Sales Customer Service
Resume:
LESLIE RICHARDS
Naples, Florida 34119
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SUMMARY
Over 20 years successful and wide ranged experience in Furniture Sales,
Interior Design, Sales, Model Home Merchandising, and New Home Construction
Broad scope of expertise includes: custom residential interior design, high
end furniture sales, model home merchandising retail store design upgrade
centers, and liaison on various construction projects, model home
merchandising, and retail store design. Special creative expertise in
specifying and ordering high-end furniture and interior building products,
with exceptional talent for putting together colors and finishes. A multi-
degreed professional, with an outgoing friendly demeanor, un-surpassed
customer service skills, multi-level sales expertise, dedication, and
creativity.
In addition to the below resume information, I have also operated my own
successful interior design practice in my home town, Chicago, on a part
time level (1982 until 2003)
My background, skills and maturity can easily be adapted to many employment
situations, and I am open to new experiences outside my field.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
ANTONACCI DESIGN GROUP (Bonita Springs, Florida) lack of work
lay off 2007
Assistant to the Design President
. Select, specify and price furniture, lighting and accessory
products for the high-end Condominium Client.
. Office Manager in charge of all organizational tools for firm.
. Developed excel program for ordering products, which was formerly
done by hand
. Research of new product lines, meeting with furniture Vendors,
furniture installations.
GULF BAY HOMES (Fiddler's Creek, Naples, Florida) lack of work lay
off July 2004 to November 2006
Design Options Coordinator
. Sold upgrades to homebuyers in various different communities
ranging in price from $600,000 to over 1.3 million.
. Worked with a team to build option packages comprised of pre-
determined selections and prices for numerous communities within
Fiddler's Creek
. Worked with outside designers on selections for model homes
. Selected options for inventory units, one of which became a 2
million dollar model
for the Developer
COLLINS & DUPONT INTERIORS, Bonita Springs, Florida January
to July 2004
Interior Design Assistant
. Worked on all phases of design and client interface, for multi-
million dollar models and privately owned homes
1122 NORTH DEARBORN CONDOMINUMS, Chicago, Illinois
1998-2003 Design Director
. Solely responsible for all facets of the design center operation
and acted as chief liaison between construction and buyer.
. Selected and priced all buyer selections, and offered customization
for every unit.
. Selected vendors and created excellent computerized upgrade sheets.
. Ordered all ceramic tile, bath and kitchen cabinets and custom
closet organizers.
. Single-handedly sold $2M in upgrades.
. Worked with architect creating 5 totally customized units with
altered floor plans
. Contributed unusual time and energy to the project beyond normal
expectations resulting in significant documented client respect and
approval.
HABERDASHER SQUARE LOFTS, Chicago, Illinois
1996 to 1998
Senior Project Designer
Responsible for all facets of the design center operation for phase two of
the project.
Expanded and improved buyer selections, reduced costly errors. Streamlined
specifications. Greatly improved existing communication with buyers, and
hired more responsive vendors.
Designed two model homes for developer resulting in increased sales.
Model town home featured in 1997 spring edition of New Homes Magazine
Additional responsibilities included: scheduling and conducting all 48-hour
walk-thrus and final punch list sign-offs.
THE RIVER PLAZA CONDOMINIUMS, Chicago, Illinois
1995 to 1996
Head of Sales & Marketing, M.W. Construction
Designed and priced model home for Atlantis Properties, Ltd.
Conceptualized and launched highly successful design center for 33 E. Cedar
Condominiums.
Sold extensive custom upgrades for River Plaza current and new home buyers.
Created new logo for M.W. Construction and introduced first newsletter
resulting
in increased sales from previous buyers at the River Plaza
Condominiums.
THE PARK SHORE CONDO CONVERSION, Chicago, Illinois March to
June 1995
Design Coordinator
Sold over 1/1 million dollars of residential upgrades for 144 units, March
through June 1995.
Designed the upgrade center and selected products to be purchased by new
homebuyers.
CHAMPAGNE FURNITURE GALLERY, Chicago, Illinois
1994 to 1995 Sales / Senior Interior Designer
Developed interior designs. Sold traditional furnishings for high-end
urban residential clients.
Consistently surpassed goals and expectations of the storeowner.
Managed the floor, built business relationships with vendors, and planned
showroom displays.
DESIGN STUDIO, Skokie, Illinois
1990 to 1994 Sales / Interior Designer
Developed interior designs and sold contemporary furnishings for high-end
suburban residential clients, and developed floor
displays for store manager.
CHILDS DREYFUS GROUP, Chicago, Illinois
1986 to 1990
Senior Designer, Model Home Merchandising
Received Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Annual Building Award for
Excellence, 1989 for best model home of the year.
Designed, developed and installed model homes for builders throughout the
United States.
Repeatedly met extremely difficult budget and construction deadline demands
of builders.
SCHAFFER ASSOCIATES, Oakbrook Illinois
1985 to 1986
Color and Material Specialist
. Worked with a team of experts to develop Retail Department store
Design on an International Level
EDUCATION
B.A., University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin
- Spanish/Psychology
A.A.S., Academy of Merchandising and Design, Chicago, Illinois
The Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois
Harvard University, Cambridge,
Massachusetts
Computer
Literate
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