At its 46th-Annual Conference, AIM/R, the Association of Independent Manufacturers’ Representatives Inc., introduced Tom Tiernan, CPMR, and Gregg Marshall, CPMR, as the newest inductees into the AIM/R Hall of Fame.
“I am honored to be introducing these two gentlemen,” said presenter Brian Morgan, senior vice president of industry and PR for The Morgan Group. “Tom and Gregg were both very instrumental in AIM/R’s growth and helped elevate the group’s identity and respect within this industry.”
The new inductees were early proponents of CPMR certification, a rigorous three-year program that is often compared to a master’s 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.”
Marshall got his start in a similar manner to many of the legacy stories within the association and industry. His father started the J.N. Marshall agency in Colorado in 1949 and was joined by his brother in 1953. 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 the company merged with Rodeno & Associates in the early 2000s. Throughout his career, Marshall has been actively involved with AIM/R, serving as conference chairman in Marco Island and president in 1998-1999.
Tiernan’s Tom Tiernan & Associates is based in Wisconsin and also serves 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.
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