Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. is excited to announce our Platinum 5 Star Winners for 2013. At the end of every life science marketing event, we announce a Five Star Winner who has demonstrated sales professionalism, been friendly and outgoing with event attendees and attracted large crowds of attendees to learn about their life science products. Our Platinum 5 Star Winners are selected as the most outstanding life science salespeople of the year. This year’s winners are Michael Sutton of Eppendorf and Mario Ribas of G-Biosciences.
Some of the criteria Biotechnology Calendar, Inc. keep in mind when selecting Five Star Winners include:
- Sales professionalism
- Start-to-finish interactive presence
- Popularity with researcher attendees
- Friendly approach and eye contact
- Effective, attractive table displays
- Accessible, engaging booth staff
Not only were Michael Sutton and Mario Ribas selected as 5 Star Winners at their respective life science marketing events, they have been recognized as the best of the best among all of 2013’s outstanding life science salespeople and 5-Star Winners. We asked Michael and Mario to provide us with some information about themselves and their companies for this article. Here is what they had to say.
Michael Sutton
Michael Sutton is an Eppendorf Territory Manager based out of San Diego, CA. He covers the University of California, San Diego and the state of Arizona. After receiving a Master of Biotechnology from Texas A&M University in 2011, he stepped right into the sales world. In his bio, Michael said:
“I began my career at Life Technologies, with their Inside Sales division, and as of May 2013, I joined Eppendorf as an Eppendorf Territory Manager. I truly enjoy working and selling in the biotech/ university sectors because it keeps me involved with the science I love and talking with the people I care about. I'm a firm believer in innovation and embrace change with optimism. Moving forward, I see myself staying in the sales world, finding new and creative ways to build relationships and connect with people. At the end of the day, I love what I do and hope that translates to my customers."
Michael Sutton engaging with a potential customer
Eppendorf is a leading life science company that develops and sells instruments, consumables and services for liquid, sample, and cell handling in laboratories worldwide. Its product range includes pipettes and automated pipetting systems, dispensers, centrifuges, mixers, spectrometers, and DNA amplification equipment as well as ultra-low temperature freezers, fermentors, bioreactors, CO2 incubators, shakers and cell manipulation systems. Associated consumables like pipette tips, test tubes, microtiter plates, and disposable bioreactors complement the instruments for highest quality workflow solutions.
Mario Ribas engaging with a potential customer
Mario Ribas graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Biochemistry/ Biotechnology as well as a double minor in both Biology and Chemistry. He spent one year as a sales rep for a small, regional distribution company in scientific products called SciMart. Seeking a position that was more heavily based in the sciences, he turned to manufacturing. Mario said of his decision:
“G-Biosciences' product line was very much in line with my education background, and when they interviewed me, I knew it was a perfect fit. I started with them in January of 2013, and so my year anniversary is approaching.”
Mario also enjoys playing guitar, has done five years of Martial Arts training in a Korean style known as Kuk Sool Won and loves to mountain bike. He also has a two-year-old daughter named Leah.
Mario Ribas, right, sharing information with an attendee
G-Biosciences was founded in 1994 with a vision to simplify life science research. Their primary goal was to target the key techniques of protein research and find affordable methods to simplify and improve on these techniques. Over the years, G-Biosciences has branched out into other areas of research, but their primary target still remains with proteins and their mission to “simplify and improve on these techniques” still holds true. This message was reinforced in 2010 with the evolution of “The Protein Man,” their iconic mascot.
G-Biosciences’ team examined every aspect of particular experimental techniques, ranging from protein extraction to protein purification and detection, to identify key areas that they could target for improvement. They now manufacture everything from simple buffers at convenient concentrations and sizes to custom manufactured devices, such as Tube-O-Dialyzer, that enhance and simplify key techniques. Their key areas of focus include, but are not limited to, protein assays, sample preparation, electrophoresis, Western blotting, mass spectrometry, assay development, antibody production and protein purification.
G-Biosciences now offers thousands of products for the protein and life science research market, all designed with the hope of making a researcher’s lab time simpler and more affordable.
Congratulations once again, Michael and Mario! We are very pleased to announce your 5 Star Platinum Awards to our readers and spotlight your excellent work in the life science products field. It is a joy to work with outstanding life science salespeople such as yourselves and a delight to officially recognize your sales professionalism. We hope to see you again soon!
