I read the obituary of James A. Fisher, “James Fisher of Fisher Scientific dies at 93” , and I was saddened. Remembering my many encounters with Jim, I had to smile.
Jim revolutionized scientific equipment marketing with the first-ever four-color catalog of scientific equipment. He blazed the path for using photogenic models standing next to scientific instruments in color photographs. Jim, with his creativity and foresight, was pivotal in driving Fisher Scientific toward becoming the largest global supplier of scientific apparatus.
I was hired by Jim and I will acknowledge that it was my best career move. My second best career move was when I left the company after Jim departed, because the character of the company was not the same without Jim. I was captivated by Jim's idiosyncrasies, i.e., his lying on the floor behind his desk when muscles in his back went into spasm. He'd work, talking by telephone and reading reports, while on his back.
He once summoned me to ask for “the formula for hemoglobin.” It gave me pause for a few seconds before I replied that hemoglobin was a complex protein that by its very design constantly changes in its content of metallic ions and with bound and dissolved gases. Jim, without another word, switched to using the notation “Hb” for hemoglobin in his promotional efforts for the Fisher Hemoglobin Analyzer.
Jim has left the world a much better place for his having existed. And the marketing of scientific apparatus has universally changed in no small way because of Jim's efforts. Jim Fisher will be missed.
Joseph G. Cremonese
Hempfield
The writer is chairman of the board of Scientific Industries Inc.
