Given that 20% of the Fortune 500 CEO's came out of the sales career path you may want to retract that statement. It is rare to find a company that doesn't have a senior executive that came out of sales in its senior ranks and in successful small and medium sized businesses, it is almost unheard of. 
On top of all that as a career path, sales is one of the best paying professions which is fitting as it is a meritocracy. The article brings some very good points.