Sales Manager

Philip J. Edwards, Jr.

**** ********* *****

Lawrenceville, Georgia 30044

770-***-**** mobile

*******@*****.***

EDUCATION

****-**** ********* ******* *******, NH

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies program.

1989-1991 THE AMOS TUCK SCHOOL OF Dartmouth College

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Hanover, NH

Master of Business Administration program.

1986-1989 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA Chapel Hill, NC

Received Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors in French, August, 1989. Graduated with highest

distinction, finishing first in a class of 3,554 with a Grade Point Average of 4.0, the only 4.0 in the class of

1989. Elected President of Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha of North Carolina Chapter. Presented the Jacques

Hardré Undergraduate Award for Excellence in French, given annually to the UNC undergraduate student

whose work in French language and literature has been judged most outstanding by a faculty commi ttee.

Inducted into Pi Delta Phi, La Société d'Honneur Française.

EXPERIENCE

2005-2013 GRAPEFIELDS, INC. Norcross, GA

President/CEO: Co-Founded Grapefields, Inc., a Georgia distributor of fine wines, in 1992. In 2005 began to

direct all aspects of this wine distribution entity, including: management of the sales and marketing team

(fourteen salesmen, three managers), the office staff (four people) and the delivery team (six people);

marketing, winery programming, wine purchasing, price structuring and inventory monitoring; negotiation of

Georgia distribution agreements with hundreds of wineries throughout the United States and the world;

reporting to all local and state governing agencies.

Accomplishments: Employed and provided comprehensive benefits to twenty-eight full-time employees.

Exceeded the $1 million sales mark during the first f ull year of operation (1993), reaching sales revenues of

over $6 million in 2006. Increased the company’s gross p rofit margins to 31.5%, fifty per cent higher than the

industry average.

2001-2005 RENAISSANCE WINE Atlanta, GA

Owner: Founded Renaissance Wine, a wine marketing company. Discovered and placed wineries of excellence

with distinguished importers and marketing companies. Developed and implemented the comprehensive

marketing plan for import and domestic brands and their respective importers and marketers. Addressed the

marketing and sales needs of wine distributors and key account retaile rs and restaurateurs.

2002-2003 Halby Marketing, Inc. - Sonoma, CA (Renaissance Wine client): Negotiated Halby Marketing’s U.S. agency

for Bodegas Franco-Españolas, an excellent Rioja producer owned by Marcos Eguizabal (600,000 cases sold

per annum in Spain), Champagne Bricout, a world renowned French Champagne house established in 1820, and

Maison Jaffelin, producer of Burgundian treasures since 1816.

Accomplishments: Crafted and successfully executed a national marketing campaign for Halby

Marketing’s newly acquired French and Spanish brands: Maison Jaffelin, Champagne Bricout, and Bodegas

Franco-Españolas.

2003-2004 Corks Wine and Spirits - Smyrna, GA (Renaissance Wine client): Served as General Manager. Devised

corporate strategic plans, managed sales and marketing program, directed all personnel.

Accomplishments: Increased sales revenues 40% in a saturated market.

Philip J. Edwards Jr.

2001-2002 THE FRESH MARKET Greensboro, NC

Marketing Director/Coordinator-Wine and Beer: Created and elaborated a corporate wine marketing

strategy for The Fresh Marke t’s thirty-three store group ($28 million wine sales per annum; annual corporate

revenues of $240 million) throughout the southeastern United States.

Accomplishments: Doubled (in six months) The Fresh Market’s corporate wine sales growth rate (6% to

12%, leading all corporate categories for 2002). Demonstrated the robustness and efficacy of the cor porate

wine program in an under -performing store, increasing sales by 26% and gross profit from 19% to 29% (during

a five week test period). Established a Wine and Beer Club for The Fresh Market, registeri ng 9,000 members in

four months.

1996-2000 PREMIERE WINE MERCHANTS – A DIVISION OF RÉMY AMÉRIQUE Atlanta, GA

Southern Region Manager: Devised and implemented a marketing plan for each PWM distributor in nine

states for fifty brands. Conducted distributor sales meetings and training seminars. Worked with distributor

salesmen in their local markets. Maintained distributor sales volumes and product mix. Managed national

accounts ie. Planet Hollywood and Walt Disney World. Led distributor and retailer visits to Vinexpo and La

Dégustation de l’Union des Grands Crus Classés de Bordeaux (March en primeur).

Accomplishments: Nearly doubled René Junot sales in four years (42,000 cases in 1996 to 77,000 cases in

1999). Increased southern region sales by an average of 17% per year. Placed Collavini Pinot Grigio on the

Planet Hollywood wine list nationwide “by the bottle and by the glass”. National Brand Manager for

Marquis de Goulaine Wines: Established a national marketing strategy for the brand. Determined the flavor

profile of core product selection. Selected wines for importation. Launched the “Goulaine Collection” of

appellation wines. Managed the Walt Disney World “core list” and Disney Cruise Line Goulaine wine

inventories. Directed the Goulaine instruction and training program for Disney restaurant personnel. Placed the

Marquis de Goulaine wines as the international house pour at Walt Disney World in Orlan do, Florida

supplanting Fortant de France (1999 – 2000, Disney depleted 18,000 cases of Goulaine). Increased Goulaine

sales in the U.S. market from 2,000 cases in 1997 to 24,000 cases in 1999.

1995-1996 BOURBON STREET PACKAGE Roswell, GA

Wine Manager: Developed comprehensive wine marketing strategy. Selected and purchased all wines.

Established wine pricing structure. Conducted consumer tastings. Contracted for Bordeaux at La Dégustation

de l’Union des Grands Crus Classés de Bordeaux (19 96 en primeur).

Accomplishments: Increased wine sales by 100% (from $600,000 to $1.2 million).

1992-1995 TOWER PACKAGE STORE Atlanta, GA

President-Wine Division: Developed and implemented a strategic plan for the wine division ($2.9 million

sales) including a marketing strategy designed to rectify a two year trend of declining market share. Procured

wines at Vinexpo for exclusive importation, distribution, and re tail ie. Champagne Montaudon and Château

Faugères St.-Emilion.

Accomplishments: Increased wine sales ~25% per annum ($2.9 million in 1995).

1985-1986 EAST CAROLINA DISTRIBUTING COMPANY Raleigh, NC

Fine Wines Division Manager: Managed all premium wine activities of company's seventeen salesmen.

Selected, ordered all Californian, European boutique wines inventoried. Devised marketing strategy; directed

company expansion into new markets. Established wine price structure. Recruited, trained sale s personnel.

Accomplishments: Increased company's market share from smallest among eight regional wine

distributors to third largest. Increased 1985 first quarter sales 45%, second quarter sales 100%, third quarter

sales 125%, fourth quarter sales 100%.

1984-1985 Sales Representative: Managed restaurant, specialty shop accounts. Selected wines for European containers.

Planned, organized presales. Conducted trade, consumer tastings.

Accomplishments: Increased 1984 fourth quarter territory sales 150% .

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Philip J. Edwards Jr.

1982-1984 A SOUTHERN SEASON Chapel Hill, NC

Wine Department and Store Manager: Managed eight wine staff members; supervised store's one hundred

employees. Devised store, wine marketing strategy. Designed wine advertising campaigns. Sele cted all wines

inventoried. Established wine price structure. Recruited, trained wine staff. Conducted public tastings.

Accomplishments: Increased sales 40%, highest sales volume among NC wine shops (1982 -1984).

1979-1981 THE COOPER GROUP Raleigh, NC

Administrator and Coordinator of U.S. Retail Sales: Directed all domestic retail dealer sales programs

(especially the Tool Center). Managed eight U.S. Sales Representatives and seven Retail Sales Specialists

(budget $1 million). Coordinated shipment, delivery, installation of Tool Centers ($10 million sales).

Recruited, trained sales personnel. Maintained favorable liaison with distributors and dealers.

Accomplishments: Increased 1981 first and second quarter sales 30% – both record quarters.

U.S. Sales Representative: Implemented retail dealer sales programs through distributors in forty -four states.

Trained new salesmen. Broadened company's product market base. Managed trade shows.

Accomplishments: Set all present Cooper Group sales records for the U.S.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

1989 Jacques Hardré Undergraduate Scholarship: Awarded the Jacques Hardré Undergraduate Scholarship for

Excellence in French by the French Department Faculty at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.

1983- Married twenty-nine years: Wed my beautiful wife, Sara, my greatest blessing.

1977 High School Valedictorian: Graduated first in the George Hale High School Class of 1977 (Raleigh, NC) with

a Grade Point Average of 4.0.

1975-1977 Academic Scholarship: Awarded full academic scholarship by George Hale High School for Junior and Senior

years.

1972 Eagle Scout: Earned the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank, becoming the youngest Eagle Scout in North

Carolina history at age thirteen.

1969- Christian: Professed publicly my faith in Jesus Christ. Active member of Church of The Apostles, Vinings,

GA.

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