Meet Wendy Grier, RVP | Nelnet Campus Commerce

We are thrilled to welcome Wendy Grier, dog lover and higher education professional, to the team as the new Regional Vice President for the Southwest region. Check out highlights from her welcome interview:

I’ve been in higher education for over 20 years, mostly in sales. For a while, I helped institutions design and build their ERPs, so I’m very familiar with that aspect of the industry. I’ve devoted the majority of my career to higher education because I truly believe in the power it has to change a student’s life.

I have worked with campuses of all sizes across the country. For about 12 years, I had been working with Baylor University. In 2014, they gave me the Alumni by Choice award, which is given to non-Baylor graduates who have dedicated significant time or resources to the university. I’m extremely proud of that – I even keep it displayed in my house!

It’s like one big family. That’s truly the sense you get – when you’re in the office, people are walking around wearing their Nelnet shirts, proud to be a Nelnet associate. You really don’t get that sense of pride everywhere. I work out of Austin, Texas and even as a remote worker, it’s amazing. From day one, I’ve felt welcomed and a true part of the team.

Every day is different, and that’s incredibly important for me. I love to get out, meet new people, and explore different campuses (and try food from around the country!) In College Station, for example, Dixie Chicken is a Texas A&M tradition – I love learning about the things that make each institution unique.

When I moved to Texas almost 13 years ago, I got involved with a dog rescue and I fell in love with it. There’s a lot of need out here, especially when hurricanes hit and leave dogs without a home. We’ve gotten the whole family involved with rescue dogs!

Now, we have two dogs – Birdie and Bogey (we’re golfers, if you couldn’t tell).

One of my very first sales manager’s once said something that had a huge impact on me. I started my sales career in New York, where everything is non-stop. As we were sitting at lunch one day, he looked up from his meal and he said, “Wendy, don’t think. Don’t judge. Just listen.”

To this day, 20 years later, I’ll get excited about something and want to share what I think. When that happens, I take a moment and say to myself, “Just listen.”

It’s such a basic, human skill that anyone can learn, but that’s why I think I’ve been a top perform. When I’m visiting a customer, I’m actually with them.

Want to welcome Wendy yourself? Send her an email.