Andrew Gorski, '92, M.B.A. '19: Servant Leadership Leads to Sales Success
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet

Andrew Gorski, '92, M.B.A. '19, builds winning sales teams with Huskie grit and determination. (Photo: Andrew Gorski)

Hard work and servant leadership describe Andrew “Andy” Gorski to a 'T.' His 33-year successful sales career was shaped by his experiences in youth football and at NIU, which instilled in him the grit and determination necessary to excel in competitive sales environments.
 

“Football built me; NIU inspired me,” he said.
 

Gorski grew up in Summit, Illinois, near Chicago’s south side. He played football at Argo High School. 
 

“Football taught me how to mentally and physically get knocked down and get back up,” Gorski said. “It taught me the importance of teamwork and focusing on my goals.”
 

After being denied admission to the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business, Gorski turned to his second-choice university, NIU.
 

“Being turned down (by the University of Illinois) ended up being one of the luckiest moments of my life,” he said. “I was lucky to study professional selling at NIU. Its strong curriculum, including many industry speakers, taught me things that I still use in my career today. Dr. Stephen Castleberry founded the program, which is the second oldest sales program in the country, and it remains top-notch.”
 

Former NIU sales professor Dr. Rick Ridnour distinctly influenced Gorski’s career path by showing him what a successful professional sales career looked like.
 

“Dr. Ridnour’s Introduction to Professional Selling class changed my direction and my life,” Gorski said. “I saw that you could make a good living helping customers get what they needed. Dr. Ridnour is one of the most positive people I’ve ever met. We are still friends today, and he continues to inspire me whenever we speak.”

Gorski looks to inspire current NIU students, just as Ridnour did for him. He has served on the NIU Sales Advisory Board for over 25 years, offering his ideas and expertise and working with students looking to enter sales. He also returns to campus almost every semester to guest lecture in classes. Simply helping students brings him immense joy. 

“I truly treasured my time at NIU and continue to treasure my experiences as an alumnus,” he said. “I doubt I would have been involved after graduation if I went to any other university.”
  

The same joy of helping others drives Gorski’s noteworthy career. Whether it’s growing a new seller to make their first sale or helping a top seller to close a landslide deal, Gorski says the ability to help others succeed in their careers or serve customers is heartwarming and never grows old.
 

Gorski led sales teams for 22 years during his nearly 25-year career at CDW, a global IT services and IT consulting company. A significant highlight came when he was selected to pilot teams that aimed explicitly at selling to healthcare providers. Teaming up with another sales leader, Gorski piloted the effort from 2003 to 2005, culminating in the official launch of CDW Healthcare in 2005.
 

“At launch, the healthcare teams brought in $325 million,” Gorski said. “Today, they bring in over $3 billion in revenue. We set the strategy, we built the team, and it was such a rush!”
 

His success didn’t come without challenges, requiring him to draw on his resilience and determination to rise again after setbacks.
 

“In 2008, I built and led a team at CDW focused on selling a nurse communications system,” Gorski said. “After growing sales at 5X, the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) of our main offering decided to pull out of the channel, leaving my six sellers, my engineer and myself without jobs. We found new roles for almost everyone, and I entered the world of collaboration, the market I’m in today. The lessons learned were that ‘life can change in an instant’ and to ‘always be open to new opportunities.’”   
 

Today, Gorski is vice president of sales for SVT, a national audio/visual solutions integrator specializing in designing and installing conference rooms, video walls, digital signage and other solutions. He focuses on working with channel partners and leading a solution-driven team of sales professionals who listen to customers’ needs to design solutions that meet their vision and budget. 
 

Gorski’s proudest accomplishment is seeing many people he’s worked with grow in their careers and achieve their dreams. 

“It results in hard-working teams, success and loyalty,” Gorski said, reflecting on the foundation of his servant leadership style.
 

He emphasizes his philosophy of uplifting others in all aspects of his life, including volunteer work at OscarMike.org, Operation Support our Troops and the Daybreak Shelter in Joliet. Still, Gorski acknowledges that it’s critical to know when to accept support from others. 
 

“My wonderful wife, Paula, did the bulk of the hard work raising our children,” Gorski said. “With her support, I was able to focus throughout my career. I am a fighter, and I can work as hard as it takes to win with her by my side.”
 

Clearly, Gorski was meant to be a Huskie. He’s proud to be associated with NIU and its culture.
 

“Huskies are gritty!” he said. “Huskies work hard and get the job done. They do whatever it takes to earn their degree and succeed.”