William Paterson promotes Chao to lead sales institute

William Paterson University promoted Mike Chao to lead the university’s Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales (RBI), the Wayne school announced March 29. 

Chao, who’s also a professor of marketing at WPU, has served as the academic director for RBI for the past two years. 

As director, Chao will oversee all RBI programs and events and foster relationships with corporate partners, professional sales organizations, K-12 schools, peer professional sales programs and other higher education institutions, WPU said. 

RBI, housed in the university’s Cotsakos College of Business, offers academic degree programs, development programs, and sales-performance consulting and research. According to its website, RBI’s bachelor’s degree in professional sales is the first separate degree of its kind offered by an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business school. 

“Mike Chao has a reputation as an excellent teacher-mentor and a champion for our students,” Cotsakos College of Business Dean Anthony Bowrin said in a statement. “I look forward to his continued success as he and the RBI team work to further enhance the role of RBI and its impact on our students and the wider community.” 

Chao, who joined the business college faculty in fall 2012, has also served as director of the business track in WPU’s Honors College, and his work has been published in numerous industry journals.  

Chao graduated from National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan, and earned an MBA from the University of Missouri and a Ph.D. in business administration from Saint Louis University in Missouri. 

ICYMI

William Paterson University received $1 million in federal aid earlier this year to support students whose finances were heavily impacted by the pandemic. Click here to read the story.