College of Business and Economics

Institute for Sales Excellence

Setting up students for success for more than a decade.

Within the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics, sales is in our DNA. With a long history of success in sales and marketing competition, UW-Whitewater holds a reputation of producing graduates who are ready to be professional, successful salespeople.

The Institute for Sales Excellence (ISE) is a driver of student success here on campus. As part of a constant pursuit of being the preeminent sales institute in the Midwest, the ISE prepares ethically responsible students of the highest caliber, creates strong relationships with industry leaders, and serves as a valuable regional resource.

The institute is accredited by the University Sales Center Alliance.

 

What you’ll receive as part of the Institute for Sales Excellence

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Mentorship from award-winning, experienced faculty and partners

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Access to regional and national conferences and competitions

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Professional development opportunities

Our program

Dedicated to excellence in sales education, the Institute for Sales Excellence, which launched in 2012, is recognized as one of the premier global information resources for the sales profession. The institute offers all UW-Whitewater students the opportunity to participate in service and programming no matter what they’re studying. Opportunities include:

  • Certificate programs
  • UW-Whitewater sales competitions
  • External sales competitions
  • Workshop series/training programs
  • Sales roundtables/speaker series
  • Career fairs
  • Mentor programs
  • Partners in the Classroom
  • Internship programs
  • Job shadowing programs

A national powerhouse keeps on churning

A large group of students stand together facing the camera with a colorful hexagon background.

 

UW-Whitewater’s American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter retained its status as International Chapter of the Year for the 13th straight year in 2023-24. Emily Vorpahl, a human resource management and marketing major, was the runner-up out of 9,500 students in the AMA Student of the Year competition. The Warhawks have now held or shared the title of AMA International Chapter of the Year a total of 20 times.

Read more about this achievement »

The marketing major

The Institute for Sales Excellence is housed in UW-Whitewater’s marketing department. Along with institute programs and activities, the marketing department offers:

Our sales team

There are numerous sales competitions open to UW-Whitewater students with more than $15,000 in cash awards.

For more information, contact Jimmy Peltier at 608-220-0619 or peltierj@uww.edu.

UW-Whitewater Sales Team
The UW-Whitewater Sales Team is an opportunity made available to students enrolled in the professional sales emphasis, professional sales minor, or professional selling certificate program, and/or for students enrolled in the Advanced Sales course.

In recent years, the Sales Team has competed in a variety of sales events, including:

  • UW-Whitewater-Northwestern Mutual Sales Competition
  • Federated Insurance Sales Competition
  • UW-Eau Claire Great Northwoods Sales Warm-Up
  • University of Toledo Sales Competition for Freshmen through Juniors
  • Florida State University International Collegiate Sales Competition
  • William Paterson University Sales Competition
  • Western Collegiate Sales Competition
  • National Collegiate Sales Competition, the largest and most prestigious sales competition in the country

AMA and PSE Sales Team
The Institute for Sales Excellence also supports the American Marketing Association (AMA) and Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) sales teams in attending regional and national sales competitions sponsored by their organizations. Previous competitions have been held in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Chicago, Eau Claire, Michigan, Milwaukee, and other locations.

Other sales competitions
The following competitions are open to all UW-Whitewater students:

  • JJ Keller/TEKsystems Outbound Sales Competition (fall and spring)
  • Impact/Consolidated Electrical Distributors Perfect Pitch Competition (fall and spring)
  • Marine Credit Union/Sherwin Williams Team Selling Competition (fall and spring)
  • Northwestern Mutual Sales Competition (fall and spring)

The Sales Cup

The UW-Whitewater Sales Cup is a points-based system through which active participants are eligible for up to $25,000 in cash awards, which are graciously provided by our Institute for Sales Excellence Partners.

Process
Students earn points by participating in eligible sales competitions, certificate programs, interview days, job shadowing, and company visits. In May of each year, points are totaled, and the top 20 to 25 students earn a cash award. December's graduates are also considered.

What activities count and how many points per activity? Points are as follows:

  • UW-Whitewater Sales Team = 0 to 50 points
  • AMA or PSE Sales Team = 0 to 25 points
  • Northwestern Mutual Sales Competition
    • Round 1 = 10 points for competing
    • Making "Finals Day" = 20 points
    • 1st Place = 100 points; 2nd Place = 50 points
  • Federated Sales Competition
    • Competing = 25 points
    • Making Finals = 20 points
    • 1st Place = 50 points; 2nd Place = 25 points
  • Attending Institute Certificate Programs = 50 points per event
  • Attending Institute Interview/Career Fair/Meet and Greet = 50 points per event
  • UW-Whitewater Impact and Consolidated Electrical Distributors Perfect Pitch Competition (fall and spring)
    • Competing in Round 1 = 50 points
    • Making Finals = 25 points
    • 1st Place = 50 points; 2nd Place = 25 points
  • UW-Whitewater JJ Keller and TEKsystems Outbound Sales Competition (fall and spring)
    • Competing in Round 1 = 50 points
    • Making Finals = 25 points
    • 1st Place = 50 points; 2nd Place = 25 points
  • UW-Whitewater Marine Credit Union and Sherwin Williams Team Selling Sales Competition (fall and spring)
    • Competing in Round 1 = 50 points
    • Making Finals = 25 points
    • 1st Place = 50 points; 2nd Place = 25 points
  • (1) Great Northwoods Sales Warmup, (2) Florida State Sales Competition, (3) RBI Sales Competition, (4) University of Toledo Sales Competition.
    • Selected to Compete = 50 points
    • Placement = 0 to 50 points
  • National Collegiate Sales Competition
    • Selected to Compete = 100 points
    • Placement = 0 to 200 points
  • AMA/PSE Sales Competitions
    • Competing in Round 1 = 50 points
    • Making Finals = 25 points
    • 1st Place = 50 points; 2nd Place = 25 points
    • Other points based on several awards
  • Other points based on things that may pop up (coaching, additional competition, etc.)

Warhawks excel at national sales competition

UW-Whitewater finished among the top 10 out of more than 70 schools and earned a top-three world ranking for the 2024-25 academic year at the National Collegiate Sales Competition on March 8-11, 2024. The Warhawks competed against large schools from around the nation and continued to build on their impressive legacy – the university finished as national runner-up in 2023.

Read more about this achievement

Our certificates

The Institute for Sales Excellence offers a variety of non-credit extracurricular learning opportunities that bring our corporate sponsors together in an educational and fun networking environment. These programs are offered all year and are co-branded with UW-Whitewater’s American Marketing Association chapter. All these events are free to students and include some sort of job fair and complimentary food.

*Students earn 20 Sales Cup points for attending these events.

Financial Services
Our financial services partners host an extended event of what a career in financial services is all about. The certificate is broken down into three parts:

  • Company information and highlights
  • Special skill sets
  • Closing panel

*Companies committed thus far include Federated Insurance, Marine Credit Union, and Northwestern Mutual.

Retail and Supply Chain
Retail management is an fascinating and well-paid career choice. This certificate program brings together companies seeking retail management leaders and/or students who can grow their business.

*Companies committed thus far include CH Robinson, Enterprise, Kohl's, Target, and The Mattress Firm.

Business to Business Marketing
The Business to Business (B2B) certificate will have six to seven companies visit to provide career information and key skills and knowledge areas needed for securing a job in the B2B world, including sales and marketing.

*Companies committed thus far include ABC Supply, Aerotek, Consolidated Electrical Distributors, Impact, JJ Keller, Milwaukee Tool, Sherwin Williams, Software One, and TEKsystems.

 

A photo from above shows people gathered at a conference banner signs in the aisles.

 

The institute’s partners play an important role in curriculum development, student placement and internships, and programming.

In addition to the physical presence that the partners offer in terms of speakers, roundtables, competitions, certificate programs, and other on-campus initiatives, they are critical in linking the business community to UW-Whitewater, the College of Business and Economics, the marketing department, and, ultimately, our students. We continuously seek new partners and welcome any inquiries.

Diamond partners

  • Enterprise

Patron partners

  • ABC Supply Company
  • Primex/Acurite/Chaney Instruments
  • Sherwin-Williams
  • Victor Envelope

Institute for Sales Excellence competition partners

  • ABC Supply
  • Consolidated Electrical Distributors
  • Fastenal
  • Henry Schein
  • Northwestern Mutual - Kosnick/Lueder Financial Groups
  • Tom James
  • Sherwin-Williams
  • Steinhafels

AMA partners

  • AcuRite (Competition)
  • Big Shoes Network (General AMA)
  • Cintas (General AMA)
  • Federated Insurance (Competition)
  • Colony Brands (Competition)
  • Gartner (General AMA)
  • Grainger (General AMA)
  • Henry Schein (Competition)
  • Penske (General AMA)
  • Prent/GOEX (General AMA)
  • Regal Rexnord (General AMA)
  • Sherwin-Williams (Competition)
  • Steinhafels (Competition)
  • TEKSystems (General AMA)
  • TTI/Milwaukee Tool (General AMA)
  • Victor Envelope (Competition)

Platinum partners

  • Cottingham & Butler
  • Diversatek
  • JJ Keller
  • Kohl's
  • Paycom
  • Schneider
  • Steinhafels

Our team

Our faculty
Jimmy Peltier, Director »
Dan Herlache, Assistant Director »

Professional mentors
The Institute for Sales Excellence will assign students to mentor firms. Students receive career advice and job shadowing opportunities, participate in on-site visits, and perform anything else that mentors and mentees agree upon.

Students interested in professional mentorship should contact Dr. Jimmy Peltier at 608-220-0619 or peltierj@uww.edu to set up a meeting to discuss mentor needs.

"Having a mentor was one of the best decisions I ever made. In addition to basic career insight, I ended up with a much greater appreciation of what I need to succeed." – Katelyn Herlache, BBA in marketing, class of 2015

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