The Top 10 Issues Challenging Sales Success
and How To Overcome Them

December 14, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Sales Leaders' Roundtable

The internet... stronger, more influential gatekeepers... strategic sourcing... chief procurement officers... vendor auctions... RFPs... globalization...

These are just a handful of the unprecedented realities of the 21st century business environment that conspire to commoditize sales and ultimately, have the potential to subtract sales professionals from the purchasing equation altogether. Learn more.

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Where:
Gleacher Center
Room 100
450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive
Chicago, IL

Who:
Dan Kosch
Co-President
Impax Corporation

Mark Shonka
Co-President
Impax Corporation

Cost:
No Charge

Program:
6:00 - 6:30 pm: Registration & Networking
6:30 - 8:00 pm: Presentation
8:00 - 9:00 pm: Cash Bar reception in the Midway Club

Registration:
Register Online

Please register by Dec 14, 2005

Questions:
Ken Nordine, Jr., '97 (XP-66)
312-546-4522

Event Details:

The Top 10 Issues Challenging Sales Success
and How to Overcome Them

The Internet...stronger, more influential gatekeepers...strategic sourcing...chief procurement officers....vendor auctions....RFPs....globalization...

These are just a handful of the unprecedented realities of the 21st century business environment that conspire to commoditize sales and ultimately, have the potential to subtract sales professionals from the purchasing equation altogether.
But it doesn't have to be that way. In fact, sales organizations can do far more than survive this hostile environment...they can thrive! But not by selling based on price and product alone; that's just a long-term formula for failure. In the new sales world, success has little to do with what you're selling; it has everything to do with how you're selling.

At this Sales Leaders' Roundtable, Mark Shonka and Dan Kosch will discuss how the recent transformation of the selling environment will make sales, as traditionally practiced, obsolete, as well as how sales professionals must evolve to avoid being diminished to mere vendors. Most importantly, they will outline an easy-to-understand, step-by-step process to enable sales organizations to catapult themselves beyond today's selling challenges and establish competitive immunity by creating high-level, long-term strategic customer relationships.
This is sales intelligence that will enhance and advance the direct-selling field.

Key Topics:

• The purchasing trends that are conspiring to transform sales professionals into mere vendors
• How sales professionals must evolve to avoid this fate
• What it takes to move beyond gatekeepers to develop long-term, strategic relationships with decision makers
• Why this guarantees competitive immunity

Speaker Profiles:

Dan Kosch
Co-President, Impax Corporation

Dan Kosch is Co-President of IMPAX Corporation. He is a leading authority in the areas of selling, strategic account selling, strategic account management (including account planning), and sales management/leadership.

Dan's background consists of over 22 years of direct sales, sales leadership, and sales training and consulting experience. Dan has taught, lectured and consulted with every size of organization representing privately and publicly held companies. He has experience in a wide range of selling environments such as selling to senior-level management, major account sales, general territory sales, value-oriented system sales and commodity sales. This experience covers most industries including high technology, telecommunications, transportation, financial services, professional services and utilities. Dan has consulted with hundreds of businesses including some of North America’s leading companies such as Microsoft, 3M, Du Pont, Coca-Cola, Eli Lilly, Dun & Bradstreet and American Express.

Dan has been associated with IMPAX Corporation since 1991. Prior to joining IMPAX Corporation, he worked at IBM for more than 10 years. During Dan's successful career with IBM, he held a number of sales, staff, and sales leadership positions. His last position was as a Business Unit Manager.

Dan received his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1982 and received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management in 1991. Dan's educational background also includes 'Leadership St. Paul' through the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, executive education through the Harvard Business School and the ‘Masters Forum’ through the University of Minnesota.

Dan has also been actively involved in the community. He is a member of Delta Sigma Pi Professional Business Fraternity. He has been actively involved in the United Way of Minneapolis and is currently active with the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce where Dan is a member of the Governance Board of School-to-Futures.

Mark Shonka
Co-President, Impax Corporation

Mark Shonka is Co-President of IMPAX Corporation. He is a leading authority in the areas of sales, strategic account selling, strategic account management, and sales management/leadership.

Mark’s background consists of over 22 years of sales, sales leadership and sales training and consulting experience. He has taught, lectured and consulted with sales organizations of all sizes, representing privately and publicly held companies. He has experience in a wide range of selling environments, such as selling to senior-level management, major account sales, general territory sales, telesales, value-oriented system sales and commodity sales. This experience covers many industries, including high technology, chemicals, transportation, telecommunications, printing and publishing and professional services. He has consulted with hundreds of businesses, including some of North America’s leading companies such as Microsoft, DuPont, 3M, IBM, D&B, AT&T and Northwest Airlines.

Mark has been associated with IMPAX Corporation since 1988 and a Principal since 1991. Prior to joining IMPAX Corporation, he had a successful career in the Information Systems industry, working for IBM and Memorex-Telex. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing/Management from the College of St. Thomas in 1983 and received his Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management in 1991. Mark is also actively involved in the community, providing leadership in community academic foundations, sports associations, and his faith community.

 

Directions & Parking:

A map of the area, including parking facilities, is available online. The 201 East Illinois lot offers a special UC rate with validation. Have your parking ticket stamped at the service window on the first floor of the Gleacher Center.