Solution-focused and profit-driven leader with the vision, experience, and business acumen to formulate cost-effective strategies that maximize resources, increase revenues, and overcome obstacles. Skilled negotiator that builds positive, and mutually respectful relationships with the retail, club, and distributor community.
Hands-on experience in sales and marketing leadership positions earning progressive responsibility for national accounts, field sales, trade marketing, customer marketing, and sales operations. Skilled at managing cross-functional teams, gaining consensus among Senior Leadership Teams, and implementing initiatives to improve workflow processes, revenues, and profits.
Reputation as a forward-thinking, high performer supported by successful management level experience ranging from small privately held to multi-national corporations. Recognized corporately for personal and team accomplishments.
Consumer Product Goods Sales and Marketing Executive
Significant Revenue Generation, High Profile Customer Relationships, Strategy Formulation, Category Management, Excellence in Retail Execution, Performance Management and Sales Incentive Programs, National & Account Specific Marketing Initiatives
Technology Company providing Food Safety and Advertising Services. 2007 – Present
Proprietary technology uses laser light to mark shell eggs with a permanent, tamperproof, easy to read Freshness and Traceability Code.
National Sales Manager Metro New York and New Jersey
Key Challenge: Leadership of sales efforts targeting grocery clients. Enroll grocery retailers in Food Safety service.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Secure northeast USA service footprint to anchor deliberate national implementation
·Retailer enrollment – A&P, C-town, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Giant PA division of Ahold USA, Food Emporium, Gristede, Hannaford division of Delhaize USA, Key Food, Met Food, Price Chopper, Superfresh, Trader Joe’s East Region, Waldbaums
Global marketing support firm specializing in marketing and project management services. 2005 – 2007
Marketing Professional and Business Development Agent
Key Challenges: Utilizing skills as an analytical problem-solver, provide expertise in market analysis, distribution targeting, category management, operations and management, optimize promotion spending ROI, and achieving speed to shelf objectives.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Bayer Consumer Care Division (OTC)
-Retained to streamline and accelerate strategic sales communication process.
-Deliver a Sarbanes-Oxley compliant payment system managing vendor payments, budget assignment, and approval tracking.
-Update and simplify Performance Management and Training and Development processes.
·AT&T Consumer Division (Internet Telephony)
-200% sales increase for AT&T CallVantage Service Launch (VOIP) to major electronic and office supply retailers.
·S3 Americas (Branded Product Marketing)
-Lead U.S. introduction of Mary’s of Belgium and Van den Bulke Chocolates. + $2 million in first two years.
·American Safety Razor (Private Label)
-Develop Wet Shave category strategy that achieved inventory and product assortment targets for targeted national retailers.
International marketer of weight control, and OTC brands 2005 - 2005
Vice President, Sales Operations
Key Challenges: a) Establish business processes to improve areas of customer support, sales reporting, forecast, and trade fund planning. b) Organizational leader of Sales Team Support, Category Management Analytics, and Package/Display Design.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Within 60 days, identified savings of $500,000 in management information and forecast process.
·Created menu of selling tools linking consumer insights to customer consumer profile, and brand performance.
·Chief communicator of brand strategies and tactics to sales organization and sales agents.
·Established financial model to measure trade spend efficiency and benchmark ROI.
·Author of marketing materials, sales brochures, and brand presentations.
Major U.S. Confection Company 1998 – 2004
$900 million confection division of International Company. Formed by the purchase of the Adams division of Pfizer, Inc.
National Account Sales Manager 2001 – 2004
Key Challenges: a) Revitalized an under-performing national account business unit. b) Manage strategic initiatives in an organization that includes Kroger, Albertsons, Safeway, Ahold, Costco, BJ’s, CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Brooks Drug.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Strategic Team Builder reorganized sales team from a geographic account focus to a vertically aligned account support model.
·National Accounts annual growth rate of 10.5%. Preceding years saw the business unit experiencing declines of 7%.
·Kroger Team recognized with “Vamos” (Let’s Go) Award given by President of North, Central, and South Regions.
·Managed multi-million dollar trade budget. Fortified account performance criteria to achieve greater spending efficiencies.
Horton Page 2, Cadbury Adams, Inc. continued
Retail Operations Management 2000 – 2001
Key Challenges: Establish retail priorities and integrate “go-to-market” strategy utilizing national retail service organization
Actions and Significant Results:
·Results-Driven Marketer achieving 90% ACV within 60 days of first shipment during 3 major launches.
·Established performance management systems, communication process, author and facilitator of training courses.
·Responsible for developing, communicating, monitoring, and measuring performance of quarterly and annual retail objectives.
·Recipient Sector President’s Global Innovation Award – Retail Service Integration Process. One of two recipients in 2001.
Channel Management - Strategy Development 1998 – 2000
Key Challenges: a) Develop and implement trade strategy targeted towards wholesalers and convenience channel to enhance distribution, display placement, and promotional acceptance. b) Establish information system to measure performance.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Introduced national initiatives to focus 3,000-member sales force to achieve distribution of core sku’s to best in class levels.
·Managed $20 million trade budget to insure appropriate expenditures and adequate ROI.
·Provide category management solutions through staff of Business Analysts. Deliver best practices in assortment, pricing, shelving placement, in-store marketing solutions, and promotional return on investment.
·Develop strategic selling templates: Account Scorecards, Distribution Opportunity Analysis, and Profitable Assortment Model.
Regional producer of salty snacks 1997 – 1998
Sales Manager
Key Challenges: a) Acquire new accounts and expand distribution of snack products in the $10 million Virginia/North Carolina region. b) Lead efforts of independent distributor network to achieve Wise Foods objectives.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Develop trade plan for region based convenience accounts resulting in 120% increase in revenue and 17 new food accounts.
·Institute training program for route drivers. Incorporated product knowledge, shared direct store delivery (DSD) best practices, monthly merchandising objectives and promotion communication.
Major Tobacco Product Producer 1990 – 1997
Domestic division of a global tobacco products producer
District Sales Manager 1995 – 1997
Key Challenges: a) Leadership of the $100 million Richmond, Virginia based district in the face of declining consumption, political and public opinion. b) Upgrade consultative selling and technology skills of 26 selling professionals.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Consistently exceeded revenue goals. Increased Top 10 District accounts revenues by 15.5%.
·Brand Share growth of 4.3% to 49.1%, while national share improved 1.5%.
Sales Planning and Trade Marketing Manager 1990 – 1995
Key Challenges: a) Improve brand presence in national retailers and distributors including Walmart, Kmart, Target, Sam’s Club, 7 Eleven, Circle K, McLane, Coremark, and Eby Brown.
Actions and Significant Results:
·Walmart – Increased share +10 points and revenues +43% by successfully negotiating national merchandising agreement.
·Marketing Strategist - Led conceptual design and introduction of trade strategy. Captained “test and learn” projects.
·Recipient Chairman’s Award – Trade Program Development. Only five awards given in this International Company.
Regional Food and Confection Broker 1981 - 1990
Account Executive
·Contributed $40 million revenue in grocery, snack, and convenience brands for this food brokerage organization. Organizational roles provided ever-increasing responsibility. Merchandiser (Territory Management), Unit Manager (People Management), Marketing Coordinator (Marketing), and Account Executive (Brand Management)
Industry Affiliations
·Support the charter and the efforts of the following organizations: AWMA, FMI, NACDS, NACS
Education and Training
·Microsoft Office Suites, Lotus Notes, IRI, Nielsen, Salesforce.com, Spectra, Apollo, Spaceman, Intactix, Siebel & SAP
·B.S. Marketing – Post University, Waterbury, Connecticut
·American Management Association, New York, New York
Areas of interest: Consumer Products, CPG, Food, Snacks, Candy, Confection, Chocolate, Gum, Mints, Non-Chocolate, Customer Marketing, ROI, GMROI, RONA, Ahold, Walgreen’s, Rite Aid, Brooks Drug, Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Costco, Dollar Stores, Family Dollar, AM/PM Markets, Tosco, Circle K, Couche-Tard, Philips, Conoco, BP, Club Stores, Big Box, Grocery, pharmaceuticals, nutrition, Account Manager, Key Account Manager, Team Leader, Sales Director, Marketing, Director, Vice President Sales, sales promotion, display vendors, display manufacturers, POS materials, Point of Purchase materials, Point of Sale Materials, In Store Marketing, Reckitt Benkisor, Kellogg’s, B&G, Dole, Dannon, Campbell’s, Kraft, Unilever, Conagra, Masterfoods, Godiva Chocolatier, Bartons, Haribo, Topps, Wrigley’s, Nestle, Hershey’s, Just Born, Ferrero, Van Melle, Novartis, Schering Plough, Johnson & Johnson, Becton Dickinson, Bristol Myers Squibb, Revlon, L’Oreal, Colgate, Slim Fast, Clif Bar, Pepsi, Coca Cola, BIC, Binney & Smith, Philips, Fuji, Kodak, Toy, Mattel, Hasbro, Lego, Time Distribution Services, retail service organization, broker management, Promotion in Motion, Lindt, Ghirardelli, organic, C-store, GMHBA, ECRM, manufacturing, contract, import, export, national account, North America, Sales, HACCP, food-safety |
