TROY, Mich., May 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The Marketing & Sales Executives of Detroit (MSED) recently named the winners of its Platinum Awards for sales and marketing excellence at the 15th Annual MSED Gala held May 18 at the Reserve in Birmingham, Mich.
The Platinum Recognition Award for the top individual went to Chuck Pestow, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Citation Corp., Novi, Mich. The Platinum Recognition Award for the top team went to the Plymouth, Mich.- based X-Tracker(TM) Global Marketing & Sales Team of SKF Automotive Division. This team was led by Gregg Rasmussen, vice president, Car Business North America, and included team members Walt Delevich, Domenico Ducci, Ken Fegely, Soenke Peterson, Jim Seta, Cengiz Shevket and Mike Visovatti.
"It was difficult to select the winners this year," said Dave Harries, chairman for the 2007 MSED Platinum Awards and executive vice president, SugarBush Media Solutions. "Although there were many remarkable applicants, the selections for the individual and team awards truly exemplify excellence in their field. Their efforts make a difference to the vitality of our community and our economic well-being."
With more than 35 years of experience, Pestow has been responsible for leading Citation Corp.'s sales team to exceed financial projections and diversify the customer base. Pestow also used his understanding of the industry to secure over $300 million in new business awards since 2005. Citation is a leading supplier of casting and machined components to the automotive, medium / heavy truck, and industrial markets.
The SKF team is made up of marketing, sales and technical personnel, as well as global account management and corporate marketing support functions. Its success was defined by a shared commitment to collaborate as a focused, global team in driving the marketing and sales efforts of the new X-Tracker(TM) hub bearing unit to the automotive marketplace. The team listened to market needs and remained committed to collaboration to successfully sell the X-Tracker(TM) hub bearing to a broad base of customers.
The Platinum Award winners were nominated for the awards by their peers and were evaluated by MSED judges. Factors considered included the nominees' track records in sales, utilizing new ideas or approaches, meeting challenges imaginatively, exhibiting exemplary teamwork and impacting a business or industry.
The MSED Platinum Awards are co-sponsored by Crain's Detroit Business, the weekly business publication covering southeast Michigan.
Also at the gala, the MSED Executive Leadership Award was presented to Matthew Cullen, general manager of the Economic Development and Enterprise Services Group for General Motors Corp.
NOTE TO EDITOR: Founded in 1988, the Marketing & Sales Executives of Detroit (MSED) is a non-profit organization for marketing and sales management professionals in southeastern Michigan. MSED provides members with an ongoing platform for idea exchange, professional development and new business opportunities. The organization conducts approximately 15 meetings, seminars and educational events each year for networking, professional development and scholarship fund-raising purposes.
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