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1) Tell us about
your current occupation.
I am the International Sales Manager for Altra Footwear,
which entails the management of Altra’s current international accounts along
with expanding the market into new countries. Not only does this involve the
sale of product to each area, but events, marketing and adverting plans to help
make the areas as successful as possible.
I travel all over the world one week out of every month to
visit current accounts or train/ setup new ones. So far I have traveled to
Canada, Bahamas, Mexico, and this month I will be in Brazil, and Chile in
December.
Altra Footwear has an international presence in 33 countries
and growing. Through award winning innovation, Altra has become a top 10 footwear
brand in the running specialty market in the United States.
2) How did the MAPC program help you get to where you are now in your career?
There is a reason professional communication is in the name
of the program. Through the program I have learned how to communicate in a
professional manner, whether it be to co-workers, distributors, retailers etc.
At times I present with distributors to larger retailers, so
I need to present the product in a manner that attracts the customer, which
involves everything from correct wording and speech to body language. Through
the MAPC program I have learned how to do so. A lot of this was also learned
through my graduate assistantship at the SUU Speech and Presentation Center. I
was able to practice and teach these skills allowing me to improve daily.
Also the advertising and PR knowledge has helped me to
provide international distributors with the information they need to be
successful in their area. This also involves expertise in organizational
communication as each location has a different culture, with different needs
and interests. By combining all of these facets of the communication world, I
have been able to advance my career and move forward successfully.
3) How did the faculty help you with your career both while you were at SUU and after you graduated?
This is going to sound like it came straight off a
billboard, but because of the small class sizes SUU student’s receives great
individual attention from the professors. They know who you are and what your
needs are.
The faculty has helped me greatly by just giving me a chance
to prove myself.
In my undergraduate studies I was not known for my academic
performance. Because of my academic track record I easily could have been sent
packing, but the faculty gave me a chance to prove myself. This led me to
become serious about what was being taught and how to properly apply my
education in the work place. I am truly thankful for the faculty at Southern
Utah University and all they have done for me.
This help even continued in the workplace as professors
helped coach me as I prepared for my first job at Brian Head Resort as the
Sales and Marketing Coordinator.
