SMEI CEO Featured on Forbes
Forbes Nonprofit Council members come from a wide range of backgrounds. And with their wide range of experiences, they have a lot to share with fellow members of the community. To help them share with an even greater audience, we’re profiling Forbes Nonprofit Council members here on the blog. This week: Willis Turner.
Willis Turner, CAE CME CSE, serves as president and CEO of USA-based Sales & Marketing Executives International, Inc. (SMEI), the only worldwide professional association for sales and marketing, founded in 1935. He is also a certified marketing trainer, speaker, author and nonprofit specialist.
How did your career as a nonprofit executive take off, and what do you attribute your success to most?
I came to the nonprofit world with a background in sales management and marketing, and applying the lessons learned in my previous roles helped me accelerate my career. Most valuable was my prior experience and training in building successful customer relationship models. The trusting relationships developed with key stakeholders in the nonprofit world have really been beneficial in helping advance the causes that we focus on.
