Gerry grew up in the small farming town of Plaza, Washington. He graduated from Plaza Grade School and Spangle High School. Gerry then received a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Washington State University. He worked for two years in retail pharmacy and then spent two years in the U.S. Public Health Service as a pharmacy officer. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School and then began his career with Eli Lilly and Company. Gerry retired from Eli Lilly after a long and very successful 33-year career.