UNC Hosts One of the Largest Sales Competitions in State History

What’s the most relaxing way to spend a Friday? In all likelihood, the answer that jumped to mind wasn’t participating in a head-to-head competition against individuals trained in sales to present multi-step business plans to convince industry-expert judges to buy hypothetical meat products. 

But on Friday, March 6, students from four regional universities gathered in Kepner Hall on the University of Northern Colorado’s (UNC) Greeley campus to do just that – by participating in potentially the largest on-site collegiate sales competition in the history of the state. 

The inaugural Monfort College of Business (MCB) Invitational Sales Competition saw dozens of students from Colorado State University (CSU), the University of Colorado, Denver (CU Denver), the University of Wyoming and UNC put their sales skills to the test. During the competition, participants prepared presentations and utilized tactics learned in sales and marketing courses to attempt to convince groups of judges to buy their hypothetical products – in this case, various kinds and quantities of meats, as JBS – one of the nation’s largest meat packing plants – was an official partner and sponsor of the event. 

“The skills these students gained will simply make them more qualified for many positions and careers beyond that of just professional selling,” said Daniel Zuch, adjunct faculty member in MCB’s Marketing department and organizer of the event. “Working with and getting exposure to corporate partners will also increase their opportunities for employment once they graduate.”

For the students themselves, succeeding in the event also held the promise of professional development, confidence building and, as a more immediate incentive, cash prizes – $500 for third place, $750 for second place and $1,000 for first place. 

As the afternoon wore on and each group of students completed their presentations and pitches, it was time for the judging to begin. Consisting of a team of professionals from a variety of MCB’s corporate partners, the panel of judges used their industry expertise to evaluate the students and their strategies. 

After deliberations were made, students, faculty and judges alike gathered in Milne Auditorium for the announcement of the results; it was finally time to unveil the winners. 

The results were as follows:

• Rookie Champion – Geraldi Calandrelli Arroyo, CU Denver
• 3rd place – Kamryn Dinsmore, CSU
• 2nd place – Hanna Rose, UNC
• 1st place – Zac Deegan, CSU

As the excitement died down and students settled back into their seats, Zuch reflected on the value of the day. 

“You’re all battle-tested now,” he said to the crowd of students. “I love that term. You have a claim to experience that 99% of other students can’t make.”

WATCH: Scenes from the day during the Invitational Sales Competition

Shortly before the results were announced, Rose, a junior Business Administration and Economics major, said she was glad to be a part of the event and proud of how far UNC’s sales program has come in recent years. 

“This is the first year we’ve been able to do something like this and invite students from other schools, and it feels like it was really successful,” Rose said. “What I really like is that you don’t have to be a business student to be here, either – the skills and confidence you can gain are valuable for anyone.”

Not content to rest on the laurels of hosting one of the largest competitions of its kind in Colorado history, Zuch said he plans to keep the ball rolling for years to come. 

“Competitions like this benefit all students, but I particularly like the fit for the UNC community,” Zuch said. “We participate in at least four competitions per year, and going forward, the MCB Invitational Sales Competition is going to be an annual part of that.”