GAINESVILLE, FL:  Most students enter college without knowing the major or career that they want to pursue.  That was not the case for Rob McClure (BS ISE 1993), who returned with colleague Lane Jackins of AME, Inc. in Jacksonville to address the students in the Sales Engineering seminar.  McClure excelled in math and science in high school, so he knew he was headed to engineering.  Being from Auburn, he wanted to get “out of town” but stay in the Southeastern Conference, so the Gators were a natural choice.  When he arrived for Preview, only one major caught his eye — Industrial Engineering.  And when he further learned about the technical sales program (now Sales Engineering), he was hooked.

“I went into ISE thinking it was the best of me,” said McClure.  As for technical sales, he recalled thinking “that’s a good fit for me.”  And it has been.  McClure went to work for York, selling HVAC equipment right out of school.  He now is President of AME (which Jackins started), selling York and other equipment.  “I love the different hats you wear being a Sales Engineer for HVAC,” he told students in having to deal with owners, design engineers and mechanical contractors — all wanting different information from engineering specifications, to technical designs, to pricing.

“Its not like retail,” he told the students.  “Its a very competitive field.  And its great when you win.”