Andrea Saladrigas and Carolina Chavez

As leaders and teammates, Andrea Saladrigas and Carolina Chavez lifted FIU’s Sales Team into top national recognition. Guided by their faculty mentors, College of Business sales professors Nancy Rauseo and Rafael Soltero, they created a structure for Sales Society success that will serve the organization for years to come.

Andrea (president) and Carolina (executive vice president) led their executive board to a 30 percent increase in Sales Society membership. To help raise the skills of less experienced members, they challenged e-board members to initiate new programs and encouraged every member to build their sales expertise. They also modeled team success at the International Collegiate Sales Competition in Orlando, where Carolina and Andrea placed #3 and #5, respectively, out of 137 individual competitors. The strong showing lifted FIU to a #2 ranking among 70 national schools – and #1 in the competitive Florida market.

The students also shined as individuals.

Grateful for the help she received as a newcomer to sales, Carolina brought her strong administrative skills to establishing a new coaching program for FIU competitors, creating an evaluation structure and the means for mentors to work effectively with newcomers. In addition to a strong academic performance and co-curricular leadership, she is currently training for an associate district manager position at ADP.

In addition to her studies and co-curricular work, Andrea’s strong social entrepreneurship drive led her to start Master Honey, with the goal of supporting local beekeepers and fostering community entrepreneurship. Her unique program places hives with low income women, teaches them business and hive maintenance skills, and buys the honey they produce. Master Honey won the BizVenture Competition hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation and was a finalist on the Philanthropy Shark Tank. After graduation, she will devote herself full time to Master Honey.

By Ellen Forman