Tate Winters will start off the third week of NASDAQ trading in October by ringing the opening bell of the world's second largest stock exchange behind the New York Stock Exchange.
The Marion native earned the honor as a district manager for Fastenal, a seller of industrial and construction supplies and services traded on NASDAQ. Winters, 35, has served in his current capacity for the last three of his eight years with the company, managing sales in western Kentucky, southeast Missouri and west Tennessee.
In an internal competition among sales territories, Winters' district edged into fifth-place on the last day of the challenge, just making the cut to enjoy a trip to New York and a spot on the trading floor. So Winters, other district managers and Fastenal's chief executive officer will have the privilege of ringing the ceremonial opening bell of the exchange on Monday.
"We just slid in there," Winters joked.
He humbly credits his entire district sales team for the honor.
"I'm very lucky," he said. "I've got a great job."
NASDAQ's website explains the reason Fastenal was chosen: "In honor of the occasion Will Oberton, President and Chief Executive Officer will ring the Opening Bell. Mr. Oberton will be joined by 23 employees who earned the trip to New York by being among the top performers in a semi-annual Fastenal sales competition that dates back to 2006. The group includes the vice presidents of the sales regions that finished first, second and third in the competition, along with their top-performing district managers and store personnel."
Winters has lived in Princeton the last five years and has worked out of various Fastenal locations in the district. He is a former employee of The Crittenden Press.
You can view the ceremony on CNBC or FOX Business from 8:15 to 8:30 a.m., Monday. A live webcast of the NASDAQ Opening Bell will be available at http://www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx or http://social.nasdaqomx.com.
