Colorado's 25 most powerful salespeople: seventh annual 'power list' celebrates people who paint the bottom line black.

• Author: Taylor, Mike

MARY SULLIVAN

Senior vice president and commercial real estate broker, CB Richard Ellis, Denver

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Track record: The 28-year veteran of the commercial real estate industry received the "Investment Broker of the Year" award from the NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, in 1994, 1998 and 2002.

Background: Sullivan completed more than $228 million in sales in 2008 and closed nearly $181 million in 2009 as of mid-November. Her final year-end sales for 2009 were projected to top $200 million in 2009. Sullivan along with her partner, Tim Swan, handled the largest transaction to occur in Denver and Colorado this year--the sale of the 33-story Seventeenth Street Plaza, a class AA office tower located in downtown Denver.

Recession challenges: Sullivan's team had back-to-back years of more than $1 billion in sales in 2006 and 2007. But the kind of deals she brokers, which involve sophisticated capital market clients, plummeted with the recession. "It was like you were going at warp speed and then you hit the wall, and that's a tough adjustment," she said. "You have to continue to invest in your business. That's traveling to see clients, taking clients out to lunch or dinner, staying in front of them and providing information so when the assets start to sell again you're on their minds."

JACOB SANCHEZ, 27

Sales associate, T-Mobile, Denver

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What he does: Sells mobile phones and service at a T-Mobile retail store.

Background: Sanchez is T-Mobile's top retail sales associate in Colorado and the United States--bringing in three times what the average T-Mobile salesperson produces.

Phone sense: " I make sure that I follow up with my customers and that they understand everything," Sanchez says. "Phones are not something that you can just pick up to make a call as you did back in the day when it was hit 'green' to make a call and hit 'red' to stop. Now you have e-mail, GPS, Internet and applications."

Recession-busting business: "Everybody nowadays wants a cell phone. And everybody wants to upgrade to the new technology. Everybody wants to be the cool guy who has the latest, greatest device. And it's benefited us in a lot of different ways."

Closing the deal: "The tough sales are always going to be the deals I try to close that involve more than 10 activations. I work at a retail store so for the most part everything is coming in to me. My marketing and promotion team is doing a good enough job where I just have to come in and smile, offer the product and sell it. ... Getting those big accounts that we don't focus on daily, that's one of my biggest struggles. That's something I always work on."

CINDY HUGHES, 35

Outside account manager, Colorado region, Systems Technology Associates Inc., Centennial

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What she does: Tustin, Calif-based Systems Technology Associates provides technical and business solutions and works with such manufacturing partners as HP, EMC, Microsoft and Oracle. Hughes was a key player in the opening of STA's Colorado office in Centennial in 2007.

Background: Hughes joined STA five years ago after a career that included a stint with Hewlett-Packard. She consistently ranks among the company's top performers for consulting services, software and hardware sales, posting double-digit growth increases and seven-figure annual revenue growth.

Sales tips: "The best salesperson is the best listener," Hughes says. "It's all about understanding customers' needs, understanding in our business what the business needs are, connecting those with the needs of the IT organization, and making sure our company is delivering on the solutions that can best meet their needs. In order to do that, you have to listen very well."

Recession challenges: "You have to be out there more. But it's also a good time to be working with customers. They don't necessarily have the budget, but that gives you time to step back and architect the right solution for when they do have the budget."

SKYLAR HASKELL, 29

Broker Associate, The Group Inc. Real Estate, Fort Collins

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What he does: Sells real estate, specializing in new construction representing Fort Collins-area home builders.

Sales stats: In 2008, Skylar and his brother, Matt, were the No. 1 team for new construction sales in Northern Colorado, closing 104 transaction sides for sales of almost $26 million.

Recession-survival plan: Business slowed a bit last year for the Haskells, but they are preparing for an upturn in the market with their launch of an online "MLS Store" that allows prospects to browse a map area and view 10 new neighborhoods in Northern Colorado with one visit to www.theMLSstore.com.

Of interest: Realtor magazine named Haskell one of its 2009 "30 under 30" Realtors as one of the country's top 30 real estate salespeople under 30 years old. Born and raised in Fort Collins, Skylar played baseball at the University of Northern Colorado and after college joined brother Matt in the real estate business. They've been a team for four years.

Sales Tip: "It's a lot easier to stay on top when you're there, so put in the time and energy early to get there as quickly as possible, and then let your business work for you."

TIM SISNEROS, 40

Territory manager, Polycom, Westminster

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What he does: Sells voice-over-Internet protocol technology to a 10-state region.

Background: Sisneros has been working in the telecommunications and Internet industry for more than two decades, including stints with Qwest, Level 3 and MCI. He serves on the Colorado board of Communications Technology Professionals. In 2005, his year-over-year sales growth was 350 percent; he'll end 2009 with 30 percent growth.

Sales acumen: "I really try to make myself an extension of the sales force that they (customers) have, really integrate myself into their business and in turn make all of us successful in what we do," he says. "Our product is very well known in the market, and because of experiences that people have had in the past, we have a very good track record, and that's why we gain a lot of business in the market."

Recession challenges: "I'm lucky enough to be in a technology that actually reduces some of the stress on operational expenses and has a low capital expenditure around it. In the tough times in the market that we've seen, we've actually been able to get a lot of traction and do very well."

PHILLIP LAY, 30

Area manager, Enterprise Fleet Management, Denver

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What he does: Works with businesses that use cars, trucks and vans for business use. The company provides guidance and products for businesses to manage their fleets. (Enterprise Fleet Management is a division of Enterprise Rent-A-Car.)

Background: This year, the Denver office has seen more than 15 percent growth.

Sales tips: "The biggest difference between a very successful salesperson and the middle of the pack is their ability to get to know their clients, get to know their business, understand their needs and customize solutions based on where they provide value," Lay says. "I like to get to know my customers and have a personal relationship with virtually every one of them. I know a lot about them; I know a lot about their industry. And I'm very hands-on with my customers."

Recession success: "It's kind of been a blessing in disguise. ... When you have a downturn, business owners, especially executives, are very open to finding different ways to cut costs and improve efficiencies. Most companies are trying to find a way to do more with less. And we play into that."

KATRINA ROTH, 28

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