March 11, 2021
K-State Sales Team finishes second place at Challenger Sales Institute Regional Team Challenge
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From left: Colton Williams, Stacia Mendoza, Lydia Johnson, Benjamin Rauth and Zach Hoeven |
The Kansas State University Sales Team finished in second place at the Challenger Sales Institute Regional Team Challenge hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma on March 3-5. Nine universities and 39 students competed in the event consisting of speed selling, role-plays, and a sales management case competition. Scores for teams were calculated based on performance in all three categories.
Team members were Zach Hoeven, senior in professional strategic selling, Olathe; Lydia Johnson, a sophomore in professional strategic selling and Spanish, Prior Lake, Minnesota; Stacia Mendoza, a sophomore in marketing, Lenexa; Benjamin Rauth, senior in professional strategic selling, Kansas City, Missouri; and Colton Williams, a sophomore in professional strategic selling, Osage City.
Johnson, Rauth and Mendoza competed in the role-play portion of the competition. Williams and Hoeven participated in the sales management case competition. All team members competed in speed selling. Hoeven placed first out of 39 students in speed selling. In role-play competition, Johnson placed third out of 21 students. Hoeven and Williams placed second out of seven universities in the sales management case competition.
"I'm extremely proud of the efforts put forth by all five individuals," said Kellie Jackson, managing director of the National Strategic Selling Institute and sales team coach. "To have representation in the top three in all three events was a great accomplishment. We also appreciate all the sponsors and faculty for the time and effort they invested to put on this event 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 nine 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, K-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 its innovative curriculum and sales labs allow students to develop the skills needed to be successful.
The K-State Sales Team will be competing in several competitions throughout the school year across the country. For more information on the National Strategic Selling Institute or the K-State Sales Team, please contact kstatesalesprogram@k-state.edu.