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K-State Today

Division of Communications and Marketing
Kansas State University
128 Dole Hall
1525 Mid-Campus Drive North
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-2535
vpcm@k-state.edu

May 5, 2021

Williams, Thompson and Bontrager take top honors at K-State Sales Team tryouts

Submitted by Dana Parker

The National Strategic Selling Institute hosted virtual tryouts for the 2021-2022 K-State Sales Team on April 21-23. The tryouts were sponsored by Lockton and consisted of three rounds via Zoom. Tryouts allowed for 17 students to compete against each other for student merit awards and an opportunity to interview for a spot on the K-State Sales Team.

"I continue to be blown away by the sales talent being developed at K-State," said Nate Lindstrom, Lockton vice president of operations. "The consultative conversations we experienced during the sales competition were phenomenal. There is old school sales and new school sales; K-State is developing the new school sales professional of the future."

Colton Williams, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Osage City, placed first and will receive a $1,000 student merit award. Collin Thompson, junior in professional strategic selling and marking, Olathe, placed second and will receive a $750 student merit award. Blake Bontrager, junior in professional strategic selling and marketing, Wichita, placed third and will receive a $500 student merit award.

The following students competed in the tryouts:

  • Jacqueline Anzalone, senior in marketing, Kansas City, Missouri.
  • Natalie Beck, sophomore in marketing, Jefferson City, Missouri.
  • Blake Bontrager, junior in professional strategic selling and marketing, Wichita.
  • Kaley Coffman, junior in professional strategic selling, Bonner Springs.
  • CJ Fernandes, incoming freshman in business administration, Flower Mound, Texas.
  • Hunter Hartner, freshman in professional strategic selling and marketing, Belleville.
  • Kaitlin Hiestand, junior in finance and professional strategic selling, Topeka.
  • Lydia Johnson, sophomore in professional strategic selling and Spanish, Prior Lake, Minnesota.
  • Hunter King, junior in marketing, Spring Hill.
  • Jack McGuire, freshman in business administration, Shawnee, Kansas.
  • Quin Napier, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Fairway.
  • Lucas Oliver, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Leawood.
  • Cameron Pavelschak, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Mascoutah, Illinois.
  • Aidan Taylor, sophomore in business administration, Shawnee.
  • Collin Thompson, junior in professional strategic selling, Olathe.
  • Emma Tibbetts, junior in professional strategic selling and marketing, Shawnee.
  • Colton Williams, sophomore in professional strategic selling, Osage City.

All 17 students who participated in the competition received a $50 student merit award for Round 1. The students who advanced to Round 2 and the Final Round received an additional $50 merit award for each round of participation. Each round consisted of a role-play scenario with a representative from Lockton acting as the buyer and facilitating the conversation.

"We greatly appreciate Lockton's support in providing this opportunity for our students in a virtual environment," said Kellie Jackson, managing director of the National Strategic Selling Institute. "Their continuous support and partnership of our program are very important to us as we continue to educate and develop the next generation of 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, 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 its innovative curriculum and sales labs, allows students to develop the skills needed to be successful.

For more information on Sales Team, please contact Kellie Jackson, Sales Team coach, at kelliejackson@k-state.edu