BGSU Sales Competition Winners Announced

(Pictured left to right: Corey Spino from Marathon Petroleum Company, Dr. Bob Wu, Interim Marketing Department Chair; Students Collin Newton; Zach Leonhardt; Thomas Moody; and Dr. Greg Rich, BGSU associate professor and sales team coach.)

With the prestige of participating in the National Collegiate Sales Competition (NCSC) and the prospect of directly connecting with employers, more than 50 students competed for top honors of this year’s BGSU Sales Competition. With stiff competition, the field was narrowed to 13 finalists after round 1, then the top 8 in round 2.  Thirty-nine representatives from sponsoring companies then reviewed the eight videos and chose the top three winners which were announced at the Sales Award Banquet on November 8.  
           
Capturing first place was senior marketing student Zach Leonhardt, and second place was senior Collin Newton, who is dual specializing in sales and services marketing and business analytics & intelligence. Thomas Moody, a senior in sales and services marketing and finance, earned third place. The top two finishers advance to the National Collegiate Sales Competition in late March where BGSU has a history of finishing strong. The top three winners also earned scholarships -$1,000, $500, and $250 respectively.

The finalists competed in a highly dynamic role play based on the competition’s premier sponsor, Marathon Petroleum Company LP. During the recording, each finalist was selling the Louisiana-style Krispy Krunchy Chicken to a Marathon gas station/convenience store owner played by TJ Noonan, Brand Business Development Specialist at Marathon Petroleum.

The BGSU Sales Competition develops critical oral communication and problem-solving skills that are relevant to all business careers, according to Dr. Greg Rich, the BGSU sales coach and organizer of the annual Sales Award Banquet.  He adds that most students sign up for this competition because it connects them to the participating companies at the job fair that immediately precedes the banquet. This year prior to the Sales Award Banquet was a “Reverse Job Fair” where students who competed in the Sales Competition stood behind tables and 30 business representatives walked around talking to students about their career goals and their sales competition experience.

During the Sales Award Banquet, the College of Business, along with two BGSU graduates of the sales program, gave a tribute to Ms. Christine Seiler, instructor in the marketing department. She served many years as the BGSU sales coach and prepared students for the national sales competition. Ms. Seiler has also taught many of the sales courses over the past 18 years. Marketing department interim chair, Dr. Bob Wu, presented Ms. Seiler with thank-you gifts as she is leaving BGSU for South Carolina at the end of fall semester.

Dr. Rich organized the BGSU Sales Competition as well as the Sales Award Banquet over the past two years.  He will be coaching Leonhardt and Newton for the national competition.

BGSU has a long tradition of excelling at the national competition, including two students finishing in the top 14 at NCSC and one team of students earning the National Title in 2010.