BYRON BLAND, JR.
Chicago
Summary
Accomplished sales professional with a proven track record of building a vast pipeline, identifying opportunities and closing a multitude of sales in a given territory. Communicate effectively with diverse team members including business partners, physicians, and other department leaders. Throughout sales career, displayed technical expertise in customer presentations to address challenges, forged customer and internal relations to maximize business opportunities, built sales, and acquired new business.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Diagnostic Sales Specialist
Cardinal Health (US Medical Products and Distribution)
09.2025 - Current
- Managing the sales cycle of capital equipment for over 20 vendors/manufacturers
- Selling into 8 disciplines in the laboratory including Clinical & Anatomical Pathology by calling on lab managers/directors, shift/department supervisors and administration including C-suite (CEOs, CFOs & COOs)
- Working closely with manufacturer reps and owning the sales cycle to position acquisition options for Reagent Rental Agreements, Lease Agreement and capital purchases over $350K
- Extensive knowledge on department-specific instrumentation and the supplies associated with customer’s workflow
- Collaborating cross-functional with internal and external colleagues to maximum business outcomes
- Results
- Contribution over $150K in gross profit in the first 6 months
- Elected for the sales team Advisory Council to discuss collaboration initiatives to drive more sales activity in the field
- Drummed up a pipeline of over $17M with prospects in the Commit stage totaling to $2.3M in first year
Laboratory Sales Consultant
Cardinal Health (US Medical Products and Distribution)
07.2024 - 09.2025
- Working extensively with procurement on conversions, product backorders/allocations and pricing negotiations
- Partnering with manufacturer reps that represent all the respective departments of the lab: from Anatomical Pathology to Clinical Chemistry
- Extensive knowledge of the major GPOs and how to leverage contracts and distribution agreements
- Fostering relationships with directions to technical specialists to understand pain points and provide solutions that enhance operational efficiencies
- Results
- Expanded laboratory business into the non-acute segments (community health clinics, physician office labs, etc.)
- Closed and became PRIME lab vendor at the largest gastroenterology practice in the MPLS market, totaling over $200K in net new business
- Achieved 109% of YTD aggregate quota with large emphasis on closes for private-label products
- Joined internal IDN Laboratory Operational Meetings, Chemistry Standardization Committee and Specimen Collection and Processing Committee to report current projects and discuss proposals
- Closed 2 PRIME vendor accounts that resulted in an incremental $250,000 in Gross Profit
Account Manager
Abbott Laboratories (Rapid Diagnostics – Cardiometabolic Division)
11.2022 - 06.2024
- Manage a large territory in the Midwest region: Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota.
- Sold Afinion diabetic A1C testing equipment and Cholestech LDX for cholesterol testing to primary care clinics, critical access hospitals, and specialty groups.
- Communicate regularly with laboratory managers, nursing supervisors, nursing directors, and point of care coordinators.
- Present and perform product technical demonstrations.
- Results
- Closed two major IDNs in the Minneapolis market that resulted in 70+ analyzers with usage accounted for in a Volume Commitment Agreement totaling to over $750K in recurring reagent business
- Acquired new business in 7 critical access hospitals with $225K in net new revenue
- Added value to the customer by sharing valuable information on A1C and cholesterol and providing knowledge of other accounts and services in the area.
- Instructed up to 20 attendees, mainly laboratory technology students, at CLC (Clinical Laboratory Collective) Conference Seminars (2 in Minneapolis, 1 in Appleton, WI). Demonstrate and educate attendees on point of care testing and benefits.
- Expert in Afinion and Cholestech LDX. Resource person for new account managers.
- Maximized business opportunities by forging relationships with distribution partners (Medical Surgical and Laboratory Sales Consultants).
- Guided point of care chronic disease solutions to enable medical clinics to test patients at the time of visit.
Account Executive
MSI Metro Sales Inc.
Burnsville, MN
06.2021 - 10.2022
- Sold office technology (printers, copiers) B2B in the Twin Cities to Office Managers or leaders of IT departments.
- Ensured exceptional customer service, and responded to issues, concerns, and clarifications on the product.
- Results
- Achieved 300% of quota by excelling in closing techniques, building relationships, resolving questions, persuasive communications, and solutions selling.
- Ranked Top 5 in the entire company for new customer business out of 60 account executives.
- Built company from the ground floor with 0 customers in June 2021 to 20 new customers by July of 2022.
- Top 3 account executive for total gross margin.
Education
Master of Science - Health Care Innovation
University of St Thomas
St. Paul, MN06.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration, Concentration: General Business Management
University of St Thomas
St. Paul, MN05.2021
High School - undefined
Eden Prairie High School
Eden Prairie, MN05.2017
Skills
- Hunter – New Business Success
- Strategic sales and marketing
- Driving new business
- Articulating Features & Benefits
- Salesforce CRM management
- Technical Expertise – Lab Diagnostics
- Healthcare Economics
- Problem solving and troubleshooting
- Competitive research & analysis
- Multi-tasking and organization
- Inventory management
- Supply Chain Operations
- Negotiation Skills – Financial Modeling
- Lead Generation
- Relationship building
- Client relations
- Upselling and cross selling
Certification
- CPT - Certified Personal Trainer
- [resistance training & aerobic fitness] License #128757227
Timeline
Diagnostic Sales Specialist
Cardinal Health (US Medical Products and Distribution)
09.2025 - Current
Laboratory Sales Consultant
Cardinal Health (US Medical Products and Distribution)
07.2024 - 09.2025
Account Manager
Abbott Laboratories (Rapid Diagnostics – Cardiometabolic Division)
11.2022 - 06.2024
Account Executive
MSI Metro Sales Inc.
06.2021 - 10.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Business Administration, Concentration: General Business Management
University of St Thomas
High School - undefined
Eden Prairie High School
Master of Science - Health Care Innovation
University of St Thomas