Meet the
Benco Leadership
Team
Hover my stats to learn more about me!
:)
Larry Cohen
Chief Customer Advocate
Bio
Larry's special someone
My wife of 54 years –Sally Cohen. Sally works at Benco. She’s also a schoolteacher – she taught for years until we had children at home. But I would say, she never gave me a hard time about all the hours I put in – and that was very helpful.
Larry's favorite song
Runaround Sue by Dion.
Last event Larry attended
Johnny Mathis Concert. I met him at the F.M. Kirby Center.
Larry's piece of dental advice
(For everyone:) Floss!
(For dentists: ) Work late nights.
Chuck Cohen
Managing Director
Bio
Chuck Cohen graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1989 with a degree in English, and joined Benco as a territory representative soon after graduation. He’s taken on increasing responsibilities in the sales and marketing areas, becoming Managing Director in 1996. He serves on a variety of industry and community boards, including Wilkes University, the Dental Lifeline Network, and Jewish Community Alliance of Wilkes-Barre.
Chuck's mentor
My father Larry, he taught me that a person can be a mensch and still succeed.
Chuck's favorite song
U2, Beautiful Day. If I was on a desert island, and could only take one song, that would be my pick.
Dental advice
Floss daily – – – even though there’s no scientific study that says it works, we know it does!
Special talents
Known far and wide for making people crazy with my OCD editing skills, proud to be the master of the Oxford comma, and make my kids crazy ‘helping’ edit their papers for schools.
Chuck's favorite food
My wife Rebecca makes a mean vodka sauce, delicious!
Rick Cohen
Managing Director
Bio
After three years as an IT consultant at Accenture, Rick Cohen joined Benco in 1994 to create Painless, the industry’s first windows-based e-commerce software. Since then, he’s taken on increasing responsibilities within Benco, focusing on Information Technology, Logistics, Clarion Financial, and our private brand. He is Co-Chair of the Benco Family Foundation, a trustee of WVIA public television and public radio, and a Director of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation.
Rick's Favorite Food
Like many people raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania – PIZZA!
Rick's mentor
Easiest question in the world – my dad, Larry Cohen!
Dental Advice
Please, try the Pro-Sys VarioSonic! With 25 intensity settings, it’s the first power toothbrush designed for normal mouths as well as those with periodontal issues. I personally guarantee you’ll love it!
Last event Rick attended
I always try to get to the U.S. Open (tennis) on the first day – nobody’s been eliminated yet, and it’s easy to sit up close…
Special achievements
I won the red ribbon (second prize) in the annual Bloomsburg Fair pear competition. This is a bigger deal than it sounds, trust me!
Terry Barrett
Chief Marketing Officer
Bio
Terry Barrett joined Benco Dental in 2008 as VP of Information Technology and moved into his current role mid-2017. As Chief Marketing Officer he is responsible for creating and communicating value for customers, vendors and associates.Terry leads the Merchandising, Supply Chain, Branding & Communications, and Marketing Operations & Analytics teams.
Who's Terry's mentor?
I always admired Steve Jobs on a professional level and learned many lessons from him over the years. It is amazing that he took Apple from near bankruptcy to a leader in so many areas, including mobile phones, entertainment streaming, and retail.
Some very special people
Married Rich, my partner of 20 years. Very proud of my children, both who are out of college and working/living in San Francisco. Liz is a mobile app developer and Justin is a freelance commercial photographer.
Last event Terry attended
My daughter Liz and I went to a Justin Bieber concert and it was awesome!
Terry's special skill
I love to dance and had a ton of fun participating in a local Dancing with the Stars charity event.
Mike Burns
Chief Information Officer
Bio
Mike joined Benco Dental in 2011 and as Chief Information Officer is responsible for leading the company’s technology strategy and managing overall IT operations, including application development, infrastructure, data integrity and technical support. During his tenure at Benco, Mike has served as the Director of Application Development, and Director of Sales Operations.
Mike's mentor
My grandfather, who started his own excavation and construction business in Western, PA and grew it to be a significant local company. I spent my summers as a young man working for him and learned the meaning of hard work, the value of honesty, and the importance of always putting the customer first.
Mike's favorite people in the world
I’m grateful to share my life with my loving wife Alicia, son Ethan, and troublemaking dog named Loki.
Special skill you may not have known about Mike
I love playing board games with friends and family and have a collection of over 100 games. My favorite one… probably Cosmic Encounter.
Memorable adventures
My son and I really want to take scuba lessons together.
Karen Friar
Chief Financial Officer
Bio
Karen Friar joined the family-owned organization as a staff accountant in 1999, shortly after her graduation from Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, PA. While at Benco Dental, Karen earned her MBA from Wilkes University, Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2011, and the Certified Management Accountant designation from the Institute of Management Accountants.
Karen's favorite books from this year
Me, Inc. Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business. GREAT book by Gene Simmons.
Karen's mentor
Larry Cohen! He stands for good values and always doing the right thing.
Karen's impressive skillz
I can say all 50 states in alphabetical order in 60 seconds or less!
Crazy adventure with Karen
Taking two kids under the age of 3 to Hawaii.
Tom Hart
Chief Operations Officer
Bio
Tom comes to Benco from McKesson Corporation, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and medical supply distribution companies. Tom held various senior operations roles since 2004, most recently as VP of Distribution Operations, supplying over half of the nation’s oncology medication. During his tenure at McKesson, he channeled a passion for protecting the nation from a difficult flu that claimed several lives and worked with the Center for Disease Control to deliver two programs: CDC Vaccines for Children and the H1N1 nationwide vaccines distribution.
Special someone
Married to my best friend Rhonda, with our six kids, Marc, Jamie, Austin, Brianna, Cole, and McKenna, 3 dogs and a cat.
Favorite jam
Any and all Johnny Cash.
Words of wisdom
Procrastination is the enemy!
Bragging rights or Mad Skillz
When it comes to BBQ ribs or fried turkeys, I may be where you want to look.
George Rable
Chief Culture & People Officer
Bio
George earned BS/BA Degrees in Social Work/Criminal Justice at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA in 1982. He earned a Master of Public Administration (concentration in Health Services) degree from Marywood University, Scranton, PA in 1984. He attained Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) status in 1996 and Senior Certified Professional status (SHRM-SCP) in 2015 from the Society for Human Resource Management.
George's recent favorites
Two, both by Simon Sinek: Leaders Eat Last and Start With Why.
Special people in the world of George
My wife (Mary) and I have three children. Jeff is in the physics doctoral program at Penn State, Sarah is in the Interior Design Program at Drexel University, and Thomas is in high school.
Awesome concert George attended
My last concert was John Mellencamp at Bethel Woods, on the site of Woodstock.
George's last big adventure
On many of our vacations, we look for the opportunity to zipline and swim in cenotes. Some of these experiences have been more adventurous than others!
Kari Taylor
Chief Revenue Officer
Bio
Kari Taylor joined Benco in January 2016 as Vice President of Sales and Branch Operations, responsible for executing Benco’s growth strategies and delivering a best-in-class customer experience through the company’s branch network of sales and service associates.
Special someone to Kari
Rolf, husband and best friend.
Kari's dental advice
Find the best electric toothbrush and always be flossing. Also, listen and learn from Paul Jackson’s dental wisdom.
Awesome bragging rights
2001 driving adventure from Oregon to Tierra del Fuego (most southern tip of South America).
Kari's favorite food
Golden Delice; a family recipe – a foodie fare of veal, prosciutto, gruyere and curry (yes, I did say curry).