Watch Out for This
Marketing "Power Couple"
By Carissa Hodson

He describes her as “gorgeous,” “smart,” and “kind.” She describes him as “driven,” “charismatic,” and “competitive.” He chose SMSU because of the football program. She admits to coming to SMSU because he was a student here (and a scholarship didn’t hurt). He received a bachelor’s degree in 1990 with a marketing major and sales minor. She received a bachelor’s degree in 1991 with a communications major and marketing minor.

So who are they? They are Steven and Angie Vincent – a virtual “power couple” when it comes to marketing. Steven has had positions selling copiers, oil, steel, and pharmaceuticals. His current position is selling artificial knees, hips, and titanium rods with Stryker Corporation, one of the world’s largest medical device companies. Angie’s work history includes employment at the Limited and GlaxoSmithKline (then Glaxo Wellcome). Currently, she is employed by Eisai, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, promoting different brands of medicine to health care providers.

Steven and Angie enjoyed being involved at SMSU as students. Steven says, “Being consistently involved in the school football and track programs gave me a work ethic I might not otherwise have.” His favorite professor was Dr. Steven Parker. In fact, it was a motivating speech by Dr. Parker in a freshman marketing class that caused Steven to change his major to marketing. In referring to that day, he says, “...it changed my life.” A memorable experience Angie recalls is a seminar class she had in graduate school with Dr. Luke. She says, “Dr. Luke’s insight really gave me considerable knowledge and confidence in my own business instincts.” Angie appreciates all of the marketing professors she had as a student, but considers two certain professors to be particularly instrumental in her and Steven’s lives. “Drs. Linda and Charlie Pettijohn have been extremely supportive and influential – talk about a ‘power couple,’” states Angie.

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These days, while Steven is in surgery with a physician making sure they have the proper instrumentation, Angie is providing patient and caregiver education in doctors’ offices and nursing homes about diagnosing and managing Alzheimer’s disease. Promoting and selling medical products has proven to be a marketing area in which Steven and Angie have both had success.

Though they are in similar fields, Steven and Angie have different approaches in their business “style.” Steven believes he is “more direct, more likely to close people sooner and more often.” He adds, “Consequently, I am more likely to ‘cross the line’ with people at times.” Angie agrees that she is “more reserved initially, softer on the approach and less competitive.” She quips that her competitors may not share this opinion, however. The couple avoids competing directly against each other anymore. Angie says their Scrabble tournaments are bloody, and she recalls an incident in a class they took together in college, “…our grades were separated by one point – I won’t say who got the 95%!”

Steven and Angie offered some final words of advice for students and recent graduates about the “real world.” Steven says, “Look for the job that will fulfill your life, that you’ll enjoy – not for the one with the biggest paycheck.” Angie adds, “Don’t be afraid to taken an ‘unglamorous’ job in order to get the job you really want later. Sometimes telemarketing or selling office equipment is the best experience. Don’t sell yourself short, either.”

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