DAVID A. ESPER

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

Cincinnati, OH 45241

513-***-**** abik9q@r.postjobfree.com

CAREER SUMMARY

Results-driven marketing professional with extensive experience in product

management and product development. Proven success in product line growth

through traditional product management practices and new product

introductions. Diverse background in Marketing, Sales, and Product

Development. Staff management experience with two companies. Highly

transferable skills in the areas of:

. Planning and Organizing . Customer Account Management

. Implementing Product Line . Product Development

Strategies

. Market Analysis . Project Management

. Technical Knowledge . Leading Cross-Functional Teams

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

GOJO Industries (Akron, OH) 2009 - 7/2010

GOJO Industries, Inc. is the leading global producer and marketer of skin

health and hygiene solutions for away-from-home settings. A broad portfolio

includes hand cleaning, handwashing, hand sanitizing and skin care formulas

under the GOJO , PURELL and PROVON brand names.

Product Manager - Delivery Systems (Dispensers)

Responsible for GOJO's automatic touch-free soap and sanitizer dispensers.

Specific responsibilities include -product development, competitive

analysis, cost reduction, communicate regularly with executive management

and through-out the organization, manage cross-functional teams (R&D,

Finance, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Quality) to commercialize new products,

update sales materials, address customer and quality issues.

. Led two cross-functional teams to develop, a small wall-mounted touch-

free dispenser and, a solar powered dispenser.

. Exceeded stage-gate milestone date by two months in order to achieve

speed-to-market objective for the small touch-free project.

. Addressed a dispenser clogging and a cover cracking problem thereby

maintaining high product quality standards by effectively applying

problem solving practices and implementing a dispenser design change in a

timely manner.

HILL-ROM COMPANY (Batesville, IN) 2007 - 2008

Hill-Rom is a leading manufacturer of medical devices and technologies for

the health care industry.

Product Manager - Maternal Care

Overall marketing responsibility for Hill-Rom's Maternal Care franchise.

Specific responsibilities include - budget, P&L, developing and executing

on an annual business plan to meet company sales, profit and market share

goals, competitive analysis, identifying opportunities for growth, cost

reduction, product development, pricing, communicate regularly with

executive management and through-out the organization, manage cross-

functional teams (Sales, Clinical, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Quality) to

commercialize new products, develop sales materials, address customer and

quality issues, create and implement a clinical strategy.

. Exceeded 2008 revenue goals by 16% while maintaining profit margin

and share.

. Developed and launched two new Tempur-pedic sleep surfaces which

contributed over $60K in new revenues.

. Successfully developed and executed a product messaging program that

realigned and focused the maternal care product line.

SOLO CUP COMPANY (Highland Park, IL) 2001 - 2007

Solo Cup is a leader in the manufacture of single-use products used to

serve food and beverages for the consumer and foodservice markets.

Product Manager (2005-2007)

Associate Product Manager (2004-2005)

Assistant Product Manager (2001-2004)

Overall responsibility for Solo's Beverage and Meal Service product lines

which includes, paper and plastic, cups, lids, plates and cutlery to ensure

financial health and business objectives are met. Roles include -

presenting an annual business review, situation assessments, developing an

annual product line marketing plan, market research, forecasting, SKU

management, product development, communications literature, pricing,

developing sales training and customer promotions. Managed two Assistant

Product Managers.

. Launched five new disposable cup products to the marketplace

generating significant annual revenues and profit.

. Led a marketing team to develop and present a product training

program to customer service resulting in an improvement in the response

time and the quality of the response to customer inquiries.

. Supported SAP implementation as a subject matter expert and marketing

liaison.

. Led a cross-functional team to integrate product lines as a result of

the Sweetheart Cup Company acquisition. Included rewriting business

rules, recommending new workflow processes and rationalizing product

lines.

. Developed / launched two new food container and lid products adding

$750,000 in annual revenues.

. Implemented a "Safe Handling" instruction program for products used

in hot food applications.

. Successfully developed and launched the innovative Traveler Plus

recloseable hot cup lid. This project included leading a project team to

complete market analysis, customer focus studies, product development,

costing and pricing analysis, developing sales training and promotion

programs and coordinating ad agency development of product sales

collateral.

. Completed an extensive competitor benchmarking project which led to

several product changes and repositionings resulting in increased

incremental revenues.

PACTIV CORPORATION 1987 - 2001

Territory Sales Manager, Philadelphia, PA (2000-2001)

Successfully managed a $5MM sales territory that covered eastern

Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey selling food containers manufactured

from aluminum, molded fiber, foam, microwaveable, dual-ovenable and rigid

plastic, as well as polyethylene food bags and can liners.

. Managed product pricing and budgets, maximizing volume and spread,

and performing administrative duties in a timely and informative manner.

. Supported products through sales meetings, training classes, joint

sales calls and industry trade shows.

. Successfully closed on new business to the Montgomery County school

district ($625M).

. Received an Excellence Award for Outstanding Sales Performance in

2000.

New Product Development Engineer, Canandaigua, NY (1987-2000)

Developed new products from concept to commercial production, which

included capturing voice of the customer, competitor cost and product

analysis, product design, CAD, prototyping, lab and field testing,

commercial tooling and production start-up. Promoted three times to

increasing levels of responsibility.

. Designed, developed and implemented 35 products with projected sales

impact of $18 million.

. Implemented a new process reducing the product development time 50%.

. Prepared project cost justifications, capital estimates, product

requirements, test reports, product cost analysis, and patent

applications.

. Excellent skills in presentations, customer interfacing, project

management, conceptualizing, technical knowledge of materials and

processes, problem solving, and statistical data analysis.

. Established outside suppliers to produce small-volume products in

support of developing product lines, enabling the company to test market

new products quickly and with minimal capital.

LEE PAYNE ASSOCIATES (Atlanta, GA) 1983-1987

Senior Product Designer

Product Development Consultants, specializing in consumer products market

analysis and product design.

. Managed client relations, wrote project proposals, preliminary

sketches, presentations, human factor studies, manufacturing sourcing,

product design, and product graphics. Managed two product designers.

EDUCATION

Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, MBA - In progress

University of Cincinnati, B.S., Industrial Design

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Sales Excellence Award - In recognition and appreciation for outstanding

sales performance in 2000 for the Pactiv Corporation.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Chair of the Family Life Committee at church

Assistant coach for the local girl's soccer league

Company representative for Habitat for Humanity

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