Longtime baseball collector Joe Marrs is no stranger to making sales calls. An experienced sales leader with a proven track record, Marrs serves as PSA's Director of Sales and Autograph Authentication, a position he started in early 2019. "I'm responsible for leading PSA's sales and customer relationship activities," he said. "So, I very much enjoy meeting collectors and dealers and looking at all the cool memorabilia within our hobby."
A native of Chicago, Marrs now resides in southern California. Regardless of location, he remains a loyal fan of his beloved Cubs. "I'd have to say that Bill Buckner remains my favorite Cubs player of all time, but what I'd most like to add to my collection are the 1954 Topps rookie cards of Ernie Banks [#94] and Hank Aaron [#128]."
Marrs enjoys his daily interactions with fellow employees and is extremely happy to be in PSA's starting lineup. "It's the quality of the people behind the business that separates this company from the rest of the competition," he said. "Integrity, innovation and passion run deep here. That's why PSA is a leader in the hobby."
Seasoned hobby veteran Sean Skeffington joined PSA in the Spring of 2018 as the company's Business Office Manager for its New Jersey location. A native of the Northeast and long-time executive in the authentication and grading industry, Sean brings a wealth of industry experience to his position at PSA. "My passion lies in making our customers’ involvement both positive and rewarding," he said. "I'm always willing to share my knowledge to help educate and inform PSA's customers in an effort to make their hobby experience all it can be."
A diehard fan of the Dallas Cowboys, Sean enjoys many aspects of his job including the fact that each of his co-workers share a similar passion for the business. "PSA is the standard in the authentication and grading business. Its brand recognition is unmatched in the industry," he said. "But what I truly love about working here is knowing the possibility of seeing the next treasured collectible could happen at any moment."
Barry Valentino was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., so his choice of professional teams was set early on. "The Mets, Jets and the Rangers," he said.
An industry veteran, Valentino has served for the past two years as PSA's Customer Relations and Sales Representative. With his vast knowledge of autographs and cards, he now knows he's in the right place. "What I enjoy most about working at PSA is meeting collectors and sharing stories because in our business everybody's got a story," he said. "Whether it's a great find or a lucky pull from a pack of cards."
Having previously worked for a sports memorabilia company, his role at PSA provides him with a different outlook on the industry. "Seeing the reaction from collectors when their items pass inspection or when they get their card back and it's graded PSA Gem Mint 10, it makes their day," he said. "What we do here is make people feel like kids again. "
Asked what separates PSA from the rest of its competition, Valentino doesn't hesitate. "The brand," he said. "We've been around since 1991. We are the founding father of authentication and grading."
A native of the Windy City, Dave Sobieski is a lifelong fan of two well-known Chicago institutions: the Cubs and the Bears. His two favorite players of all time remain Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins and Walter Payton.
Dave has worked in sales for more than 25 years and been a card collector even longer. "I've been a collector of sports cards since I was kid," he said. "The first pack I remember buying was 1971 Topps baseball. How I wish I still had that unopened pack right now."
As PSA's sales account manager, he said the best part of his position is getting to talk with other collectors and assist them along the way. "It’s also exciting to see some of the amazing items that arrive at PSA for authentication," he added.
Dave has been getting his personal collection of cards graded by PSA for nearly two decades. Now he’s grateful to be working for the industry leader. "From top to bottom, the team here makes PSA a great company to work for," he said.
Nick Mendoza is a native of Orange County, California, and his allegiance to professional sports teams doesn't stray far. He counts the L.A. Dodgers, Rams, Lakers and Kings among his favorites.
A veteran PSA employee who spent three years as a customer service representative, Mendoza is now serving as Account Specialist. No stranger to troubleshooting, Mendoza has proven to be a valuable asset to the company and to PSA's varied customers.
"The most rewarding aspect of my job is helping people; it's as simple as that. I thrive off helping others," he said. "I have always admired the enthusiasm and excitement collectors show about their memorabilia. No matter what the motivation is, their passion for collecting is strong.
"That passion has helped PSA to flourish and earn our customers' trust. That's why we're the No. 1 authentication company in the industry. From the top on down, the people who come into the office day in and day out and handle the volume of calls and submissions that we receive, have all done an excellent job."
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