Bill Seasholtz

Business Consultant with extensive marketing experience in growth strategies, strategy development, positioning, new product planning, and anticipating the competition. Served as an internal marketing consultant at Merck for both new and existing products and services.

Introduced and championed competitive gaming for major Merck products – Vioxx ($ 2B sales), Arcoxia, Zocor ($ 4B sales) and Zetia. Assumed the competitors' role and developed marketing strategies, positioning statements, promotional messages and sales aids. Also, recommended countermeasures to blunt their possible actions.

Directed promotion for Fosamax (an $ 800M product) to simplify and focus promotional messages and resources, including preparation for launch of Actonel and Fosamax Once Weekly. Initiated and led osteoporosis diagnosis effort during Fosamax pre-launch activities, resulting in dramatic increase in the diagnosis of osteoporosis.

Coordinated division Marketing Plan for large scale customers, resulting in creation of Merck's Managed Care Marketing Department. Initiated cross-division efforts to develop and market line extensions leading to licensing agreement with R.P. Scherer for fast-dissolving wafer for Pepcid. Served as division expert on packaging, sampling and product images.

Pioneered and directed numerous innovative marketing efforts: elderly market plan, telemedicine, compliance, corporate wellness, and novel antibiotic program.

Developed launch Marketing Plans for Prilosec and Pepcid including selection of purple pill color for Prilosec.

Teaches graduate marketing courses in Pharmaceutical Marketing, Anticipating the Competition, Positioning Products and Services, Understanding Diseases from a Business Perspective, The U.S. Healthcare System, and New Product Planning as Adjunct Professor at Lehigh University.

Leads seminars in growth strategies for pharmaceutical brands for industry marketing managers.

Prepares future healthcare scenarios for leading healthcare research center.

Reviews business plans for Ben Franklin Technology Partners' start-up firms.

Included in his qualifications are a B.A. in Chemistry from Temple University and an M.B.A. in Marketing from Lehigh University.