Students in our MKT 410 observe simulations of meetings with sales teams.
NKU's Haile College Sales Hub is teaching and training tomorrow's sales force today. Through academic learning, hands-on experience and applied business projects our students are eager to meet the challenge companies face to increase sales, grow revenue, and remain sustainable.
Our sales program has been awarded "Top Sales University" by the Sales Education Foundation (SEF) two years in a row. We are excited to help serve you and be a bridge to the sales force of the future and help your company.
Dr. Jose Saavedra Torres
Dr. Jose Saavedra Torres is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at Northern Kentucky University. He holds a Ph.D. in Marketing from Southern Illinois University, an MBA from Emory University and IESA, and a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Advertising and PR from Universidad del Zulia. His research focuses on branding, B2B sales, and experiential and digital consumption, with publications in leading journals such as the European Journal of Marketing and Journal of Business Research.
Before academia, he accumulated over fifteen years of industry experience, serving in sales and marketing leadership roles across advertising, retail, telecommunications, and the automotive sector, including positions as Sales Manager at Toyota, a retail chain, and a multinational media company. His work centers on building experiential learning environments that prepare students for real-world sales challenges.
Shelley Volpenhein, M.S.SA
Shelley Volpenhein serves as Director of the Sales Program and Assistant Teaching Professor in NKU’s Haile College of Business. She brings over two decades of professional sales and leadership experience. Her career with the Cincinnati Reds focused on revenue growth, client retention, premium service, and long-term relationship management in a highly competitive industry.
She holds a Master’s degree in Sport Administration from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and minor in Public Relations from Eastern Kentucky University. Her professional background reflects a strong commitment to people, relationships, and creating meaningful experiences, along with extensive experience in team leadership, employee development, and strategic project execution. She brings this perspective into the classroom, helping students develop the practical skills and mindset needed for success in sales careers.
"I am going into the sales world well prepared, having been a part of the Sales Hub at NKU in many ways. I have learned more about how to get meetings, interact with others, ask the right questions, and listen to clients. I got to compete in multiple sales competitions that have boosted my confidence in my abilities for entering into a sales job. I have also officially landed an inside sales job at a very competitive company in Louisville where I wanted to be."
- Ella Hardy, '26, Louisville, KY
"Going into college, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in sales. When I discovered the Selling Skill course, I jumped at the opportunity to take it, and instantly fell more in love with the profession. My professors helped guide me, encourage me, and teach me transferable skills beyond the degree. The Sales Program at NKU has laid out a firm foundation for my sales career to build upon, and I am confident in my ability to exceed my goals!"
- Jacob Albers, '26, Walton, KY
Students competing in a sales competition.
