Nora Heitmann received the Ammi Hyde Award for Recent Graduate Achievement at the Founders Day ceremony in March. Photo: Wayne Armstrong
Nora Ellen (Schneider) Heitmann (BA communication, political science ’00) was named one of Colorado’s 25 most powerful salespeople by Colorado Biz Magazine in February 2009. At the company where she works, Forward Logistics Group (FLG), she is consistently the No. 1-ranked salesperson, accruing more than $2.5 million annually.
And she’s achieved all this while working only two days a week.
Two years ago, after the birth of her daughter, Heitmann decided to reduce her hours. She says that motherhood is her first and favorite role in life. Yet she still maintains top numbers for FLG and also finds time to volunteer extensively for the community. It was for these accomplishments that Heitmann received the Ammi Hyde Award for Recent Graduate Achievement at the Founders Day ceremony in March.
According to fellow DU alumna and friend Laura Rogers (BSBA ’02), the secret is in Heitmann’s approach to life.
“Nora is a very passionate person about everything she does. She is one of those unique women who can do it all and who has this amazing ability to balance personal, professional, community, family and social, and juggle all these aspects of her life with flair,” Rogers says.
Heitmann believes her success is based on one fundamental aspect of her personality. “I sincerely like people,” she says. “I’m the opposite of schmooze. I have a genuine love of getting to know people and what makes them tick. My mom says I could make friends in a paper bag.”
She also enjoys being busy. Heitmann serves on the Junior League of Denver and has held many leadership positions at DU since graduation, including executive member of the Alumni Association Advisory Council and co-sponsor of the Young Alumni Endowed Scholarship Committee, for which she has helped to raise more than $100,000.
At FLG, Heitmann’s job is to secure new clients and maintain existing customers who need help coordinating their national and international freight shipping. It sounds rather dry, but Heitmann gets practically giddy when she talks about it.
“I have the funniest meetings all day,” she says. “I work with a lot of entrepreneurs who are very creative people. Many have found a product they love or have made and designed themselves and they need help sourcing in China and bringing it here to sell domestically.
“I look at supply chains and can tell them, ‘Here’s where we can make improvements,’” she explains. “I build paths and connect people.”
Heitmann, 31, seems to possess a rare ability to “do it all” happily.
“There is nowhere else I’d rather be in my life right now,” she says. “My real achievement is balance. I have a job and a family I love. I feel blessed.”