Neil C. Gast
Minneapolis
Summary
Analytics and outcomes specialist passionate about education, leadership, strategy, and data science. The last few years, my focus on building and launching start-up programs aligned with company initiatives. While my formal training is in marketing and cognitive science, my corporate experience with disruption and transformation has been a great teacher.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Growth Initiatives
Pearson Education
01.2021 - Current
- Hired and leading a team of 7 Executive Sales Specialists
- Developed high-performing team by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth
- Coached two Executive Sales Specialists to develop their leadership skills and aided in their promotions to District Managers
- Developed a pipeline from $0 to $42.2M
- Closed $3.6M in net new business in 2024
- Closed $2.9M in net new business in 2023
- Closed $1.8M in net new business in 2022
- Designing plans to meet sales targets, developing and cultivating relationships with clients and evaluating costs to determine their products' pricing when selling to customers
- Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations
- Implemented innovative solutions to solve complex problems, resulting in increased productivity and streamlined operations
Firefighter/Medic/Hazmat Ops
Andover Fire Department
04.2020 - Current
- Responding to all fire and emergency medical incidents in the City of Andover
- Responded to emergency medical calls to perform lifesaving procedures and other emergency medical services
- Paid on-call firefighters are alerted to an incident via a pager dispatched through the Anoka County Central Communications System
- Member of the Relief Board of Trustees
- Received Life-Save Award from Rochester Fire Department
- Maintained optimal readiness for emergency situations by regularly participating in drills and training exercises.
Implementation Manager/Learning Specialist
McGraw Hill Education
10.2012 - 12.2020
- Part of the leadership team for 8 area Learning Technology Representatives in the Midwest district
- Exceed sales revenue, digital activation and digital usage goals
- Increased Digital Activations YOY by 8%
- Responsible for driving digital sales and implementation for all new adopters in tri-State area
- Managed multiple simultaneous implementations with minimal supervision, demonstrating strong organizational skills and adaptability
- Presented project updates to senior leadership, highlighting successes and addressing challenges with proposed solutions, ensuring ongoing support for the implementation team''s efforts
- Established effective communication channels between internal teams and external clients to facilitate smooth project execution
Senior Software Sales Engineer
BioMedix Vascular Solutions
04.2009 - 10.2012
- As the Senior Engineer for the BioMedix TRAKnet DPM program, responsible for coordinating and managing all implementation of the product across the US
- Managed development projects by working directly with medical doctors whilst providing updates and analysis to the executive management team
- Supported market research, metrics and requirements development and risk management
- Achieved company sales targets consistently by adopting consultative selling approach that built trust with clients
- Conducted competitive analysis to position products strategically, highlighting unique advantages
Education
Associate of Science - Emergency Medical Technician
Century College
White Bear Lake, MN06-2021
Associate of Science - Fire 1/ Fire 2/ HAZMAT
Anoka County Fire Academy
Minneapolis, MN01-2021
Bachelor of Arts - Business Management, Marketing
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND12-2005
Skills
- Talent Development
- Marketing Campaigns
- Negotiation
- Collaborative Team Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Budgeting
- Audience Engagement Techniques
- CRM Software Proficiency
- Email Marketing
Awards
- McGraw Hill Top Performer
- 2013
- 2015
- 2017
- BioMedix Vascular Top Performer
- 2010
- 2011
- McGraw Hill Digital Activations Top Performer
- 2019
- Life Save Award, Rochester FD, 2022
Timeline
Director, Growth Initiatives
Pearson Education
01.2021 - Current
Firefighter/Medic/Hazmat Ops
Andover Fire Department
04.2020 - Current
Implementation Manager/Learning Specialist
McGraw Hill Education
10.2012 - 12.2020
Senior Software Sales Engineer
BioMedix Vascular Solutions
04.2009 - 10.2012
Associate of Science - Emergency Medical Technician
Century College
Associate of Science - Fire 1/ Fire 2/ HAZMAT
Anoka County Fire Academy
Bachelor of Arts - Business Management, Marketing
University of North Dakota
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