I graduated from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor's degree in Management and a minor in Political Science in 2004. While weighing options at the end of my college career, Sales was a route that I strongly considered and when I met with CED, it felt like a perfect match. When you hear the business model and potential for a high leadership position, responsibility, and a clear-cut path to running a Profit Center (PC) at a young age, it's hard to pass up that opportunity.
I committed to CED's Management Training Program a month and a half before graduation, and started my training shortly thereafter. I did the initial phases of my training (counter, warehouse) at the York, Pennsylvania PC in the Dauphin Division. In 5 short months I then headed 30 miles up the road to the Harrisburg PC to do inside sales training. Throughout 2005 I remained in inside sales, traveled extensively for various product trainings, and did a short stint of back office training back in York. In 2006 an opportunity arose in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania to continue my training in outside sales and eventually take over a vacated PC Manger position. In just a year and a half I was preparing to help lead that PC, which would eventually become my own. Additionally, Lewisburg was the town I was born in and my family and friends live just 15 miles from the PC. It was a great opportunity, and after just 2 ½ years (that seemed to fly by); I was managing my own location. At 25 years old, I am responsible to lead 9 employees, set our market focus, develop sales plans, manage vendor relations, and grow our sales.
At the age of 25, it's a great feeling to have the responsibility and accountability you have as a Profit Center Manager with CED. While other people that graduated with me are still trying to climb the ladder out of entry-level positions, I am running a multi-million dollar business. It's a highly rewarding position to be in, and is something that I am proud of everyday here.
