STEPHEN H. FANTUS
**** ****** ******** 760-***-****
Carlsbad, CA 92009 ***********@*****.***
SALES EXECUTIVE ~ CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Successful sales management professional with extensive experience in the
consumer products industry. Areas of expertise include:
. Strong CPG Industry career path with large organizations that include the
Rayovac Corporation and Johnson & Johnson, and smaller companies that
include WD-40 Company and California Scents.
. Managing direct, independent and brokered sales organizations ranging in
size from a region to the entire U.S. in both structured and
entrepreneurial business formats.
. Proven track record of consistently exceeding sales targets, introducing
new products, expanding distribution channels and developing private
label businesses.
. Sales management experience with virtually all trade classes selling
consumer products including grocery, mass merchandisers, drug, value
discount, warehouse club and distributors.
. National account experience with leading retailers such as Wal-Mart,
Kmart, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar General, Kroger, Safeway, Food
Lion, Super Value, Winn Dixie and Publix.
. Structuring the sales organization to effectively manage a consolidating
retail and broker environment.
. Proficient in sales management of National accounts - Professional
attitude and committed to excellence.
KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND SKILLS
. Successfully integrated acquired business and assumed new/expanded roles
in each new company.
. Experience in building and developing high-performance sales teams.
Created new position descriptions throughout my career. Helped mentor
many of my direct reports that resulted in promotions to greater areas of
responsibility.
. Helped develop many account-specific promotions and new items that have
taken hold in the marketplace.
. Cross-functional approach in managing critical areas of the business.
Member of many management teams that included individuals from sales,
marketing, supply chain, finance and R&D.
. Experienced in successfully introducing new business segments and
facilitating its growth. Examples include introducing private label
household products to many key accounts, establishing new business in the
Puerto Rico market and taking new products developed internally to all
managed accounts nationally.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CALIFORNIA SCENTS, Irvine, CA. 2008 - 2009
(Manufacturer of Air Fresheners)
Director of Sales
Responsible for the Mass Merchandiser and Warehouse Club businesses for the
company, as well as responsibility for the Grocery business from Maine to
Florida. This position included the management of Independent Sales Reps
and brokers positioned against portions of the business. This was a new
position where the focus is on new business development as well as national
account management. I was a member of the Senior Sales Management Team
plus was involved as a mentor to individuals within the company.
STEPHEN H. FANTUS Page Two
WD-40 COMPANY, San Diego, CA. 1990 - 2007
(Marketer of Consumer Products)
Vice President of Mass & Drug Sales (WD-40 Company) 2006 - 2007
Responsible for the Mass Merchandiser and Drug businesses for the total
U.S., with volume responsibility of $48M. Supervised two National Account
Sales Managers and a Sales Support Manager for Nielsen Applications, Wal-
Mart Retail Link, etc., and other sales support functions. This position
required working closely with all levels of WD-40 corporate management
internally and across departments (sales, marketing, supply chain, IT and
finance), attending many key account sales calls, conducting sales meetings
and attending monthly senior management meetings.
. Created a "Wal-Mart Team" that integrated all sales and sales analysis
functions resulting in increased sales and productivity for this key
retailer. This focus resulted in improving in stock conditions and
service levels, exceeding sales plans and securing significant new
distribution/promotional support.
. Introduced new "account-specific" products to market by collaborating
with the key retailers in the mass/drug group and with internal WD-40
departments. One of these products was chosen to be the Wal-Mart
hardware department Volume Producing Item (VPI) for all of 2007.
. Developed a drug channel trade sales and marketing approach to penetrate
this trade class, using a combination of sales goals, P&L analysis and
key performance measures.
. Hired a retail merchandising company to service the Wal-Mart
Supercenters, where they exceeded performance metrics and guidelines for
success which included selling displays, increasing instock conditions
and merchandising products into secondary locations.
Vice President of Grocery Sales (WD-40 Company) 2004 - 2006
Responsible for the Grocery businesses for the total U.S., with volume
responsibility of $40M. Supervised a Director of Grocery Operations, four
Regional Sales Managers and our network of Grocery brokers across the
country. Grocery brokers managed included Crossmark, Advantage and key
independent broker organizations.
. Developed and implemented a national broker coverage plan to maximize
grocery channel sales and distribution objectives. I also re-deployed
the company's regional broker manager staff to adjust to changes in the
marketplace. These initiatives resulted in over $250K in cost savings
and created a more focused approach to National account management of the
large grocery retailers.
. Effectively positioned and allocated financial resources against areas of
opportunity, resulting in achievement of overall sales objectives.
. Achieved distribution goals on new product introductions in the grocery
channel while effectively managing the P&L.
Director of Strategic National Accounts (WD-40 Company) 2001 - 2004
Responsible for the sales and management of National Accounts for all
product lines, including the products acquired from Global Household Brands
in 2001. Accounts under my direction included Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target,
Dollar General, Family Dollar, CVS and Rite Aid. Sales volume
responsibility was $30M. This position also supervised a National Account
Sales Manager.
. Successfully integrated the Global Household Brands product lines (2000
Flushes, X-14 and Carpet Fresh) with the WD-40 Company's product
portfolio in the Strategic sales group, after the WD-40 Company acquired
Global Household Brands.
. Introduced and expanded distribution of newly-acquired products into
National accounts (Wal-Mart, Kmart, Target, Dollar General, etc)
achieving sales revenue of $25M.
STEPHEN H. FANTUS Page Three
Director of Sales -Eastern U.S. (Global Household Brands) 1998 - 2001
This position was responsible for over $30M in sales volume, covering the
Eastern half of the United States, which included thirty-five food broker
organizations. Personally responsible for managing Kmart, CVS and Rite Aid
at the headquarter level, and also directly involved in managing and
developing business in Puerto Rico. In addition to the branded lines
purchased from Block Household Products, we also developed a significant
private label business on various household products. I Directly supervised
two Regional Sales Managers.
. Actively involved in creating a corporate infrastructure to manage the
business acquired from Block Household Products. Hired grocery brokers
and Regional Sales Managers to oversee the geography and account base.
Helped develop sales policies and procedures for the new company. Sales
results exceeded plan each year while developing and refining the sales
infrastructure.
. Successfully introduced private label household products into numerous
key retailers, which helped launch an incremental business segment.
. Introduced Global Household Brands products into the Puerto Rico
marketplace, creating over $1M in sales volume.
Eastern Region Manager (Block Household Products) 1995 - 1998
Supervised three Divisional Sales Managers responsible for over $30M in
sales volume. Geographic responsibility covered the Eastern half of the
United States. Personally responsible for managing the New York market and
the Kmart headquarter account.
Northeast Division Manager (Block Household Products) 1990 - 1995
Responsible for sales and management of an eleven state Northeast division
overseeing major food brokers, a regional hardware rep organization and
select "house" accounts including the Kmart headquarter account.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
POWER PLUS OF AMERICA, INC., Lawrenceville, GA
Regional Sales Manager - Northeast
RAYOVAC CORPORATION, Madison, WI
Regional Sales Manager - Northeast
Area Sales Manager - Midwest
JOHNSON & JOHNSON BABY PRODUCTS COMPANY, Skillman, NJ
Key Account Manager/Sales Trainer
Territory Manager
EDUCATION
BA, Marketing and Psychology - North Central College, Naperville, IL
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Computer literate with MS Office
A.C. Nielsen Applications Account Point-of-Sale Programs
(Wal-Mart Retail Link, Kmart Workbench, Target Partners On Line)