"It is with great pleasure for me to write these few words about the qualities and qualifications of Mr Terry Minion. For the last 10 years, I worked with him and observed him in action first as a Sales Manager in Northern California, then as company Director of Sales & Marketing, and finally as Ford Sales Manager for Northern California, all the while working for Harbor Truck Bodies, Inc., a leading manufacturer of service and utility truck bodies on the West Coast.
In that time, I came to recognize him as an individual of rare talent and integrity, highly experienced in all facets of sales management, especially sales training and sales motivation.
Terry's skills were really put to the test when he was selected as the company Director of Sales & Marketing at a crucial time for the company due to the abrupt resignation of the previous Director. Despite living in Northern California, far away from corporate headquarters in Orange County, California, Terry took on the task with alacrity and professionalism promising to do whatever traveling it took to keep the sales force motivated and fully supported while continuing to perform as a sales person himself in Northern California. This protracted process took approximately a year before the company was able to fill the Director position with a suitable successor.
A central figure in all aspects of sales, Terry performed a myriad of tasks on multiple levels for the company. This included developing all the sales training materials for the company, motivating all sales managers for shows and other marketing efforts, hiring and motivating several new sales managers, and hiring and training his own successor, all while managing his own Northern California sales territory. In short, he performed admirably under challenging conditions. Dedicated, ever pleasant, rational and even tempered--even under intense pressure--Terry is a positive thinking, upbeat person of high moral character. He helped Harbor Truck achieve sound and meaningful sales results that year including selling over 1,000 General Motors trucks, a record for the company.
Terry also has the vision to see the "big picture" sales training issues in unique ways, the sharpness of mind to cut through to the root causes of sales issues, and the determination and dynamic presence to change people's minds and achieve great results from people if at all possible. The training materials he developed for Harbor were considered so valuable by competitors that they often copied them to use themselves. During a large meeting with a well-known truck manufacturer where many different manufacturers were present, the question and answer period started to turn vitriolic. Terry had the presence of mind to say a few words that were so inspirational, the entire tone of the meeting changed from rancor to mutual admiration.
I heartily endorse Terry Minion as a highly qualified, highly motivated individual with rare skills in the area of sales motivation and sales training. Terry is a professional in every sense of the word!
Ken Lindt
President & CEO
Harbor Truck Bodies
