Director named for the Center for Sales and Service Excellence
Friday, December 20, 2019
A new director has been named to head the Center for Sales and Service Excellence (CSSE) in the Spears School of Business at Oklahoma State University. Kim Booker brings more than 25 years of experience to the job leading the center, which provides a specialized program to students interested in sales and customer service careers while working closely with OSU faculty and industry partners as well as participating in sales competitions with other universities.
Booker comes to OSU from an extensive career in sales and instruction that has included creating and leading training programs and managing sales teams in insurance and technology firms. She also started and partnered in numerous businesses. The Fort Worth native was drawn to the position by a love of teaching and was chosen for the job because of her real-world experience. As a faculty position, the job includes teaching as well as managing the program’s Certificate in Sales and Service Excellence.
“We knew it would take a unique individual to have the attributes we needed,” said Dr. Tom Brown, Head of the School of Marketing and International Business in Spears Business. “Kim met our standards – and then some. Her industry experience, including years of training young salespeople, plus her personality and energy are really outstanding. Our students and the companies that hire them will reap huge benefits.”
CSSE is designed to equip students with real-world professional sales and customer service skills. There are many opportunities for young professionals in selling-type roles across all industries – and the demand for individuals with strong customer engagement skills continues to grow. The Certificate in Sales and Service Excellence emphasizes advanced teaching and practical techniques in the field of professional sales that brings together students, faculty and industry experts to deliver a world-class program.
Currently, the program is open to applications from all marketing majors, but plans are in place to make the certificate program available to all other campus majors as well. Booker says that many well-rounded professionals will benefit from high-level sales and customer retention instruction even if they are not planning for a direct sales role.
"There is a synergy in having students actively participate in the learning process and this program is designed with many opportunities to practice these highly desirable skills," Booker said. "We bring together real-world experience, valuable research, committed faculty and trusted business advisers to prepare these students for success."
Booker received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas State University and her MBA from the University of Texas at Arlington. Her immediate goals include launching the Advanced Professional Selling class for Spring 2020, launching a Sales Club and increasing both student and sponsor enrollment next year.
“I think we’re perfectly poised and in the right place at the right time to take what’s already been built by OSU and other schools and maybe shake it up a little bit,” Booker said.
For more information about the School of Marketing and International Business visit https://business.okstate.edu/marketing/index.html.
Media contact: Jeff Joiner | Communications Coordinator | 405.744.2700 | jeff.joiner@okstate.edu