Executive Education program launches the Ted Rogers Academy of Sales Excellence

Thanks to a new Ted Rogers School of Management Executive Education program, a group of sales professionals and leaders from Rogers Communications Inc. have the opportunity to strengthen their sales skills and excel in their roles.

The Ted Rogers Academy of Sales Excellence (TRASE) is a first of its kind program that will elevate the knowledge level of sales professionals at Rogers Communications. There are two streams to this program – one for sales professionals who call on a wide range of customers; and the second for sales leaders. Rogers Communications employees were asked to apply for this program and 60 (35 sales professionals and 25 sales leaders) from across the country were selected for the inaugural offering. 

“I am so proud to see this program come to life with such a high level of enthusiasm and expectations from the program participants,” says Frank Miller, Director, Executive & Corporate Education at the Ted Rogers School.

The first program was held September 8-9, 2025 at the Ted Rogers School. The morning of day one featured a Lumina Sales (external link, opens in new window)  session led by Dr. Karen Peesker (Director, Ted Rogers Sales Leadership Program) and Randi Radul (President, Lumina Learning Canada, USA, AU, NZ). In the afternoon, there was a “Having Courageous Conversations” session for sales professionals led by Dr. Ellen Choi (Associate Professor, HR and Management & Organizational Behaviour), and a Lumina Leader (external link, opens in new window)  session for sales leaders led by Radul. 

The second day featured a Financial Analysis session taught by Dr. Daniel Tut (Assistant Professor, Finance) and Instructor Adam Prokop. 

A new topic each month will be offered to both streams in three-hour sessions on Zoom.  Everyone will return to the Ted Rogers School in September 2026 for additional in-person classes and capstone presentations. The second cohort of the program will begin their learning journey next fall.

Participant Samantha Moulds, an Enterprise Account Executive at Rogers Communications, shared that being part of the TRASE program has been a rewarding experience so far. “Even though we’re just a few modules in, the learning has been both practical and inspiring, challenging me to think differently,” she explains. “It’s exciting to see Rogers investing in the growth of its people through such a well-designed program.” 

“It’s also been fantastic to connect with colleagues from across the country, share insights and build relationships that will continue to grow throughout the year. I’m looking forward to the year ahead,” Moulds adds. 

Another participant, Rogers Communications Solution Architect Marcy LeBlanc, pointed out, "We’re not just the first cohort — we’re the trailblazers. At TMU, TRASE is redefining what sales excellence means, and we’re leading the charge with bold ideas, relentless drive and a passion to elevate the profession."

Program origins

Conversations about creating the TRASE program first began during the summer of 2020. With Rogers Communications’ acquisition of Shaw, Board shuffles and rounds of rightsizing, it felt like an appropriate time to have the organization invest in the professional development of its employees. The program was the brainchild of Tom Turner, who is now the President of Rogers Business (a division of Rogers Communications). 

A meeting at Rogers head office with Ted Rogers School Dean Cynthia Holmes, Associate Dean Mark Lee, Farida Adam (Director, Development), Dr. Peesker and Miller during the summer of 2023 reignited the momentum for this program. Rylan Macdonald (Senior Manager, Sales Enablement) and Daljit Bains (Program Manager, Enterprise Sales Training, Enablement & Recognition Programs) have been the primary Rogers program leaders since the very beginning, and the program would not have happened without their leadership.

“While Rogers has an extensive onboarding process for sales professionals, they are looking to us to be the ‘double click’ in learning more about topics to enhance their sales capabilities," says Miller.

“I would like to give a huge shout out to Dr. Karen Peesker as her Ted Rogers Sales Leadership Program (with Rogers as a Platinum Sponsor) demonstrated the potential for learning and the results sales training can produce,” he adds.