Jud Sayre: Sales Executive

THOSE YOUNG BETAS who read inspirational stuff to get ideas on how to climb to positions of prominence in business and finance will find this brief biographical sketch of Judson Shirley Sayre, Ohio Wesleyan ’20, challenging. Since October, 1941, he has been the President of Bendix Home Appliances. In his early forties, Brother Sayre is one of the top ranking sales executives of the country and one does not have to be much of a prophet to see that there are bigger jobs ahead for him to fill.

Jud came to New York in 1920 from the campus at Delaware, Ohio. While taking graduate work at Columbia University, he became the Sales Promotion Manager of the big West Side Y.M.C.A. His genius as a salesman, sales manager and organizer made itself manifest early in his career. He him self offered one of the first courses in sales man ship ever given in New York. it was outstandingly successful.

From the Y.M.C.A. he went to the Alex under Hamilton Institute, then in the height of its glory and fame. The Institute officials, recognizing his talents, sent him to the Southwest. For five years he traveled through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Montana and through the Mid  dlewest and South. Jud developed business in this territory that no one had ever been able to do.

His great success as a personal salesman resulted in his appointment as a trainer of all new salesmen in his territory comprising the states mentioned. For five years Jud did yoeman work as a salesman, executive, trainer. Finally, in 1925, somewhat wearied by constant travel, he came to New York for a conference with the Institute officials.

Jud asked the Vice President in charge of sales, “What is my next job?” To which the officer replied, “Mr. Sayre, your next job is my job and I have no intention of resigning.” Jud quit on the spot. This was in early 1925. He resolved then and there never to get into a business where promotion was barricaded by insurmountable obstacles.

At that time the Kelvinator Corporation was having tough sledding financially and otherwise. He went there because every thing wasn’t all right. In July, 1925, he became a branch manager and early in 1929 he was appointed national sales man ager. The renaissance of this corporation coincides with his appointment. His great work there resulted in his appointment as manager for Montgomery & Ward pany where he was in charge of all their appliances,  directing all designing. purchasing, manufacturing and  selling. When he left Kelvinator, as a token of the high  esteem in which he was held, the officers of the  corporation presented him with a 16 cylinder Cadillac.

In July, 1935, he went to the Radio Corporation of America as assistant to the president. Then. late in 1936, when Vincent Bendix searched the country to get the best available sales executive to direct the designing and manufacturing and selling of the Bendix Home Appliances, jud was chosen and made vice president. Five years later in October of 1941, he was elected president.

He has a large future ahead of him. His success, I should  say, could be epitomized by saying three things; he is socially minded; he masters every detail of every job he un dertakes; his vision is boundless. No narrow world can ever hold him. Jud is a national figure.