Sales Manager
Resume:
RICHARD M. DIAMOND
*** ****** ***** ****** ****: 440-***-****
Boca Raton, FL 33486 ******************@*****.*** Home:
Linkedin.com/in/richardmdiamond
MERCHANDISING / GLOBAL SOURCING
Innovative leader in building and aligning organizations to accelerate
growth, control costs, and deliver dramatic bottom-line results.
Outstanding relationship builder, skilled at gaining trust of key decision-
makers, building win-win partnerships, bringing new opportunities to
fruition, and managing high-performance teams committed to quality and
responsiveness. Extensive expertise in home d cor, residential and
commercial furniture development, international sourcing / manufacturing,
cut and sew, and cleaning and breakroom supplies. Broad domestic and global
background, spans Fortune 500 organizations as well as start-ups.
Strategic / Tactical Planning New Product Development
Global Sourcing P&L Accountability
Negotiations / Presentations Staffing / Leadership Development
Change Management Multi Cultural / Expat
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
. Office Depot: Grew market share for five consecutive quarters despite
total poor comp store performance and negative national industry trend.
. Harvey Lewis Designs: Brought consistent flow of innovative products to
North American sales team, including highly successful Swarovski Monogram
holiday ornaments, Target charity ornament program, and Target PVC
storage programs with Thomas O'Brien collections.
. H20 Furnishings: Developed, presented, and sourced new products for start-
up firm, generating $15M in first-year sales to customers such as Sam's
Club and FYE.
. OfficeMax: Initiated Far East chair sourcing program that produced $10M+
at 34% gross margin within first year, 17.7% YOY increase. Established
strategic merchandising direction for all channels, including 950 stores,
outside sales force, specialty catalogs, and eCommerce.
. Burdines Department Stores (ndba Macy's): Conceptualized and opened five
furniture galleries and interior design studios, including the then
largest department store furniture operation in America, Dadeland Home
Gallery.
EXPERIENCE
OFFICE DEPOT, INC., Boca Raton, FL 2007 - 2009
$16B multi-national bricks and mortar, and e-commerce B2B and B2C office
products, furniture, and technology provider with 1,150 stores and
operations in 42 countries.
Vice President, Merchandising
Assumed control of lagging furniture business and restructured operations
to restore profitability. Accountability for $1B business in stores, sales
force, catalog, and web. Staffed, coached, and led DMM and team of five
merchants and seven support associates.
. Projected 30% increase in GMROI and ROIC by end of 2010. Developed
fundamental strategic change for promoting and funding business.
. Redefined furniture direction from heavy residential to SMB. Negotiated
sample ownership program with domestic and import resources, which would
eliminate millions of dollars of investment and dramatically impact
turnover and cash flow.
. Introduced competitive line review process in direct import furniture
arena. Staged seating and furniture events in Shenzhen, China.
RICHARD M. DIAMOND 2.
. Championed product development process through private brand and direct
import group. Brought new Shenzhen sourcing office into mainstream of
corporate recognition. Sourced product and trained new personnel in
China.
. Transformed Cleaning and Breakroom supply business to be commercially
driven. Reinvented store planogram to compact nationally branded
convenience headquarters, including "Road Warrior" coffee/snack
destination in store and catalog / web offering designed to grow share in
high profit SMB market space.
HARVEY LEWIS DESIGNS LLC, Hong Kong 2004 - 2006
Industry trend leader in home d cor and seasonal products.
Chief Operating Officer, Asia
Clients: Target, Staples, Bombay Company, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, CVS,
Albertson's.
Directed global operation spanning new product development, sourcing,
negotiation, quality assurance, transportation, and financial operations as
well as sales out of Hong Kong showrooms. Primary liaison with US-based
sales, trend, and product design functions. Interpreted direction from
North America to best utilize Asia resources. Staffed, trained, and
mentored local and global team of 20. Controlled $14M P&L.
. Introduced and revamped systems to control product development, sample
flow, packaging, manufacturing, shipping, and payments.
. Determined new materials, shapes, and concepts to leverage existing home
storage, office storage, and seasonal Swarovski crystal businesses.
Focused on both organic development and specific customer requests for
new product, line and brand extensions.
. Grew key accounts by developing new and exclusive products utilizing
creative fabrications to offset increasing raw material expense.
. Redeployed and trained employees to better respond to factory base and US
customers. Instilled "Customer is Always First" and "24-hour Response"
philosophies.
. Established China based QA team to tightly monitor sample and stock
production at factories as well as ensuring social and C-TPAT compliance.
. Transitioned to competitive sourcing strategy from prior single source
per medium environment. Set and enforced standards based on both internal
and customer requirements.
. Developed and implemented specific audit, assessment, and inspection
policy criteria to train primary factories in specifics of quality
manufacturing, packaging, social compliance, C-TPAT and accountability.
H20 FURNISHINGS, Brookline, MA 2002 - 2004
Product development, sourcing, and consulting start-up.
Executive Vice President
Clients: Sam's Club, FYE, Linens N Things, Bon Ton, Elder-Beerman, Garden
Ridge.
Researched and developed novelty furniture and accessory products for
initial retailer introductions. Developed and conducted product
presentations for key customers and prospects. Oversaw contract product
development and quality control teams in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Ho Chi Minh
City, and Taiwan.
. Sourced products in South China and monitored through prototyping,
sampling, and eventual production. Maintained consistent sales and
expense forecasts for partners.
. Traveled to Asian factories every other month to pursue accelerated speed
to market as core differentiator vs. larger established but slower
competitors.
. Added secondary income streams by consulting for O'Sullivan Furniture
both in retail strategies and Asian sourcing development as well as
managing US operations for OCM, a large Taipei-based office seating
manufacturer.
RICHARD M. DIAMOND 3.
OFFICEMAX, INC., Shaker Heights, OH 1996 - 2002
$4.8B multi-channel office supplies and services provider with 950
superstores and delivery centers in over 370 markets internationally and
through Officemax.com e-commerce platform.
Vice President / General Merchandise Manager
Supplied leadership and oversight for $800M SOHO, commercial office
furniture, plastic storage, consumable, and B2B gift businesses. Oversaw
sales, gross margin, vendor income, merchandising, and sales promotion for
950 stores, specialty catalogs, and eCommerce. Led and empowered four
merchants, eight associates, and Operations Director.
. Increased import penetration in furniture to over 80%, demonstrating to
top management sales and margin growth potential of global sourcing.
. Implemented strategy to align OfficeMax assortments with industry
function, material, and color trends.
. Led corporate rollout and training function for change to Category
Management philosophy.
. Introduced RTA direct imports from Poland and Brazil, replacing 32% gross
margin with 40% program.
. Successfully negotiated establishment of dedicated Polish fulfillment
center.
. Grew Far East sourcing to 95% of seating business representing $100M+ in
purchases at 44% mark-up. In tandem with lamps, this accounted for 85% of
OfficeMax imports. Sales in chairs maintained double industry growth rate
and 25% comp sales growth.
. Changed historically adversarial vendor relationship environment into
more collaborative approach based on long term win-win partnerships.
BURDINES DEPARTMENT STORES (ndba Macy's), Miami, FL 1980 - 1996
$1.4B 49-store retail department store chain throughout Florida. Seven free-
standing furniture locations.
Vice President, Furniture, Floor Covering & Bedding (1990 - 1996)
Merchandised and directed $100M area spanning 16 stores, 15 merchants, 10
interior designers, sales, and workroom staff. Planned, merchandised, and
opened furniture galleries and interior design studios. Chaired sleep sofa,
recliner, and import leather upholstery teams.
. Spearheaded programs that led to multi-million dollar cost savings and
double digit margin percent gains.
. Streamlined entire furniture operation and repositioned it from mostly
mall-based department stores to occupying free standing or strip center
locations. Efforts were adopted as a primary model for furniture at
Macy's nationally.
DMM, Home Textiles, Window & Floor Coverings (1987 - 1990)
Senior Buyer, Upholstered & Imported Furniture (1985 - 1987)
Buyer, European Imports, Wicker & Rattan (1982 - 1985)
Department Manager, Men's Furnishings (1981 - 1982)
Assistant Buyer, Imported Rugs (1980 - 1981)
EDUCATION
BS Economics, Wharton School, 1980
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Trustee, Congregation Bethaynu, Pepper Pike, OH
Contact this candidate