By: Matthew Davey, Senior, Marketing, Professional Sales, Digital and Social Media Business Applications
Meet Professor Spahr
This Faculty Friday we are highlighting Professor Dennis Spahr, a lecturer in the Professional Sales major. Professor Spahr is an Indiana University alumnus; however, he graduated with a degree in chemistry then worked in business-to-business sales before getting his MBA at Michigan. He is also a part of the Center for Global Sales Leadership and is a mentor for the National Selling Team Competition. Dennis has plenty of career experience working with a multitude of companies such as American Family Insurance, General Motors, and Hewlett-Packard just to name a few.
His Experience with Diversity at Kelley
Dennis’ experience with diversity can be highlighted through his time with the Marketing Department. Starting when he first started at Kelley, he went to the new faculty picnic and sat with his marketing colleagues. After a short time, he learned that between the eight faculty members at the table there were six different countries that they called home. He enjoys the diversity that each faculty member brings. Each person has a unique background, from life experience and identity to career paths and interests.
One interesting fact that Dennis shared is that the undergraduate degrees held by the faculty are diverse as well. Along with his own undergraduate degree in chemistry, others include engineering and economics. The faculty share the common topic of marketing, but their education extends beyond that subject. Dennis feels that these diverse perspectives are what makes the faculty in the marketing department so great. He noted. “Diverse backgrounds make our similarities that much more interesting.”
Another story Dennis shared was about the end of the year dinner the Marketing department hosts. He enjoys this event as it lets the marketing faculty interact in an informal setting. They and their family come together for dinner and spend time socializing with one another. Children get to run around and play while their parents sit and chat. Acknowledging the faculty’s diversity, Dennis pointed out that if it were not for the Marketing department these kids would not be playing together. Their parents come from across globe, countries like China, India, and Turkey, but at the dinner they get to meet and play.
Diversity within the Nation Selling Team Competition
Kelley annually hosts the National Selling Team Competition which brings together schools from across the country. Thirty schools participated at the fall 2020 competition including HBCU’s North Carolina A&T State University, Tuskegee University, and Xavier University of Louisiana. The event also includes a lunch between rounds where students can interact with one another. Without this competition it would be very unlikely that these students from around the country would be able to meet.
The National Selling Team Competition is a great opportunity for students who are interested in sales. The students involved get to engage in a simulated experience to compete for a sale. Dennis looks forward to the event every year as it brings together a group with diverse backgrounds and specializations. The team comes together to work toward their goal – to make the sale. The diversity of the team allows them to approach the case for the competition from a variety of different perspectives. The ability to work successfully within a diverse team is a vital skill in the business world. The National Selling Team Competition is an impactful way to gain some valuable experience in this area.
We are appreciative of our faculty like Dennis, who value the many types of diversity and are committed to providing valuable experiences for our students.
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