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Ian Michaelchuck ’07, ‘13, MBA ‘17, a dynamic business leader and educator with a proven track record of success in sales leadership, strategic account management, and talent development, has been named the director of the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales in the Cotsakos College of Business at William Paterson University in Wayne.
“Ian Michaelchuck brings a dynamic blend of business leadership and educational insights that will greatly support the Russ Berrie Institute’s long-term success and expansion,” says Anthony Bowrin, dean of the Costakos College of Business. “He is also a proud alumnus of William Paterson University who has remained deeply engaged with our community over the years in multiple roles. He has a passion for helping our students succeed, and we are excited to welcome him back to the University in this new role.”
The Russ Berrie Institute, founded in 2003 through a generous gift from the Russell Berrie Foundation, delivers education, research, and leadership that advance the sales profession, with programs focused on identifying, studying, and providing solutions to the challenges individuals and firms face every day in achieving superior sales performance. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in professional sales, the Institute offers national, regional, and local professional development and career readiness programs in collaboration with corporate partners to prepare students for the workforce, including the National Sales Challenge, the premier national collegiate sales competition.
Michaelchuck leads the commercial construction vertical at Lowe’s Companies, Inc., bringing his strategic vision and customer-first mindset to a national platform. Prior to Lowe’s, he served as national accounts manager for MSC Industry Supply Co., where he managed more than $45 million of business and led strategic partnerships with industry giants such as DuPont, Standard Industries, and Assa Abloy.
He began his professional career at Hilti, where he spent 10 years progressing through roles of increasing responsibility. Starting in territory sales across North Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia, he advanced to join the executive leadership team, launched new software initiatives as a consultant, and ultimately led a high-performing sales team across the greater Northeast.
Michaelchuck graduated from William Paterson University in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in business management finance and in 2013 earned a bachelor of science in management with a minor in professional sales. He earned an MBA from William Paterson in 2017. He has served as an adjunct professor at William Paterson in the Cotsakos College of Business and has been a long-time active volunteer for RBI events, helping to prepare students for successful careers in sales and business.
