General Manager
Resume:
Sharon Ashcraft
Burlington, VT 05408
*/*/****-*******: Produce Manager and Buyer Sweet Clover Market
I coordinate Sweet Clover’s deli and kitchen needs and purchase produce for the
department along with displays and department sets. I work closely with all the local farms
to promote Vermont’s finest produce and products and ensure they are readily available to
t he public. I also purchase produce from 4 mainstream distributors to fill the gaps where
our farmers are constrained with such elements as weather and seasonal demands. I am
responsible for t raining staff on the handling and care of our produce.
5/31/2011-11/29/2011: General Manager Upper Valley Produce
Originally hired to be the Customer Service Manager, I was appointed the General
Manager ten days after my start date. The facility consisted of an accounting department,
customer service, sales staff, warehouse and a retail shop that was attached to the location.
I managed 32 employees within these departments. I implemented many new systems to
improve the overall structure of the business. I was in charge of merchandising and
ordering for the retail shop and maintaining the overall f low of the business. I answered to
t he owner of the company who was located at our second location in White River Junction,
V T. The storm effects from Irene and the subsequent flood caused a grave financial impact
to our business. The company was forced to restructure and eliminate the retail shop and
employees along with upper management such as myself and our Warehouse Manager and
Customer Service Supervisor. Within a few months the entire location was eliminated.
1/27/2009-5/15/2010: Store Manager Plato's Closet
I managed the #1 Plato's Closet of 148 Plato's Closets in the U.S. and Canada. My staff
consisted of four Assistant Managers and a team of 52 Sales Associates. My management
skills carried our store to the #1 position and the first Plato's Closet to reach $2 million in
sales. I implemented departments and structure changes within our establishment that
enabled the store to function effectively and maintain a superior level of customer service. I
was responsible for increasing gift card sales 98% from the prior year. I increased sales the
first six months and went from 13 to 52 employees.
11/2/2005-1/23/2009: Customer Service UNFI
I started in the Whole Foods division and later moved to the retail section of customer
service. I served some of the largest key accounts which required extreme detail and
numerous emails and research to satisfy and meet their daily demands. In addition, I
handled the #1 account for Select Nutrition. I strive to make sure all of my clients received
top notch service in every aspect possible. I was responsible for assigning daily call cards for
work in my department. I also was responsible for t raining my department on MSI
machines. In addition, I served as a liaison between UNFI, Albert's Organics and our local
food pantry. I was chosen to attend the 2007 Expo East trade show for my departmental
accomplishments.
6/2003-Present: Nutritional Consultation
I provide one on one in-home consultation for cancer, heart conditions, breastfeeding, and
more. I provide ongoing support to families facing serious diseases and how it affects them
emotionally.
2/1/2004-3/22/2004: Account Manager Select Nutrition
I was hired to reactivate accounts for Select Nutrition. This was a short-term home-based
position to generate account activity for Select before they were purchased by UNFI. I was
cold-calling customers that had not ordered dating from 1986-2003.
3/2003-2008: Assistant to Owner Vita Source
I managed the store from 2003 to 2005 and was on call from 2005 to 2008. My
responsibilities included placing orders, assisting customers and pricing product.
8/2002-11/2002: Vitamin Buyer Brattleboro Food Co-op
I purchased supplements from various companies, met with brokers and helped implement
new systems to the department.
10/2000-10/2001: Co Owner, CEO Simply Organics Etc. L LC
I co owned a 3,750 sq. foot health food store. We offered everything from organic produce to
story time childcare. Our store, staffed with fifteen employees, was an outreach facility for
many cancer patients throughout Western New York. We were a full spectrum store from
herbal supplements, spices, sports nut r i t ion, grocery and produce. We offered many
additional services such as Reike, Iridology, consultations and massage therapy. My
responsibilities as a store owner included the produce orders, grocery orders and meeting
with the brokers and company representatives. We worked with local farmers to better
serve the community. We also worked with a local coop to enable them to order more
products and increase our volume discount. We had shrinkage produce purchased by the
Waldorf School at a savings to them and i t help control our bottom line. I closed my store
and moved to New Hampshire to deal with Breast Cancer health issues.
5/1996-6/2000: Coordinating Supervisor Feel Rite Natural Food Shoppes
M y responsibilities ranged from managing my home based store, volume buying for all eight
locations, interviewing new employees, researching new product lines, governing all
managers, choosing sale items for the monthly flyer and setting up promotional events. My
home based location was also responsible for a TLC file that enabled us to offer support to
families suffering with serious life threatening diseases. I also met with brokers and
vendors, along with attending trade shows. I left my Hamburg location along with fifteen
employees to start my own business.
2/1992-4/1996: Lactation Consultant
I operated a home-based business helping mothers with breastfeeding and nutritional
problems. I made home visits throughout Erie County. I also helped implement the NY
State WIC Peer-Counseling program. Through this program we were able to educate
mothers on nutrition and social well being along with child rearing instruction. I have
maintained my La Leche League status and continue to assist in creating a bond between
infant and parent. As of 2007, I deal with failure-to-thrive cases and cleft palate only. This
is done on a volunteer basis.
1/1989-10/1990: Owned/Operated Teens & Tots Modeling Agency
Our children did print work for the Buffalo News and local fashion shows in Western NY.
We did many fashion shows for charities and also branched to twenty+ teens and twelve
adults. I closed my business to deliver my third child.
Activities:
• volunteering
• gardening
• reading
• cooking
• charity functions
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