Walton College of Business sales competition

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The top six students were Madison Martin, Brady McGinely, Faith Norton, Jacob Young, Helen Woodham, and Karsyn Robinson.

The Walton College of Business sales competition is an innovative twist on national sales competition that simulates the relationship between a retailer, primarily Walmart Inc., and its suppliers. Walton College is in a unique position to host this competition as its students at both the Bentonville headquarters in Walmart and the many supplier offices in northwest Arkansas that recruit Walton students for both local and national positions Excessive sales and merchandising positions are available.

The competition for this semester took place on November 11th. The case sponsor, Nestle Purina – specifically Don Morgan, Ben Christensen, Giovanna Rigo, Anne Mcnamee, Adam Cogburn and Alicia Graham – helped provide the case challenge for the students, the record and final judges. The case challenged the students to achieve the buyer’s alignment and / or engagement for a business plan that would win in the puppy segment.

A total of 30 participants from Robert McEver and Craig Geiger’s classes entered the competition, and six of the students – Madison Martin, Brady McGinely, Faith Norton, Karsyn Robinson, Helen Woodham and Jacob Young – made it through to the finals. Winners were:

• 1st place winner – Helen Woodham

• 2nd place winner – Jacob Young

• 3rd place winner – Karsyn Robinson

The companies involved were:

• Nestle Purina
• Sanofi
• Insight worldwide
• Saatchi & Saatchi
• General mills
• The JM Smucker Company
• Nielsen
• Walmart
• Walton
• Kimberly-Clark
• Kelloggs

The members of the trade advisory board also played a major role in the competition by supporting the jury and continuing to help determine the competition strategy. Walton Student Success plans to host the Spring Sales Contest on April 21st.