Devin Sloma
- Technical Account Manager
- Marquis
School Information
School: University of Wisconsin-Madison
College Major: Engineering
Years at College Works: 2012
Career Information
Working For: Marquis
Title: Technical Account Manager
Industry: Energy
Brief Description of Duties / Responsibilities:
I am an experienced technical sales engineer and project manager in the specialty chemical industry. In 2020, I started a new opportunity as a Technical Account Manager with Marquis XT, a vertically integrated contract manufacturer for liquid filling/blending in industrial, household and personal care products. Marquis started production of 40MM gal/yr of industrial and USP grade ethanol for sale domestically and abroad in 2021. My current role includes managing the sales channels of our industrial and USP ethanol. We are focused on maintaining strong customer relationships by delivering consistent, high quality product with assurance of supply for our customers.
What Has Been Your Proudest Accomplishment Post-CWP?Obtaining a role in the engineering field to further progress my career and grow as a person.
College Works Career Impact
In one sentence, what has CW meant to you?
College Works Painting gave me a true understanding of a true project role and highlighted my skills that helped progress my career in engineering.
How did your CW experience impact your career? Immediately after graduation? Now?
College Works Painting highlighted my skills and brought them into a real world job. That exposure has led to success in obtaining job offers since my College Works Painting experience.
What was the greatest lesson you learned from your CW experience?
Hard work is the key to success.
Advice
What advice do you have for potential CW participants? Current CW participants?
Take advantage of the College Works Painting opportunity and use it as another tool to educate yourselves. The resources available will have endless, positive impacts on your future no matter what career path you strive toward.
What’s your best advice for someone interested in entering your career field?
Hard work will always find success.
What’s your favorite memory from CW?
That’s a tough one but it’s hard to forget my first day of estimates. There were 4-5″ of snow on the ground and I didn’t have a car, so I had a taxi drop me off a few houses away from the first client’s home. I was all bundled up, went into the house and threw back a cup of black coffee that the client offered me while we talked for about an hour. Funny thing was that I hated coffee at the time but my DM (Adam Arnold) told me to accept any food or drink that they offered. All I kept thinking was “coffee is for closers,” whatever that means. After doing the walk around and calculating the estimate, I wrote up the contract in the garage. When I went in to present the bid, I received my first deposit. I loved deposit checks.
Last words of wisdom?
Pound the pavement and don’t take “no” for an answer but when you do, you better get over it in 30 seconds while you walk to the next house.