I am amazed there has been no attempt on this site to predict the future for hundreds of sales reps, distributors, managers et al. I'll take the first stab. Three separate levels: 1. Corporate sales managers. Their lot is the most simple, put all the names in a hat, pull on 5 or 6 and it's done. Most are recycled guys who failed carrying the bag. 2. Sales Reps. Most will be offered a position for several reasons. Physician loyalty remains even though it is not as strong as it once was. The new company does not want to consolidate business under fewer reps, that would result in a rep making too much money. Also, the goal will be to keep business, not pacify individual reps. Alternately, this would be a great time for reps with solid business and a surgeon following to shop it. Stryker or Depuy are the logical suitors. I would imagine that each is shoring up a competitive rep program. 3. Distributors. This will be the biggest area of change. Zimmer management will be making the decisions, thus the Biomet distributor is in trouble. Zimmer has previously taken several areas to a direct model as has Stryker. The Biomet distributor has no leverage as they gave up the sales rep contracts to corporate. If Zimmer must, a few million $$ to make this go away is chump change in a $13B transaction. The resulting sales structure will be direct operations. So long, distributors, it's over and frankly, that's sad.