Sales Customer Service

RONALD W. SMITH Home: 478-***-****

*** *********** **** ****: 478-***-****

Macon, Georgia 31220-8713 ***.******@***.***

SENIOR MARKETING LEADER

Marketing & Product Management Marketing Communications

Product Development

Senior Product Marketing and Communications Leader within Fortune 500 and

entrepreneurial manufacturing organizations. Highly effective manager with

a proven ability to provide strategic product marketing and communications

leadership for cross-functional teams in Transportation, Specialty

Chemicals and Building Products Industries.

CORE COMPETENCIES

. Channel Management

. Product Management

. Account, Dealer, Distributor Interface

. Sales and Pricing Administration

. Integrated Marketing Communications

. Creating & Executing Brand Initiatives

. New Market Penetration Product Development and Launch

. Trade Conferences, Shows & Events

. Build and Motivate Marketing Teams

. Market Research, Budgets and Forecasts

. Customer Service & Aftermarket Parts

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

BLUE BIRD CORPORATION, Fort Valley, GA May 2007 - June 2010

Blue Bird offers a complete line of Type A, C and D school, activity,

commercial, GSA and prison buses in a variety of options and

configurations. For over 80 years, Blue Bird Corporation has continued to

set industry standards with its innovative design and manufacturing

capabilities. Blue Bird has an extensive network of dealer and service-

parts facilities throughout North America.

Director - Marketing

Recruited into this position at Blue Bird as part of reorganization to

blend new management disciplines with a good seasoned school bus team

following the purchase of Blue Bird by Cerberus Capital Management.

Reported to Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President Sales.

Position eliminated along with plant closely and further salaried headcount

reductions resulting from continued economic impact on product purchases.

. Continuously assessed the complete line of Type A, C and D buses and

option configurations, made recommendations and executed marketing

programs in relation to customer needs, competitive products and

pricing, new products, market potential and trends

. Developed and directed a fully functional and capable product

marketing team

. Provided dealer and end-user focus group market analysis, monitored

and analyzed developing market trends, initiated customer satisfaction

surveys and reporting, and evaluated and recommended strategy to meet

changing competitive conditions

. Led and improved communications with the dealer network, active

participant with Dealer Advisory Council, became the go-between with

dealers, sales and customers

. Presented to Dealer Advisory Council, dealers and industry groups

across North America

. Member of all-discipline product planning team and engineering based

product review board

. Member representative to the American School Bus Council and National

Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services

Supplier Council

. Utilized cross functional contributors, finance, manufacturing, supply

chain, engineering and sales on product development, pricing, and

marketing

. Championed the successful $90 million dollar sales launch of the first

OEM alternative fueled propane-powered school bus in the industry

SIKA CORPORATION, INDUSTRY DIVISION, Madison Heights, MI March 2002 -

May 2006

Leading manufacturer of specialty chemical products including adhesives and

sealants for the Auto Glass Replacement, Automotive OES, Bus, Truck,

Marine, Metal Building, Appliance and Equipment and Window and Door

markets. Sika Corporation is a subsidiary of Sika AG, Baar, Switzerland

with USD $2.4 billion in sales, over 10,000 employees and operations in

more than 70 countries.

Director of Marketing

Directed the planning, coordination and execution of all development

projects and marketing programs in support of new and existing products to

insure compliance with product creation process and were consistent with

and met the sales, margin, and profit objectives of the company. Evaluated

and recommended changes to marketing strategy to meet changing market and

competitive conditions. Reported to Senior Vice President - Industry

Division. Position eliminated in 2006 as a result of Swiss company wide

global reorganization.

General Management

. Established the marketing department. Hired, trained and mentored

Market Field Managers in support of the multiple market segments.

. Reorganized the department by market and technology activities and

established a separate Project Management group to better execute,

manage and track product and project activities.

. Recognized for research and participation contributions as an Advisory

Board Member to the Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) "Building the

Industry" (BTI) program.

New Product Development/Market Penetration

. Led new market research efforts resulting in the launched of seven new

technologies and penetration five new market segments

. Enjoyed double digit growth in each of last four years against quality

competitors.

. Led the product line simplification (PLS) efforts and while adding new

technology products over the period was able to actually reduce active

SKU's by 20%.

. Key contributor in corporate standard cost reviews, pricing and margin

analysis

. Member Corporate Product Planning and Pricing Approval Team, member

Product Development Expert Team, Process Improvement Team and Global

Market Development Team.

Marketing Communications and Public Relations

. Planned, directed and controlled all division's media trade ads, trade

show exhibits, all printed and promotional materials, marketing

bulletins, press releases, editor for division Industry Times

newsletter.

. Led signature sponsorship, Formula Powerboat Races, hosting and

catering Sika customer lunches at Start/Finish line including race

boat rides on a leg of the courses

PLASTICS RESEARCH CORPORATION, Flint, MI December 1998 - December 2001

Manufacturer of structural foam plastic molded products with annual sales

of $60 million. Privately held company went out of business in late 2001.

Recruited by VP, Marketing.

Director of Marketing

Directed new product and business development, marketing communications,

merchandising, public relations and customer service activities. Reported

to Owner, President and CEO. Company shutdown after bankruptcy following

911 economic impact.

. Member of cross-functional product and pricing leadership team

including CFO, engineering, sales and operations management

. Launched line of plastic arbors enabling a new market penetration into

Lawn & Garden

. Made sales presentations to major customers Do it Best, Home Depot and

Lowe's

. Created and executed all brand awareness building activities and media

events

. Developed all collateral, merchandising, advertisements, and

application case studies

. Directed Product Marketing, Marketing Communications, Customer Service

and outside agencies

ABTCO BUILDING PRODUCTS INC., Troy, MI May 1995 -

September 1998

Manufacturer of extruded and thermoformed plastics and vinyl and hardboard

building material products with annual sales of $300 million.

Product Manager-Plastics

Managed product line of plastic moldings and shutters to improve product

line contribution dollars, market share and on-time shipping. Reported to

Vice President Sales and Marketing. Position was eliminated during

corporate consolidation, downsizing and relocation in 1998.

. Developed and introduced new product family bringing $4.1 million in

gross sales.

. Sales, Marketing, Finance product pricing team member

. Worked closely with CFO and sales Management with resulting improved

gross profit from revenues by 39%, and EBITA by 63%.

. Contributed to all branding, merchandising and print materials.

. Created monthly sales forecasts and chaired forecast team leading to

100 percent fill rate.

EDUCATION

MBA - Marketing Concentration, Lawrence Technological University,

Southfield, Michigan

BSBA - Marketing Concentration, Lawrence Institute of Technological,

Southfield, Michigan

RECENT AFFILIATIONS

American School Bus Council Marketing Committee

National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services

Supplier Council

Adhesive and Sealant Council (ASC) Building the Industry (BTI) Advisory

Board Member

Lector and Pastoral Council Member, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Macon

Georgia

Macon Chapter - USA Dance

RECENT SEMINARS

Effective Negotiating, Dr. Chester L. Karrass

Comment Intelligence: Unlocking the Power of Net Promoter Score (NPS) with

Text Analytics, AMA

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