After graduating from Ohio State University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, Jeff joined Westinghouse Electric as a sales negotiator in the Distribution Products Division. Over the next three years, Jeff held various field sales and sales negotiator positions. In 1984 Jeff joined Autotech Corporation in Carol Stream, Illinois, as Regional Sales Manager for the western United States. While at Autotech he developed his selling skills by selecting, training, and motivating a network of manufacturers representatives and automation-oriented distributors. Later he aspired to the Southeastern US Regional Manager position and strived to optimize the sales force and grow the sales in that territory, becoming very familiar with the end-user and OEM customers in North Carolina and Virginia. In 1989 Jeff joined R.L. Matus & Associates as a sales representative covering the eastern North Carolina and Virginia territory.