SFA business students advance in Fastenal sales pitch competition

Pictured from left, Oscar Sanchez, management senior from Jasper, and Brylee Adams, marketing senior from Houston, earned $200 each from Stephen F. Austin State University's Rusche College of Business and a spot in the regional second round competition for Fastenal's National Sales Invitational.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Two students in Stephen F. Austin State University's Rusche College of Business recently advanced to the second round of Fastenal's National Sales Invitational by making compelling 90-second "elevator pitches" for a fictional company as part of a pre-announced case study.

Brylee Adams, marketing senior from Houston, and Oscar Sanchez, management senior from Jasper, earned $200 each from the Rusche College of Business and a spot in the regional second round competition to be held in late October online.

Jason Maes, a Fastenal customer solutions manager, served as one of the judges who provided real-time feedback during the pitches. He said the students received high scores for their industry insights, knowledge of customer challenges and ability to secure "the next meeting." He also congratulated the SFA faculty members who helped the students build their sales foundational knowledge.

"The participants demonstrated a thorough understanding of the content," Maes said. "Everyone who has prepared them for this has done a great job."

In the second round, Adams and Sanchez will compete against students from The University of Texas at Arlington. If one of them wins the second round, they will receive a $100 bonus prize from the Rusche College of Business and advance to the national round to compete with a dozen students in mid-November. The winner of that round, which will be hosted by West Virginia University in Morgantown, receives $2,000, while the second- and third-place finishers receive $1,000 and $750, respectively.

Sanchez said the competition was an informative experience.

"I believe the competition created an atmosphere reflective of a real competitive sales environment where everyone wants the same thing you do," he said. "Anyone who is looking to test their talent or improve their ability to secure a deal ought to participate in this great opportunity."

Adams said the competition will assist her in her future career.

"Not only did it help me gain valuable skills for what it's like in the sales industry, but it also helped me network and start building valuable connections for after I graduate," she said.

In addition to helping SFA students hone their sales skills, the competition helps Fastenal assess students for possible participation in the company's fast-growing regional internship program.

"The Rusche College of Business and Fastenal corporate partnership is a win-win," said Kathryn Blevins, lecturer of management and marketing at SFA. "It helps our students explore their career options before graduating and helps Fastenal find key employees for its workforce."

Fastenal representatives attending the competition say they've already spotted some talented students who would be strong culture fits for their company, which provides supply chain solutions for a variety of industrial products in 25 countries. Six of the 15 Fastenal district managers in the region are SFA alumni.

"All our decisions are made locally - as close to the customer as possible - because our goal is to be where our customers are and help them innovate," said Kent Birdwell, a Fastenal customer solutions consultant based in Nacogdoches. "To achieve that, we work to give our employees the support they need to have every opportunity for success."

For more information on the Rusche College of Business, visit sfasu.edu/cob. For more information on Fastenal, visit fastenal.com.