About FOCM

FOCM Networking is a multi-purpose site based on the value of networking. The purpose is to share viewpoints, knowledge, information and to help people see and realize the power of networking and to connect individuals. As an individual, we are limited to our own knowledge and experience. When one adds the experience and knowledge of a person’s friends, relatives and business contacts and brings that information together, the result is a powerful database that can be used to help the network’s members. Some of the things this network can do for you:

The History of FOCM

The late, great Peter Holthe, while walking the exhibit hall with Chris Matheus at one of the Drug Information Association (DIA) annual conferences, remarked on how many people Mr. Matheus knew. A few nights later at a business dinner, the two joked about 6 degrees of separation from Chris Matheus in the pharma research industry and that a club should be formed. Generally, great ideas that are born while consuming drinks are usually soon forgotten. However, Peter did not give up on the idea and about 2 weeks after that DIA, a shipment of membership cards was received by Mr. Matheus. Peter had designed the logo and title and pronunciation of the group name. The logo has the Arizona State Flag on the top half to indicate that is where Mr. Matheus spent his formative years. The ocean in the bottom half represents that Mr. Matheus has lived on both coasts, in California for 6 years and in North Carolina for the last 20+ years. The group’s name is pronounced ‘fockem’ and when Mr. Matheus pointed out that this pronunciation could be misunderstood, Dr. Holthe said, it has to be this way, it is as irreverent as are you, Mr. Matheus and fockem if they don’t get the humor.

I have come to believe that in the clinical research/drug development industry there but two degrees of separation. In networking workshops that I’ve been involved in, we encourage attendees to play the “degrees of separation” game. That entails asking someone that you meet for the first time to share their previous employers and titles going back 10-20 years and try to find if you know someone in common.