When I graduated from St. Olaf College I joined IBM as a systems engineer. At IBM, systems engineers are responsible for supporting the company's sales efforts. They assist sales professionals by helping to determine which IBM offering best meets customer's needs and by following up after the sale to ensure that customers use the systems in the most effective way. As a systems engineer I worked with some very complex systems and helped customers solve many problems. My math and computer science background was extremely valuable in helping me think through solutions to the problems that customers presented to me.

One of my greatest assets is my ability to think logically and quantitatively. In many endeavors I have used the same thought discipline that I used for solving mathematics problems in school. That discipline is the most versatile tool I have at my disposal. I majored in mathematics because I liked the subject, but I have used my training in more ways than I ever imagined possible.

After working as a systems engineer for a few years, I was asked to assume responsibilities as a marketing representative. In IBM, sales professionals must demonstrate an ability to comprehend and use highly technical information. They have to understand how IBM's systems work, and they must be able to communicate that information to customers. If it is not done well, customers won't buy our products. As a marketing rep, I put my math background to work again.