MARKETING, BRAND & PRODUCT STRATEGY EXECUTIVE
A resourceful leader with a broad scope of achievements in research based brand strategy, new business development, industrial design, and creative communication direction. Strong innovator adept at developing differentiated, consumer insights based, products and positions for retail, online, and B2B enterprise markets. Key influencer who fosters strategic plans in the process of envisioning new product development, promotional partnerships, and customer relationships. Self-starter with excellent project management, written, and verbal skills who works well in cross-functional, boundary spanning teams.
Strategic Planning
Brand Management
New Business Development
Consumer Insights Research
Organizational Planning
Industrial Design Management
Project Management
Partnership Building
Product R&D
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
1997 – 2008
TDK ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Garden City NY
(Acquired 2007 by Imation Corp)
$256 million American division of the Tokyo-based consumer, enterprise, and medical products marketer
Blu-ray Disc, DVD, CD Recording Media
LTO Enterprise Data Storage Recording Media
Medical Recording Solutions
DVD Recorders, Portable Audio Players, Headphones
2006 – 2008
VICE PRESIDENT, PRODUCT RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
Led organization’s brand strategy and message to the customer by developing a fact-based understanding of technology trends, customer requirements, and key buying factors resulting in a rich foundation for defining product differentiation and source supply for future growth targets.
Spearheaded development of a $10M patent pending modular flash memory product line which carved out a unique brand position within a highly commoditized market and managed complex supply chain risk.
Championed proprietary ScratchProof disc technology to Hollywood studios as a representative of the Blu-ray Disc Association influencing 7 of the top 8 to adopt and promote the new Hi Def format.
Strategized brand and product positioning for a unique DICOM compliant, FDA approved medical image recording and archive solution which was selected by GE Medical for their global distribution network.
Set corporate policy and organizational strategy as key member of company Steering Committee.
2000 – 2006
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING
Built brand equity with award winning product ID, packaging design, and an online interactive web resource, which increased tested value attributes such as the repeat purchase loyalty index by 11%.
Drove sales, managed P&L, and met business plan growth objectives each year in a maturing market with focused marketing strategies and channel specific promotional implementation tactics.
Grew market share 15% in the core optical recording media product line by listening, understanding and responding to market demands that opened new distribution partnerships.
Re-engineered marketing team which evolved the consumer product roadmap into a packaged goods brand vs. product feature focused strategy. Earned Tier 1 brand status at Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, Costco, CDW, Buy.com, and J&R.
Championed first global branding effort for new high definition Blu-ray Disc format resulting in a unified branding guideline and a 32% reduction in packaging production costs.
Delivered a balanced online web environment strategy to meet the diverse needs and objectives of multiple business unit leaders which dramatically enhanced the corporation’s overall brand strength and presence.
1998 – 2000
DIRECTOR OF NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Launched the company’s foray into the consumer electronics hardware category. Achieved top revenue share position in 20 months in the PC optical disc recorder category.
Cultivated untapped brand strengths discovered through research which lead to over $50M new business sales revenue in DVD recorders, MP3 portable audio players and headphones.
1997 – 1998
DIRECTOR, MARKETING SERVICES
Restructured decentralized marketing functions into a consolidated research and creative services support team which won plan-o-gram category captain positions in key mass, club and drug distribution channel.
Pioneered a virtual marketing communications organization that raised the bar of creativity while lowering overall implementation cost.
1994 – 1997
JAGER DiPAOLA KEMP
Burlington VT
$21 million communications design agency creating living brands for youth culture and action sports
DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNT SERVICES
Headed 5 unique account/ creative teams who took the role of marketing department for each client which produced differentiated brand positions and distinctive marketing communications work.
Burton snowboards
Coach leather
Champion active wear
Magic Hat ale
Journey natural soda
Def Leppard, Phish musicians
Attained 3 new accounts, $6M in new business growth, and 18% increase in profitability.
Integrated online and interactive web environment services into creative offering for key accounts.
Overhauled the client relationship management and invoice system which increased creative approval and payment cycles by 25% while bolstering the agency’s service integrity.
1982 – 1994
TDK ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
Port Washington NY
1990 – 1994
PRODUCT MANAGER
Conceived, sourced and launched new professional broadcast and musician market product line which garnered an additional $5.2M of new revenue in the first year of sales.
1986 – 1990
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Selected a new advertising agency with a market research based strategy brief for a $14M campaign increasing unaided and aided brand name recall by 23% and 11% respectively.
1984 – 1986
SENIOR MARKETING ANALYST
Built customized share of facing tracking research utilizing AC Nielsen field services to project and monitor a more accurate POS market share index and demand analysis which overhauled company’s sales planning process.
1982 – 1984
SALES ANALYST
Created a new sales quota generator based on secondary buying power research indices resulting in greater control and measurement of external independent sales rep organizations for the VP Sales.
EDUCATION
LDP Leadership Development Program, Creative Center for Learning
MBA Marketing Management, CUNY Baruch College, Music’s Affective Use in Marketing Thesis earned scholarship offer for PhD
BS Marketing, Long Island University, CW Post, Deans Honor List, Graduated Cum Laude
OTHER INFORMATION
Patents: flash memory products – supply chain efficient, custom SKU effective design utility; optical disc storage systems – eco friendly, unique merchandising, zero breakage printed shrink overwrap design
Presenter: DVD Forum Marketing and Technology Trend Panel; BDA Global Promotion Committee
Founder: Free Tickets for Kids program for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s Tanglewood Music Festival |
