March 24, 2020
K-State Sales Team places third in the Challenger Sales Institute Regional Sales Competition
The Kansas State University Sales Team competed in the Challenger Sales Institute Regional Sales Competition on March 5-7 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Thirteen universities and 65 competitors participated in the event. The team placed third overall in the competition.
The K-State Sales Team sent five students to compete: Alex Wilcox, senior in operations and supply chain management, De Soto; Lucas Johnson, junior in professional strategic selling, and Kara Krannawitter, junior in professional strategic selling, both from Lawrence; Skylar Holsinger, senior in professional strategic selling, Overland Park; and Sarah Kerrigan, senior in professional strategic selling, Lincoln, Nebraska. Abbie O'Grady, senior in professional strategic selling and marketing, Overland Park, served as a peer coach and helped prepare the team for the competition.
The participants competed in three different events: speed selling, role-play scenario and case analysis. All competitors competed in the speed selling category. Johnson made it to the finals, placing in the top 12 out of 65 competitors. The case competition team consisted of Johnson and Wilcox. They advanced to finals and placed third out of 11 teams. Holsinger, Kerrigan, and Krannawitter competed in the individual role-play scenario. Krannawitter made it to the finals and placed third out of 36 competitors. Holsinger made it to the semi-finals, placing in the top 16.
"I'm extremely proud of the efforts put forth by all five individuals," said Kellie Jackson, managing director of the National Strategic Selling Institute. "To have representation in the finals in all three events was a great accomplishment. It is great to have peer coaches like Abbie O'Grady to help prepare the students for these events while helping develop their sales skills. We also appreciate all the sponsors and faculty for the time and effort they invest to put on these events to develop sales talent."
The K-State Sales Team is in the College of Business Administration's National Strategic Selling Institute, which has been named one of the top sales programs in the country for eight straight years by the Sales Education Foundation. The team consists of students who are enrolled in the certificate or major in professional strategic selling. In fall 2018, Kansas State became just the 19th university in the U.S. to offer a major in professional strategic selling. Students can also earn a certificate in professional strategic selling, which is open to all majors at the university. The professional strategic selling program introduces students to the fundamentals of sales and through the innovative curriculum and sales labs allows students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
For more information on the National Strategic Selling Institute or the K-State Sales Team, please contact kstatesalesprogram@k-state.edu.