Professional Expertise
High energy senior marketing and merchandising executive with over 15 years of leadership experience across catalog, ecommerce, sales and retail channels including:
Creating, executing and measuring marketing strategies for customer acquisition, customer retention and customer growth across catalog, ecommerce and retail channels
Creating and executing brand strategies across multiple channels
Merchandising catalogs for both B2C and B2B companies
Creating and running profitable ecommerce websites
Redesigning existing websites to achieve improved customer usability and purchase rates
Creating and designing CRM processes, strategies and systems for increased customer satisfaction and corporate profitability
Professional Strengths
Leading and inspiring large and small teams to produce high quality, profitable results
Execution and measurement of strategic marketing and merchandising objectives
Selling new ideas and concepts to customers and clients, both internal and external
Doing a lot with a little, leveraging small budgets to create big impact
Focusing on measurement and accountability for all strategies and processes
Persistence and patience under pressure, creating order out of chaos
Professional History and Accomplishments
SPILSBURY, INC, Chicago, IL: January 2005 to April 2007
Toy, Game and Puzzle Catalog and Ecommerce Website
Vice President, Marketing and Merchandising
Responsible for creating and executing catalog and internet marketing/merchandising strategies for an ecommerce website and direct mail catalog. Responsible and accountable for marketing and merchandising P&L including margin, inventory, cost per order and advertising expenses. Additionally responsible for developing exclusive imported products working directly with manufacturers and vendors in Hong Kong and China. Supervised a staff of 8.
Accomplishments:
Created new brand messaging for all print catalogs and ecommerce website resulting in a 15% increase in overall sales
Executed detailed database analysis, overall P&L analysis and changed the entire marketing strategy to better target high-value customers, resulting in a cost savings of over $500,000
Redesigned website for increased customer usability, product positioning and brand messaging resulting in an increase of ecommerce sales of 20%
OFFICEMAX, INC, Chicago, IL: May 2000 to December 2004
Office Products Retailer
Director of Marketing, National Accounts
Responsible for managing the National Account catalog, website, in-bound phone and field sales channels for a $1 billion B2B sales segment. Supervised a team of 5 and a budget of $20 million. Supported 1,200 field sales executives.
Accomplishments:
Hired to be the only marketing expert on a high-powered team of 10 individuals to create and execute a $25 million enterprise-wide CRM strategy across all 12,000 employees
Developed a comprehensive CRM marketing and sales program for 1,000 National Accounts, resulting in closing $15 million dollars of new business in 6 months
Developed and executed a customer lifetime value model to target specific marketing programs and products to specific customers resulting in a marketing expense savings of over $5 million
CRITICS CHOICE VIDEO, Itasca, IL
Classic movie catalog and ecommerce website
Vice President, E-Commerce: 1999 - 2000
Vice President, Marketing: 1997 1999
Director of Merchandising: 1992 - 1997
Responsible for developing marketing and merchandising strategies for a $60 million business. Supervised a team of 40 merchants and marketers. Accountable for P&L including margin, response rates, inventory, and $25 million of promotional and marketing expenses.
Accomplishments:
Created a totally new catalog, The Big Book of Movies, a 324 page catalog containing over 10,000 classic movies that was profitable in its first year
Created and managed one of the first ecommerce movie websites, ccvideo.com in September 1996
Spearheaded a total redesign of the catalog to increase customer response rates by over 30%
Early Career Accomplishments:
QUESTAR VIDEO, INC, Chicago, IL: 1990-1992
Director of Direct Response Marketing
Responsible for creating and running a new direct marketing division to distribute a line of special interest videos through print, catalog and TV advertising. Supervised a team of 5 and a budget of $5 million.
RANDOM HOUSE, INC, New York, NY: 1985 - 1990
Catalog Marketing and Merchandising Manager
Responsible for creating marketing and merchandising strategies for consumer entertainment catalogs featuring books, music and movies. Supervised a team of 25 and a budget of $50 million.
LAWLER BALLARD ADVERTISING, Kalamazoo, MI
Public Relations Copywriter: 1983-1985
Accountable for creating and editing press releases for 20 hospital and bank clients.
PROCTER AND GAMBLE, Paper Products Division
Dearborn, MI
Sales Manager: 1981-1983
Responsible for the shelf management strategy for 200 retail grocery accounts worth $1 million.
Education
Michigan State University, B.A., English, 1981
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society |
