Faculty of Business at UNB’s Saint John campus launches Atlantic Sales Performance Hub
Author: UNB Newsroom
Posted on Jul 28, 2026
Category: Press Releases
The University of New Brunswick’s Faculty of Business on the Saint John campus has launched the Atlantic Sales Performance Hub—a new collaborative forum connecting sales leaders with evidence-based research, professional education, and opportunities to address the region’s sales challenges.
The first initiative of its kind in Atlantic Canada, the hub brings together academic researchers and industry professionals to share best practices, develop sales capabilities, and translate research into practical approaches that improve organizational performance.
“Sales leaders face increasing pressure to deliver growth while responding to changing customers, technologies, and workforce expectations,” said Dr. Peter Kerr, director of the faculty’s MBA program and Chair of Applied Research in Sales.
“The hub will create a community where sales professionals can learn from one another, access relevant research, and work collectively to strengthen sales performance across Atlantic Canada.”
Research completed by the Canadian Professional Sales Association in 2022 showed that 73 per cent of Canadian businesses indicated difficulties in hiring qualified salespeople.
Forty per cent of those hired had no formal sales training prior to entering the profession.
The hub’s activities will help address these issues through research into the factors that drive sales performance; education for salespeople and sales leaders; and industry engagement through webinars, conferences, and shared research.
Participants will help shape the hub's research agenda and access opportunities to engage with UNB's sales programs, including recruiting sales interns, judging competitions, and connecting with future graduates.
As part of its launch, the hub is conducting its 2026 State of Sales Survey to identify the business conditions, workforce pressures, operational challenges, and gaps affecting sales organizations across the Maritimes.