Company: PetRays Veterinary Telemedicine Consultants, The Woodlands, Texas
Company Description: PetRays is the leader in providing veterinary telemdicine services to veterinarians around the globe.
Nomination Category: Sales Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Sales Director of the Year

Nomination Title: Melissa Fields Tugwell, Co-Founder and Director of Sales and Marketing

Tell the story about what this nominee achieved since the beginning of July last year (up to 500 words). Focus on specific accomplishments, and relate these accomplishments to past performance or industry norms. Be sure to mention obstacles overcome, innovations or discoveries made, and outcomes:

PetRays Veterinary Telemedicine Consultants (PetRays) makes Board Certified
Veterinary Specialists available to virtually every veterinary practice world
wide. PetRays was founded in 2006 with the mission of providing high quality
healthcare to animals and domestic pets in a timely manner and with a great
sense of urgency.

PetRays award winning co-founder, Melissa Fields Tugwell, brought extensive
marketing, service and sales experience to PetRays.

In 2007, Melissa launched PetRays on to the national scene by organizing and
personally attending numerous veterinary industry trade shows throughout the
continental U.S.A.; By the end of 2007, PetRays was a recognized leader in the
veterinary industry.; In 2008, company revenues increased 397% form 2007
revenues.; By the end of 2008, under Melissa’s leadership, PetRays had become
a multi-million dollar company.;

By July of 2008 PetRays had recruited sales staff to help meet the company
growth goals and implement the demand generation program for the company.;
With Melissa’s sales and marketing background, she served as the Director of
Sales and Marketing.

Since July 2008, under Melissa’s guidance, the sales and marketing staff
achieved the following goals and milestones:

- Revenue growth of nearly 400%
- Over 300% increase in customer base
- Greater than 99% customer retention rate
- Over 100% increase in customer utilization
- Over 99% positive feedback for both sales and support departments
- Over 500% increase in referrals from existing customers
- 70% decrease in service calls despite 400% growth rate by identifying
common service issues and implementing specific sales training upfront

This phenomenal growth and customer retention was achieved during a slowing
economic time where there was an overall decrease in utilization of veterinary
services across the industry.; Additionally, Melissa implemented sales
protocols and lead follow-up protocols to maximize the conversion of leads to
actual customers.

Melissa identified several challenges that had to be overcome in order to
achieve continued growth and implemented sales strategies to compensate for
and overcome those challenges.;; Examples of challenges and solutions are:

1. Slowing economic times
;; a. Action:; Escalated all sales and marketing efforts and focused heavily
on current client retention.; Designed and documented sales lead follow-up
algorithms to maximize customer conversion.
;; b. Result:; Continued growth of over 300%.

2. Price pressure from competitors
;; a. Action:; Modified sales presentation materials to emphasize the areas
where PetRays excels and make customers aware of value added services without
a reduction in price points.
;; b. Result:; No decrease in customer conversion despite pricing pressures.

3. Increase in number of market competitors
;; a. Action:; Redesigned all marketing and sales materials to reflect the
unmatched turnaround times and services that PetRays’ customers enjoy, offered
limited free trails to new customers and increased tradeshow presence and
escalated all marketing efforts while identifying cost saving methods.
;; b. Result: Increased customer base at lower cost.

In addition to directing and managing all aspects of company sales, Melissa
also directed and managed all company marketing efforts as well as managed the
company’s comprehensive demand generation program.; PetRays brand recognition
and sales continue to soar.

List hyperlinks to any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that support the claims made in the section above. IMPORTANT: Begin each link with http://, and enclose each link in square brackets; for example, [http://www.youraddress.com]:

http://www.petrays.com
http://petrays.radrequest.com
http://www.petrays.com/pdf/VPN%20Telemedicine%20Article%202009.pdf
http://www.petrays.com/pdf/VPN%20Telemedicine%20Article%202008.pdf
http://www.petrays.com/pdf/VPN%20Diagnosis%20July08.pdf
http://www.petrays.com/pdf/VPN%20Diagnosis%20June08.pdf
http://www.petrays.com/pdf/VPN%20Diagnosis%20May08.pdf
http://www.petrays.com/pdf/sample_report.pdf
http://www.mediafire.com/file/hommytafunb/PetRays2007-2008 RevenueLetterromCPA.pdf;;
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/10/prweb3061154.htm
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/The-Stevie-Awards-1060314.html
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/The-Stevie-Awards-1077167.html

Provide a brief (up to 100 words) biography about the nominee:

Immediately after college, Melissa Fields Tugwell began her professional
career as a marketing intern at a national staffing franchise corporate
office.; Melissa rapidly worked her way up the corporate ladder and purchased
her own staffing franchise in less than two years.; Melissa is the recipient
of many accolades.; Most recently, she was awarded Best Young Entrepreneur at
the 2009 Stevie’s for Women in Business. Additionally, Melissa is the proud
mother of three young girls who keep her very busy with extracurricular
activities as well as various community activities.