Premier Partner Spotlight - C.H. Robinson: Sales Success

Photo of SellenraadAfter attending his first Sales and Business Marketing Association meeting, Derek Sellenraad, B.B.A’13 says, “I was hooked.” This would be only the beginning of his career in the sales industry. His understanding of the industry from his business courses, combined with preparation and experience from SBMA, put him on the fast track to sales success. After accepting a position as transportation sales representative at C. H. Robinson before graduation, Sellenraad was able to go through his senior year without the stress of the job hunt, while still graduating with honors.   

Sellenraad was drawn to Western Michigan University’s impressive business school and fell in love with the big-campus feel. Sellenraad says, “After touring WMU, I felt it was a good fit for me. The school felt large but not too large in terms of student population. Every professor is willing to help you and give you the one-on-one attention to make sure you succeed. I’ve heard from many people how other schools treat you like you are just a number and aren’t invested in your success; WMU is.” As a sales major, Sellenraad explains that his business courses helped him learn time management and prioritization. He finds that concepts he learned in the classroom are still relevant and put into practice every day.

At a career fair through SBMA, after networking with potential employers, Sellenraad was offered an interview with C.H. Robinson.  “C.H. Robinson loves to recruit from WMU’s sales program,” says Sellenraad. After meeting a recruiter from the company and completing an interview in their Chicago office, Sellenraad was offered an internship. Upon completion of the internship, he accepted a full-time position in September of his senior year. He now works in the same Chicago office where he worked as an intern, among more than 40 fellow Bronco graduates. 

Now as a transportation sales representative, Sellenraad details his roles and responsibilities in the company. “I do inside sales and help manage accounts of senior sales reps while I build my book of business and learn hands-on about our selling points. After one year, I will have the opportunity to manage my own accounts and work my way up to be a senior sales rep.”

Today, Sellenraad is just as ambitious in his position as he was when he joined the sales program. He has set goals for himself in his position and his career in the next few years, and with his track record of determination and drive, there is no doubt he will fulfill them.

“My goals in this position are to start making commission as soon as possible and in the meantime learn as much as possible about our services and offerings. I hope to handle 100 percent of my business by January of 2015; at the moment I am helping handle my senior sales rep’s business as I learn and grow. It is a high-energy, fast-paced environment which is the type of place I thrive in,” says Sellenraad.

A highly motivated and determined student and employee, Sellenraad’s WMU business courses, together with his hands-on experience in SBMA, gave him all the necessary tools to become a sales success with C.H. Robinson.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc., one of the world's largest third party logistics companies, has been named the #1 3PL by the readers of Inbound Logistics through annual Top 10 3PL Excellence Awards.

This is the second year in a row that C.H. Robinson has been named the #1 3PL in Inbound Logistics and continues the trend of major awards the company has received in 2012. Fortune magazine named C.H. Robinson a "World's Most Admired Company" for the third straight year. In 2011, Anheuser-Busch named C.H. Robinson its Non-Asset Based Carrier of the Year.