and basketball.
Road to Red Oak: My first job out of college was with EMC, a data storage company. I was a pricing analyst there. A recruiter reached out to me and I thought it was a great opportunity. I took a little bit of a risk, but it’s definitely paid off.
Role at Red Oak: As a Manager of Operations, I’m on the front line of Red Oak’s correspondence with CVS and Cardinal. We are in constant contact working on various projects and contracts, and problem-solving day-to-day issues. I also manage inventory initiatives and Cardinal Health’s repack business.
Why Red Oak? It’s a great industry to be in. I learn new things every day. And the industry’s only growing. That was a big part of why I came here. Also, everyone here is great to work with. Everyone has such varied backgrounds; it’s great.
Biggest Contribution: I feel like it’s the day-to-day… understanding the opportunities and finding the best ones.
Favorite Lunch Spot: Mansfield Deli has great sandwiches.
Road to Red Oak: My background is retail-based. I worked at Target and as a financial advisor at Citizens Bank. I was looking for something different; more on the analytical side. A friend referred me, so I checked it out.
Why Red Oak? I was impressed with the people and the mission, the small company feel, and that you also have two big Fortune 20 companies behind your back.
Role at Red Oak: My team works with sourcing, suppliers, and the parents…but the biggest contribution we make is getting low-cost drugs to patients. The impact of what we do — morally — feels great. What we do is savings-driven.
Most Exciting Thing: There’s room here to be creative and change the way something is done with the data. It’s a culture where you can say, “What do you think of this?”
Most Rewarding Thing: The work matters. I go home every day knowing I’ve made a difference.
Favorite Work Perk: We do a lot of team events. At least a couple times a month we get out and just have some downtime together. That’s part of what drives the positive culture here.