March 17, 2008

Florida State University marketing students Carissa DeCruise and Katy Keene secured the College of Business' first title win Saturday at the 10th Annual National Collegiate Sales Competition at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

Keene, a senior from Panama City, won No. 2 in the nation. DeCruise, a senior from Miami, placed in the top eight. More than 50 university sales programs participated. This was FSU's fourth time to compete.

"The lessons learned from participating in this competition each year are really what I've brought back to Florida State to improve the program here," said Pat Pallentino, the lead instructor for the marketing department's sales track since 2003. "We've grown in quality and in recognition."

All national participants were selling NetSuite CRM+, a web-based software application product for customer relationship management. Student finalists have spent hours – even holidays and weekends – learning the product and role-playing their sales approach in different situations. Scenarios are videotaped and critiqued for better performance the next time.

"They have to become adept at walking in and executing the sale," Pallentino said.

DeCruise and Keene beat out other FSU students to represent the college. The seniors were selected by the marketing department's Sales Advisory Council, a group of industry leaders. The Council judged the students based on videos of their selling and individual interviews.

"The NCSC is a sales role-play competition intended to enhance the educational experience of students who strongly desire to pursue a career in professional sales," said Michael Hartline, chairman of the FSU's marketing department. "The NCSC brings together the top undergraduate sales talent and faculty from the most elite sales programs in higher education in the world."

The event also draws more than 30 corporate sponsors who come to recruit sales talent.

DeCruise had a different marketing career in mind until she took Pat Pallentino's professional selling course last spring.

"It opened a door for me in sales. I didn't know the opportunity was so great, and it fit my personality," DeCruise said. Through sales she's able to use her communication skills and build relationships with people.

"If you're an overachiever, and you work very hard, it literally pays off," Keene said about her decision to pursue a professional selling career. "That's definitely appealing for someone who's self-motivated and enjoys dealing with different types of people."

Three other students – Gregory Edelman, Christina Pardo and Gabrielle Rey – attended the competition as ambassadors of the FSU's sales program. They were among the five finalists competing to represent FSU. They helped coach and encourage Keene and DeCruise as they advanced throughout the intense competition.

Contact: Pat Pallentino, director of FSU's sales program, 850-933-7267