Rising Stars | FEATURE Derek Boyer, 39 Success Coach Proforma Stow, Ohio Getting Started Boyer had an acquaintance at Proforma, which led to being interviewed for a recruiting position at the company, an opportunity to start his career in promotional products. Earning The Honor Boyer has risen the ranks at Proforma from recruiter, to mergers and acquisitions manager, to business development manager to his current position as success coach. In the process, he has touched numerous aspects of the company, says nominator Mike Ross. Your Most Difficult Challenge? “Staying up to speed on the ever-changing landscape of technology in the industry. There is always something new to learn to help our owners sell smarter and more efficiently.” How Do You Achieve Work/Life Balance? “I really dedicate myself during the hours that I am working with very few distractions so that I can spend the time that I have left with my wife and our fivemonth-old daughter.” How Does Proforma Support You? “For a few years, my father was battling cancer. [Proforma founder] Greg Muzzillo would call me regularly to ask how he was doing. He wouldn’t want to discuss deals that I was working on. He just wanted to check in on my dad and how I was coping with the situation. I think that is very telling of the organization.” What Innovations Are Needed In The Industry? “Proforma being on the leading edge of the eCommerce boom has been very exciting. As we move forward, I think the importance of machine learning and the ability to extract more specific data points in the sales process will change the way promotional products are marketed and sold.” What Inspires You? “Talking to leadership members who express sincere gratitude for everything we do to help them be successful inspires me to go the extra mile for the next project.” | SEPTEMBER 2022 | 21
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