- Grand Rapids, MI
- April 13, 2020
Experienced. Experience in a progressively more responsible role in Team management, Brand Management, sales management, category management, marketing and budgeting. Currently calling on Kroger GO and Division office, Organic Chains, C- store, Drug, and regional Chain Headquarters. Track record of consistent growth beyond goal while mentoring, training and coaching teams of 5 – 50.
Category Management. Product and brand development utilizing syndicated data, shopper analysis, JDA space planning, and marketing initiatives. Designing product flow, and merchandising concepts based on trends, increasing market share and profit.
Collaboration. Working across multiple departments marketing, sales, operations, and manufacturers. Establishing pricing and marketing programs to increase volume and share of mind. Redefining established brands to compete in an ever-changing marketplace.
Team Management. A team builder and leader that takes charge, delivering results through coaching, planning and motivating. 10 years of Managing direct reports, ranging from 5 to 50 Sales representatives. Currently Leading the execution of Key Account sales across an 18 state footprint.
Hardworking and Dedicated. Strong work ethic with attention to detail and profitability. Able to navigate complex corporate structures, building profitable relationships at multiple levels. Currently networked into Kroger General Office and multiple Divisions; Meijer, CVS, and SpartanNash.
Education
Experience
Building out DuClaw Brewing portfolio in National Accounts across the Eastern United States. Securing New Points of Distribution. Securing case commitments, ads and displays from buyers to increase market share. Communicating and leading a team of Regional Sales Managers to ensure 100% execution of all programs by distributors.
Building beer, wine, spirits brands in National, Regional chains and key accounts. Building a rapport with contacts producing a profitable and beneficial relationship. Securing new accounts, distribution, ads, and promotions through headquarter presentations, IRI Data analysis, and Category Management. Selecting product assortment, establishing yearly and quarterly Business plans implementing cross promotional opportunities. Building the ABP for sales forecasts, budgets, negotiating pricing. Utilizing category management to grow and build brand share. Leading and coaching a team of 7 Regional, District Managers and 45 Account Managers.
• Direct call on Kroger GO Adult Beverage Department, 63% overall growth in basket rings, 27% year over year growth in dollar sales for the 3 years.
• Secured 505 new Points of Distribution for 2019 Spring Kroger Beer sets. Projected sales exceeding 1 Million dollars in new sales.
• Sold in Brewery of the month, at Kroger May 2018 designed, and implemented the marketing and promotional schedule. Product selection and pricing resulted in a 205% increase in sales. Sustained brand growth of 66%. Supported by IRI and JDA Space Planning.
• Manage, coach, motivate and educate the Sales team consisting of 45 Account Managers and 7 District Managers. Resulting in 23% year over year volume growth.
• Building wine brands and market share through coordinated case drops of boutique and family owned wineries. Multiple drops exceeding 200 cases.
• Coordinate brew schedules, and allocations to ensure maximum product penetration and market share.
• National Accounts: Kroger, Wal-Mart, Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Cost Plus World Market, Meijer, Spartan-Nash, Fresh Thyme Market, Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens. Established rapport and expertise in store based and headquarter operations. Utilizing pricing structure and margin manipulators to drive volume and share using private and control labels at Regional and National Chains. Resulting in 18% year over year growth.
• Regional Chains: Busch's Fresh Market, Polly's Country Market, Quality Dairy.
• Set Validation and design to optimize sales and profit. Utilizing Shopper, and syndicated data to create merchandising standards. Validating multiple C- Store chains resulting in 25 percent growth.
• Category Manager and set implementation for Fresh Thyme Markets, Michigan. Current growth is 15% for the chain. 28% for my portfolio.
• Busch’s Fresh Market created a specialty beer program for one off beers. Selecting style, packaging, and pricing. This is in addition 62% growth in core SKUs
• Manage and create market spends, budgets, coordinate pricing and contracts.
Lead, Train, and hold accountable a sales team of 5 Account Managers, and merchandisers. Through motivation and training business plans were designed based on territory this allowed for 45% overall growth, through increased execution of ads and displays at National and Regional chain accounts.
• #1 in sales increases for 2015 exceeding goal by 23%.
• JDA Space Planning- Category Lead for Fresh Thyme Markets
• 28% in growth in all Regional and national accounts. Driving growth through new Points of distribution, ads and displays.
• Setup and implemented Regional display program with Walmart. Coordinating the setup and implementation of displays between 4 breweries, and multiple distributors. Spurred 115% growth in craft beer sales for Walmart Michigan.
• Regional Chain Accounts: Busch’s Fresh Market, Polly’s Country Market, Quality Dairy
• National accounts: Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger (Nov 2015).
• Introduced 3 SKUs of Short’s Brewing and at least 2 other SKUs of multiple breweries into 120 Rite Aid stores.
Drive sales in 32 of top 50 accounts in the Grand Rapids Market; selling the Mark Anthony, Constellation beer and wine, Heineken, Sierra Nevada, Founders Brewing and MillerCoors, Treasury Wines Portfolios. Use Consultative sales approach to secure pricing, displays, shelf sets and distribution standards Territory consists of Meijer Flagship stores, D&W Food Centers, and Specialty Liquor stores, sales exceeding 4.2 Million dollars.
• Top 5 in sales increases. 11% year over year growth.
• Built the craft beer movement in the Grand Rapids “Beer City USA”
• Implementing store-based displays and new points of distribution at Meijer flagship locations
• 150 new points of distribution at the Meijer Flagship store.
• Drove 33% of the company’s total beer volume through my accounts.
• Controlled 60% of the display space for wine, with a non-Gallo portfolio.
Effectively communicate technical knowledge that is needed to sell product using a consultative and open approach in grocery / supermarket channel, Meijer and SpartanNash. Coach the customers on the benefits of our products. Analyze sale trends using Nielsen IRI data, while maintaining a working knowledge of over 3500 different products. Merchandiser team manager scheduling and training of sales support staff.
• Top 5 in sales for the last 10 years
• Increased sales 12 percent from $3.8 Million to $4.3 Million in 2011.
• 2004 Led Kent Beverage to receive MillerCoors Retail Excellence Award. 25% growth
June to December.
• Maintain and continue to grow 2nd largest territory exceeding
$4.3 Million in sales annually
Implement, coach and train a team of 30 merchandisers providing proper market support. Educate the sales staff about marketing programs both in house and from the national brands. Implement and design store shelf sets utilizing category management principles for the beer and wine industry.
• Lead, coach, and evaluate 30 merchandisers in 8 counties.
• Introduced JDA Space Planning Program to maximize sales and Profit, designing shelf sets using syndicated data. 30 stores set with a 20% increase in sales for both the store and our brands.
• Implemented training course and guidelines for Merchandisers.
• Designed guidelines for shelf standards that maximize sales and profit.
• Designed catalog and inventory tracking for Point of Sale.
• Coordinated National and Local marketing campaigns for beer and wine suppliers.
• Managed budgets for merchandising, Point of Sale purchasing and in-house Marketing departments.