Sales Customer Service

Stephen A. Johnston

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

Charleston, SC 29412

abh4o8@r.postjobfree.com or 843-***-****

OBJECTIVE

To secure a position that will utilize my business experience and

leadership skills needed in a competitive environment while focusing on

customer service, communications, sales, expenses, accountability, company

objectives, training and working with key personnel and associates.

SUMMARY

. Experience working in both business and government environments

. Extensive background, knowledge and experience of overall business and

retail operations

. Managed multi-unit store operations in multiple states and smaller

demographics within a state; sales volume of units ranged from $4

million to $17 million; managed 4 to 14 units within district

. Managed large store operation; $21 million in sales volume

. Trained and managed full commission and base salary plus commission

associates, retail support staff, managers in training; work with

Colleges on training interns

. Recruited, trained and managed in-house, national and international

sales teams

. Opened new store locations to include identification of site location,

store preparation, inventory acquisition, merchandising of store,

hiring and training staff

. Extensive experience with budget development and management of budgets

and expenses

. Repeatedly increased sales and margins, improved customer and

organization relations, managed/reduced shrinkage, merchandising and

inventory management, promoted and developed staff for upward mobility

within organization

. Researched, purchased and implemented two new Point of Sales systems

in multi-unit operation

. Experience managing and working with security staff, auditors,

inventory control and loss prevention

. Successful in serving in leadership positions for trade organizations,

organizing state wide conventions, trade shows, educational and

training seminars

EXPERIENCE

Crowe and Company, LLC Charleston, SC [10-

2009] - [Present]

Director of Sales and Marketing

. Managed sales team and resellers that handle national sales and

oversee the marketing aspects of the company

. Lead company from $200,000 in booked sales to $3 million in less than

a year

. Recruited and trained new sales team, recruited and negotiated terms

for resellers

. Manage, train and support resellers

. Recruited a special project coordinator to handle business development

for our special projects

. Recruited grant writing team for the owner to train for grant writing

services

. Implemented a warehouse receiving, packaging and distribution vendor

to handle our product

. Coordinated marketing efforts to have the owner and our product on TV,

featured on Associations website, and on the evening news

Trident Technical College Charleston, SC

[7-1994]-[6-2005]

Director of Auxiliary Enterprise

. Lead organization from $1 million to $11 million in sales volume

. Expanded operations from one store to four stores and assisted in

planning fifth store

. Dramatically improved relations with faculty and staff and improved

customer service

. Increased sales margins, reduced shrinkage, improved audit results,

and improved profit to the college

. Drastically improved quality of food, service, catering and vending on

multi campus locations as well as improved bottom line and customer

perception and service by eliminating business with ineffective food

service provider and bringing in a new food service provider who

provided brand and healthy food items

. Negotiated the remodeling for cafeteria area and added new vending

machines on multi campus location

Montgomery Ward Charleston, SC [5-1993]-[6-1994]

Store Manager/Operations Manger

. Hired as Operations Manager responsible for payroll, budget and

expense control, Human Resources, AP/AR, Shipping/Receiving and

delivery services

. Quickly promoted to Store Manager with overall responsibility for a

$21 million operation which included soft goods, furniture, white and

brown goods, fine jewelry and sport clothing vendors, small engine

repair center, lawn and garden, sporting goods and full service

automotive

Piece Goods, Inc. Charleston, SC

[2-1986] - 3-1986]

District Manager

. Managed the overall operations and success for 14 stores in four

states with $17 million in sales volume

. Improved customer service, morale, and sales

. improved stores cleanliness and maintenance as well as merchandise

levels and presentation

. Implemented loss prevention procedures

. Opened several new stores and hired and trained new staff

Belk Charleston,

SC [8-1980]-[8-1989]

Sales Manger/Management Trainee

. Worked full time through college

. Appointed to an extensive Management Training Program and completed

ahead of schedule

. Promoted to Sales Manager and managed several departments within the

store

Charleston Classic Homes, LLC Charleston, SC [6-

2005]-[10-2009]

Owner

. Built and managed the construction of custom homes that ranged from

$300 k to $1.5 million throughout the Charleston area

. Managed major and minor remodeling projects

. First certified EarthCraft Green builder and built first certified

green home in SC

. Recruited and worked with investors on spec homes and worked with

homeowners on custom homes

. As a Real Estate Broker, managed a team of real estate agents that

handled residential sales, vacation and long term property management

. Trained subcontractors, real estate agents, and building inspectors on

new green building techniques

. Worked with the S.C. Department of Energy on several Green Fairs in

the Charleston area

. Selected by Charleston's Mayor Riley as a charter member to serve on

The Charleston Green Committee

. Served on The Charleston Home Builders Association Committee to bring

green building training to Charleston

EDUCATION

MBA, Masters in Business Administration, Citadel, Charleston, SC

Bachelors in Business Administration and Management, Charleston Southern

University, Charleston, SC

Accounting, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC

Certificate of Management, American Management Association, Charleston, SC

AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENT

City of Charleston Stewardship Award; Presented By Mayor Joseph Riley,

February 23, 2010

Charter member of The Charleston Green Committee that developed the

Charleston Green Plan for the City of Charleston to use as a guide for

future planning and growth

Community Pride Inc., Green Builder of the Year in 2006 for "Outstanding

management practices and preservation of natural resources in the Low

Country" Award present by S.C. Representative Chip Limehouse

Featured in the 2005-2006 Coastal Heritage magazine with a 2 page article

on: Green Residential Market Expanding"

Recognition in several articles by the Post & Courier and on local news

media on "Green Building and Sustainable techniques" used in the homes I

built

Served on Construction and Building advisory board at Trident Technical

College

Past President of The Citadel MBA Association

Served as President of the S.C. Association of College Store from 1999 to

2001, under my leadership I took association from low membership, low

participation and financially in the red to its largest one year membership

and participation increase, expanded trade show and educational / training

seminars and ended my term with over $10,000 in the account for the next

President to work with. I served as Vice President, Chair of Annual Meeting

Committee, Chair of Nominating Committee, and Secretary plus served on

various other committees within the association. Received several

certificates of appreciation for my service; received Honorary Life

membership to the association

Received multiple awards and recognition / certificates for sales

achievements from organizations and from vendors whose products were sold

within organization

Certificate in Customer Service Principles and Supervisor Training from

Trident Technical College, plus several service award certificates

Contact this candidate