Celebrating Four Decades of Impact—Peltier Retires!

After joining UW–Whitewater’s College of Business and Economics in 1986, Dr. James “Jimmy” Peltier is retiring, closing a 39-year chapter marked by innovation, mentorship, and leadership.

Academic & Program Building

• Joined with a strong background in consulting and advertising, and served as President of a marketing consulting firm before UW–Whitewater.
• Co-founded and led the Institute for Sales Excellence since 2012, elevating it to a national force in sales education.
• Advised the UW–Whitewater AMA chapter for four decades, steering it to 21 International Chapter of the Year titles, including 14 consecutive victories.

Recognized Across Campus & Beyond

• Awarded the 2025 Marketing Innovator Award by the Marketing Management Association (following in the footsteps of legends like Kotler and Sheth).
• Earned numerous honors at UW–Whitewater—Teaching, Research, Service excellence—and wide-reaching distinctions like the Robert C. Clarke Lifetime Educator Award, AMA Faculty Advisor Lifetime Achievement, and the USCA Lifetime Achievement Award.

Global & Entrepreneurial Leadership

• Launched UW–Whitewater’s Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization chapter in 2006 and championed emerging ventures through the Launch Pad accelerator.
• Forged international partnerships (e.g., Justus Liebig University, Germany), sparking ongoing student exchanges and cross-cultural learning.

A Legacy of Mentorship & Innovation

• Authored 200+ scholarly works with over 12,300 citations.
• Built a sustainable culture of experiential learning—sales cups, competitions, career fairs, certificate programs—that shaped future leaders.

Peltier’s retirement marks the end of an era—and the beginning of a new legacy. His influence is embedded in programs, colleagues, and countless students across marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship. Congratulations, Jimmy, on a career that truly transformed academia—and thank you for inspiring us all.