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Inaugural Sales Certificate Recipients Honored

The College of Business Administration Certificate Program in Sales Excellence honored their inaugural class of certificate recipients with a ceremonial luncheon on October 28 at the downtown Misty’s location. Eleven students earned sales certificates in the spring. Recipients who were unable to attend received their college degrees and are working in professional sales jobs.
 
Dr. Ravi Sohi, Robert D. Hays Distinguished Chair of Sales Excellence and professor of marketing, said, “We wanted to honor these students in the fall. Eight more students will earn certificates at the end of this semester, and 13 are on track to earn certificates in spring 2016.”
 
Sixty-one students have been admitted into the program since it began in 2014. Any University of Nebraska–Lincoln student can enroll in the program, and there are currently students with majors in English, journalism, music and more enrolled.
 
Sales Excellence students attending luncheon
Sales Excellence students attending luncheon
“We also have about 220 students every semester taking the introductory Sales Communication class, the first class in the sales certificate program. When we are in our new CBA building, I hope to double the number,” Sohi said. “We also plan to expand the program to include an advanced certificate in sales.”
 
Sohi is pleased the program has already been recognized as a Top University for Professional Sales Education by the Sales Education Foundation (SEF), but is even more excited by what he is hearing from employers hiring program students.
 
“Several of our students are doing internships now, and I’ve gotten feedback that our interns are often doing better than regular full-time sales people. That’s what we want to hear,” he said.
 
The program has begun conducting executive education courses with local businesses. It has also established business partnerships with National Research Corporation (NRC), Sandhills Publishing, Assurity, ConAgra, Northwestern Mutual and Pacific Life.
 
“From the company’s point of view, they are looking for good students who are interested in sales and are committed to their careers. Companies invest about $150,000 over the first year and a half on each new hire. By giving them a pool of students who have been recruited and trained in our program, companies can get a better return on their investment in new hires,” Sohi said.
 
Sohi, Dr. Tammy Beck, associate dean for graduate programs and external engagement; Chad Mardesen, assistant professor of practice of marketing; and Mike Hays, CEO of NRC, congratulated students and presented them with certificates at the luncheon.


Students who received their certificates Spring 2015:  
Name – Hometown
Sean Endersbe – Eagan, Minnesota
Anthony Kampfe – Valley, Nebraska
Victoria Katzberg – Lincoln, Nebraska
Brittani Koster – Kearney, Nebraska
Paul Mann – Omaha, Nebraska
Brandon Myers – Plainview, Nebraska
Justin Peet – Lincoln, Nebraska
Mike Pfeifer – Eagan, Minnesota
Matthew Sleister – Fremont, Nebraska
Nate Stevens – Kearney, Nebraska
Reese van Dyck – Maple Plain, Minnesota
Major
Business Administration
Marketing
Marketing
Marketing
Business Administration
Business Administration
Marketing
Marketing
Management
Marketing
Marketing
Published: October 29, 2015