This morning, John Pugliese as honored with the Illinois Alcohol and Drug Dependence Association’s (IADDA’s) Dr. C. Vincent Bakeman Memorial Award for his commitment, vision and the example he has set for the next generation of substance abuse professionals.
Today, Pugliese, who recently retired from the Gateway Foundation after a remarkable career in employee assistance program (EAP) and drug and alcohol treatment, sat down with Perspectives Working World Café as part of our Recovery Month Q&A Series. The father of 10 children and stepchildren, grandfather of 16, and former Army Infantry Lieutenant from the Bronx, (New York,) reflected on how he started this successful journey and lessons learned along the way.
WWC: You graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Sociology, were stationed in Germany during the Cold War, had a career in sales and marketing and then spent 25 years in the alcohol and drug treatment field. Most recently, you spent 14 years as Vice-President of Program Initiatives for the Gateway Foundation. How and when did you get into the employee assistance program (EAP) field?
JP: I began my career with the Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) and after several years became senior account manager in Chicago, selling aluminum products to the can, food, beer, liquor and soft drink industries. I had little or no knowledge of alcohol or drugs – although it was the age of the “two martini lunch.” Diet Pepsi was more my speed!
Because of my Sociology degree and reputation in the company, I was asked by my manager if I would help, as an additional duty, implement the company’s new alcohol and drug program to help employees who had a problem. I said: “I don’t know what you’re talking about but I’d be happy to learn!”
Little did I know it would be a career and life changing decision.
The two men in Pittsburgh who were running the national program were both more buttoned-down-shirt than I am (we even had to wear straw business hats in the summer) and both had a history of alcoholism and recovery that was frightening and inspiring. They were two of the finest and most professionally competent people I had ever met and as we became close friends I learned more about addiction, treatment and recovery, including attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
I was inspired by the miracle of recovery.
The knowledge of addiction as a chronic illness eventually replaced my stereotypical view of the alcoholic or addict as “weak willed.” Research since that time has confirmed the importance of brain chemistry and genetics as key factors in the illness. The spiritual wisdom contained in the 12 Steps of AA added great depth of understanding to my own religious beliefs and practice.
Although I only helped a few people get into treatment and return to their jobs, I made a career decision to try to enter the EAP or treatment field and combine my professional career in sales and marketing with a “product” (treatment and recovery) that I was passionate about.
Fortunately, the Parkside Division of Lutheran General Hospital was just expanding its network of treatment centers nationally and they were looking for a professional marketing and sales person. Because I did not have a clinical degree, I was initially viewed as an “outsider,” but after a while I proved to be an asset to Parkside’s expansion. (I wasn’t a metallurgist but did pretty well at selling aluminum!)
I eventually became vice-president of marketing working with 50 + treatment centers and their marketing staffs. After 10 years and the onset of managed care, Lutheran decided it did not want to be a national provider. I spent a year as general manager of an EAP firm but was soon recruited to establish a marketing and sales activity at the Gateway Foundation – which is now the largest provider of outpatient and residential addiction treatment for adults and adolescents in the State of Illinois.
In FY2009, Gateway treated more than 11,000 people in its community based programs.
WWC: So, as former internal EAP and leader at a treatment facility, why would you recommend that businesses offer an EAP?
JP: Every organization’s primary resource is its people.
A great deal of organizational resources are devoted to recruiting, hiring, training and supervising this most important resource. Especially in today’s economy, retaining key staff and maximizing efficiency and productivity are crucial to the success of the organization.
However, people in every organization are faced with personal problems that can impact their effectiveness and productivity. Everyone at some point in their careers can be affected by family problems, health issues, stress, problems with adolescents, concern for aging parents, financial or legal problems, and/or alcohol and drug problems.
Alcohol is still the #1 drug problem. More than 10% of the adult population in the United States has an alcohol or drug problem; addiction to legal prescription drugs has become an increasing problem.
Today’s EAPs have been expanded to deal with any problem that may be negatively impacting an employee and their effectiveness on the job. For supervisors, an effective EAP can be a great asset in helping identify and deal with employees whose personal problems are impacting their job performance.
One might ask, “why not just fire the person whose personal problems are causing job performance issues?”
Because people can overcome personal problems and once again return to full productivity; the company already has a significant investment in that person; turnover is costly; replacement personnel are subject to being impacted by similar personal problems….we’re all human!
WWC: Are there any anecdotes or lessons learned from your career that really stand out?
JP: Yes. Here are just a few:
1) When I was in the Army and running a live grenade range, my life was saved by a combat veteran sergeant who picked up and threw a live grenade that had been accidentally dropped by one of our men. A year later, I had to dismiss that sergeant, who had been busted to private, from the Army for his chronic drinking problem. How many times I have thought: “how I wish I had known then what I know now about addiction; when sober, he was the best!”
Lesson learned: Today we could help!
2) I was invited to speak to a religious organization of about 50 people about my work as an EAP. When asked if they should project the 10% addiction factor to that community, I hemmed and hawed and quickly backtracked, assuming they were a select group living a committed lifestyle. (I was new to the field of EAP at the time). Six months later I was told that four people had been through treatment and were back “better than ever.”
Lesson learned: the chronic illness of addiction can affect anyone.
3) I have seen a president of a Fortune 500 company lose his job because of his alcoholism; I have seen several top executives receive treatment and come back, with the support of their EAP, “better than ever.”
Lesson learned: alcoholism has no respect for rank.
4) I am very concerned about the amount of drinking among our young people, particularly at colleges. Excessive drinking seems to be a rite of passage and social life seems to center around bars.
Lesson learned: Parents need to be alert to this type of dangerous behavior.
WWC: Thanks for doing this John. You’ve shared some amazing insights with us. Any final words for our readers?
JP: Addiction is a chronic illness, and like other chronic illnesses, it is subject to relapse. Support, particularly in early recovery, is very important. An EAP can provide that support and greatly reduce the chances for relapse.
Tags: Dr. C. Vincent Bakeman Memorial Award, EAP, Employee Assistance Program, Gateway Foundation, IADDA, Illinois Alcohol and Drug Dependence Association, John Pugliese, recovery month
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