Professor Mike Chao Named Director of Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales at William Paterson University

Mike Chao, a professor of marketing at William Paterson University in Wayne, has been named director of the University’s Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales (RBI), which offers one of the top professional sales degree programs in the nation.

Through the professional sales degree program and numerous professional development events, RBI prepares students for careers in sales, sales management, and sales leadership, providing them with the academic knowledge and practical skills required for success in today’s complex business environment.

Chao served for the past two years as RBI’s academic director, providing leadership for the institute’s academic and co-curricular programs. In this role, he collaborated with Cotsakos College of Business leadership to develop and maintain strategic corporate sponsorships and establish partnerships that enhance experiential learning opportunities for students. Chao also provided academic leadership for the RBI’s signature events for students, including the RBI Sales Triathlon, a sales competition for William Paterson students, and the National Sales Challenge, which draws college students from across the country abroad.

In his expanded role, Chao will oversee all RBI programs and events, lead the design, development, and delivery of all RBI programming, and foster relationships with corporate partners, professional sales organizations, K-12 schools, peer professional sales programs, and other higher education institutions. 

“Mike Chao has a reputation as an excellent teacher-mentor and a champion for our students,” says Anthony Bowrin, dean of the Cotsakos College of Business. “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 joined the faculty of the University’s Cotsakos College of Business in fall 2012. His research interests include the internationalization/regionalization of multinational corporations, especially from emerging markets; standardization vs. localization of multinational corporation websites and social media; and country-of-origin effects in international marketing. His work has been published in numerous journals, including the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of World Business, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of International Marketing, and he had made presentations at national and international conferences.

Chao also has served as director of the business track in William Paterson University’s Honors College, mentoring students in the development and writing of honor theses and projects, and building relationships with stakeholders in support of internships and practicum experiences for students.

A graduate of National Chengchi University in Taipei, Taiwan, Chao earned an MBA from the University of Missouri and a PhD in business administration from Saint Louis University in Missouri.

The Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales is consistently recognized as one of the top sales programs in the nation by the Sales Education Foundation of Dayton, Ohio. William Paterson was the first higher education institution in the world to offer a bachelor of science degree in professional sales through its Cotsakos College of Business, one of an elite group of business colleges to achieve international accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

  03/29/23