Sponsors Celebrate Center for Sales Innovation’s
10th Anniversary

College of St. Catherines Dean of Professional Studies Susan Cochrane with James Loffler of Loffler Companies Inc. and Lynn Schleeter

Executives from partner companies recently gathered to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Center for Sales Innovation. In 1998, 3M provided the College of St. Catherine with the initial funding — and continues as a key sponsor along with other corporations. Attendees provided insights into the issues that are critical to the growth of their sales organizations. They stressed curriculum specialization in growth market segments, such as inside sales, as well as sales leadership curriculum development.

	Center for Sales Innovation's Lynn Schleeter with Sue Metcalf of Ecolab and Norbert Biderman of 3M

Andrea J. Lee, IHM, the college’s president, and Marjorie Mathison Hance, vice president for external relations, thanked attendees for their resources — time, funding, hiring of interns and graduates, plus participation in the classroom, research and leadership forums.

The Center for Sales Innovation has a 10-year track record of helping women advance in sales talent excellence with a focus on three areas: a four-year sales degree program with 275 in the program currently or graduated in business-to-business sales or healthcare sales; professional development for men and women; and research in national sales trends. Today the center is a national resource for women in sales.

Being in an inside sales role, I have learned the value and importance of internal practices and databases that are available to reps within a company but are not always utilized within the field. I have become an expert with these resources as an intern, which has allowed me to demonstrate responsibility for account management much more quickly and efficiently than interns who had a field sales experience. Upon transitioning into a full-time sales role, I will be up to speed with the latest technologies and tools available to help a new rep effectively start to build customer relationships and navigate through a company.  
—Christle Ledo, 3M sales intern, 2008

As more interns and graduates enter inside sales positions, the Center for Sales Innovation has launched a multi-company review of competencies for this growing role to benchmark the existing business-to-business sales major curriculum. Initial data collected from eight organizations was analyzed to address specific competencies and subordinate skill sets. This analysis led to a task force project with other universities to compare the inside sales model to the field sales competency model for identifying gaps. For example, one gap to close is voice skills for online business presentations. A final business model will indicate how to incorporate the missing curriculum requirements, which will better prepare inside sales talent in response to many organizations shifting strategic responsibilities to this role as a way to reduce field sales cost. To participate in this study or receive the final report, please contact Lynn Schleeter at lfschleeter@stkate.edu

The Sales Executive Forum at St. Kate’s provides me an opportunity to network with other leaders in sales management and discuss innovative, cutting-edge topics and techniques in a thought-provoking setting.
—David Quigg, Regional President, St. Paul / East Metro Market, Wells Fargo

The Sales Executive Forum is a group of like-minded individuals gathered to discuss relevant sales topics. Recently, the group’s learning curve was raised around Sales 2.0 by discussing web-based approaches to sell more quickly and effectively. Sales executives challenged themselves to look at social networking and how it is rapidly changing the selling environment forever. One participant shared how connecting a group of five geographically dispersed reps to share best practices resulted in $2 million of business growth within a relatively untapped market. Others shared how websites enable targeting prospects to learn about individuals’ interests and hobbies, and more effectively engage them in one-on-one conversations. The group concluded that online social networking can build vital business relationships.

Three Sales Majors in the Center for Sales Innovation Receive Scholarships from Cardinal Health Foundation
By Debbie Stewart, Healthcare Sales Program Manager

	Kelly Minke, '08, Joy Ritchie Peterson '09 and Lauren Dunlap '10

Cardinal Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Cardinal Health Inc., has awarded $3,000 scholarships to three Center for Sales Innovation students for the 2008-2009 academic year. The scholarships were designated for students majoring in Sales, with preference given to Healthcare Sales majors.

To date, Cardinal Health’s Ambulatory Care Division has hired four graduates of the healthcare sales program, in addition to providing two sales internships. Cardinal Health Inc. is an $87 billion global company serving the healthcare industry with products and services that help hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies reduce costs; improve safety, productivity and profitability; and deliver better care to patients.

Two of the scholarship recipients are seniors; one is a junior:

Lauren Dunlap, a junior from St. Francis, Minnesota, will graduate in May 2010;

Kelly Minke, a senior from White Bear Lake, Minnesota, will graduate in December 2008;

Joy Ritchie Peterson, a senior from Maplewood, Minnesota, will graduate in May 2009.

The scholarship eligibility requirements included a 3.0 or better grade-point average, demonstration of leadership qualities and financial need, and completion of the introductory and professional selling courses.

The College of St. Catherine and Cardinal Health share ethics as a core value, which is woven throughout the College’s curriculum and expressed in Cardinal Health’s EPPIC core values. We are pleased to be associated with this major healthcare organization and grateful for the support and generosity of its foundation.