SCOTT E. HEFKE

**** ******* ***** *** • W esterville, Ohio 43082

Home: 614-***-**** • Cellular: 614-***-**** • E-Mail: abm3c0@r.postjobfree.com

REGIONAL DIRECTOR • DISTRICT MANAGER • SALES TRAINING MANAGER

Providing a Career History Highlighted with Retail Sales, New Store Startup and Turnaround Improvements

AREAS OF STRENGTH & KNOWLEDGE

Revenue Management Inventory Management Operations Management

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Margin Improvement Profit/Loss Analysis In House Credit/Collections

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Real Estate Negotiations Organization Planning Process Improvement

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Sales Training Employee Development Sales Event Planner/Leader

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Talent Recruitment Sales Team Motivator Training Materials Creator

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

RENT – A – CENTER … Plano Texas 1990 to 2008

Nation’s largest rent to own company; offers electronics, home furnishings, major appliances and financial services;

operates 3,100+ locations across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico with annual revenues over $3 billion dollars.

Employs over 17,000 associates.

Regional Director, Columbus, Ohio (2002 – 2008)

Accountability for profit/loss performance of 50 stores generating $45 million annually; managed over

245 direct and indirect reports; circulated central Ohio and western West Virginia territory and ensured

performance of 6 district managers (each responsible for 6-9 stores) as well as satisfaction of company mission

statement and core values. Reported directly to senior vice president of operations.

Scope of responsibilities included region revenue planning and expectations, operations/capital

budgeting, revenue receipts, region/store sales strategies, activities and promotions, past due account

collections, store inspections and inventory audits, staffing and management training, store openings and

launches (including site selection and construction), and customer complaint resolution. Experience with both

retail and financial service operations.

Guided region to budgeted growth and profit expectations; facilitated profit goals by maintaining cost

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controls, locating and optimizing product mix and attracting, training, developing and securing commitment of

diverse workforce.

Created and executed clear vision of business expectations through development and motivation of

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district management to achieve maximum productivity; demonstrating training and development abilities,

successfully mentored recently promoted regional director.

Maintained expected margins by scrutinizing and resolving over budgeting, write offs, shortages, and

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theft/shrink; worked with district management on planning and execution of operations bringing performance

in line with expectations.

Saved region $24,000 annually through implementation of controls in 6 highest overtime stores;

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controls required management to record and allocate labor use daily.

Reduced regional expenses $250,000 by minimizing extra employees on staff; also implemented policy

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maintaining “new hire pipeline,” ensuring consistency of operations as employees were released.

Maximized opportunities in controllable expenses and secured $4,000 - $8,000 in savings monthly by

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analyzing and responding to incorrectly posted P&L charges (otherwise charged to region P&L reports).

Saved region $55,000 annually through renegotiation of waste management contracts.

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Lowered fuel costs $18,000 annually through placement of fuel authorization program in 8 highest

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fuel expense stores; program required management approval on gas purchases and ultimately eliminated

potential for employee theft.

Lowered annual turnover from 78% in 2005 to 38% in 2007 by participating in majority of new hire

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interviews and following up on training to ensure quality and timely completion; also effectively

monitored turnover and eliminated internal reasons for employee attrition.

SCOTT E. HEFKE Résumé Page 2

Reversed $100,000 in negative profit per year and lifted area store revenues $205,000 annually

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through closure of 5 underperforming stores; subsequent to acquisitions, conducted analysis of individual

store finances and determined negative effects of market saturation.

Secured locations and facilitated launch of 6 new stores (in Columbus, Logan, Cambridge, Marietta,

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and Coshocton, Ohio and Parkersburg, West Virginia); guided all stores to profitability within 9 months or

less of opening (well within company standard of 12 months after opening).

Spearheaded all facets of new location launches including lease negotiations, contractor relationship

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management and oversight, utilities and signage placement, fleet ordering, location staffing, product

ordering, and market advertising; strategically negotiated and approved lease conditions including base rent,

real estate taxes, administrative charges, non-compete agreements and ability to offer financial services.

Enhanced merchandise ordering with development of inventory management system; results of

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ordering system captured attention of headquarters and implemented as procedure throughout company.

Spearheaded successful investigation of 4 internal fraud and theft situations leading to arrest and

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convictions of 6 employees; recovered $10,000 in merchandise and secured restitution of $25,000.

After company purchase of 200+ Rainbow Rentals locations, coordinated change-over of 3 stores and

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successfully retained 90% of original customers 90 days after conversions (amidst company

expectation of 85% retention); changed over computer systems, completed inventories, priced

merchandise on-site prior to acquisition, trained new employees and consolidated new customers into current

programs. All 3 stores currently operating profitably.

Subsequent to purchase of 700+ Rentway locations (and addition of 8 new stores to region), 6 of 8

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stores retained over 80% of original customer base after 180 days (with 2 maintaining 95%); installed

computer systems, conducted inventory, and ordered new merchandise to replenish dated merchandise.

Eventually led signage changes and remodeling of sites during full conversion to company stores. All 8

stores currently operating profitably.

Improved performance of newly opened stores by strategically placing locations near other

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demographic-friendly retail establishments and high-traffic areas; negotiated new leases, organized

construction, coordinate move of merchandise, utilities and computer system, and ensured proper close of

old location.

Introduced new customer benefits package and secured commitment of 25% of customers in 6

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months (amidst company goal of 15% in 6 months); currently performing within company standard of 40%

of customers enrolled.

Elevated quality of employees through development of quarterly job fairs; utilized job fairs to ensure

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staffing as well as enhance overall workforce.

District Manager … Rochester, New York (1997 – 2002)

Promoted to ensure performance of 9 stores throughout upstate New York; responsible for district profit and

loss administration, strategy planning and execution, district and store operations/capital budgeting, inventory

management, merchandise and fixed asset audits, and recruiting, hiring, training and supervision of 45

employees (including store management).

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Increased district profit ranking to top 10% (38 ) in 2002 from 396 in 1998 out of 400 total districts;

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performance facilitated through close collaboration with store management on development and execution of

operating plans and merchandising to meet revenue and profit goals.

Amidst company repurchase of Colortyme store, merged accounts and inventory into 2 existing

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stores and maintained 90% accounts after 90 days; required manual entry of all 600 accounts into

computer system as well as store closing and return to landlord.

Reduced expenses $41,600 annually through micro-management tracking system requiring managers

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to review labor usage daily; ultimately enabled better decisions on labor management (as 2 biggest

operating expense).

Ensured optimum employee productivity with introduction of time management system consolidating

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daily activities on one ledger with management assigning tasks and expected time completion to employees;

system proved extremely successful and adopted as procedure throughout entire company store network.

SCOTT E. HEFKE Résumé Page 3

Facilitated training and eventual promotions for assistant managers and account managers through

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regular training meetings external of store sites; additional training developed management techniques

and enabled succession planning.

Contributed to introduction of new applicant tracking system; underwent training and introduced system

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to store managers.

Store Manager … Rochester, New York (1994 – 1997)

Supervised all facets of daily operations through store with 180-220 SKUs of name brand merchandise,

generating $130,000 monthly; responsible for store profit/loss, merchandising, customer service, inventory

management, daily/weekly sales goals, revenue performance reporting, cash and deposits, collections, and

recruiting, hiring, training oversight, and evaluation of 6-9 employees (including assistant manager).

Led store to highest revenue throughout Upstate New York and first store to generate $50,000 profit

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in 1 month; recognized on 2 occasions for performance during annual convention.

Frequently appointed with district management responsibilities including district store audits,

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supervision of new store management, and turnaround of underperforming stores; led district

meetings and trusted with access to store computers and district manager company email.

Designated launch associate for new hardware upgrades throughout district; circulated other stores

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and installed hardware during rollouts.

Oversaw store frequently appointed to test and report on sales and customer satisfaction of new

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merchandise.

Appointed as hiring manager for all 9 stores in district; placed associates in stores (after running

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advertisement) through recruiting, interviewing and hiring.

Initially served as Assistant Manager – Account Manager, (1990 – 1994)

PIZZA HUT … Rochester, New York 1984 to 1990

Restaurant chain and international franchise specializing in American-style pizza along with side dishes including

pasta, buffalo wings, breadsticks, and garlic bread; world's largest pizza restaurant chain with 34,000 locations in

100 countries.

Store Manager … Rochester, New York

Directed operations throughout location generating $450,000 annually through 50-seat dining room and

carry out capabilities; accountable for hiring, development, scheduling, supervision and evaluation of 25

employees, budgeting, food and supplies inventory forecasting, ordering and management, weekly food cost

controls and revenue reporting, health standards, product and service quality control and customer service.

Performed as only location in market (out of 16 locations) to surpass operating budget (1989) and

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recognized with award by company; also recognized by local town for best landscaping (personally done).

Generated $1,000 and expanded market share through collaboration with parochial area schools on

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purchase of weekly lunches; also coordinated participation in local July 4 parade and generated $2,500 in

just 3 weeks through self-designed advertising.

Successfully developed 4 assistant managers to store manager positions.

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EDUCATION - TRAINING

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK @ BROCKPORT – BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY- COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

REGIONAL DIRECTOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM

WICKLANDER-ZULAWSKI – INTERNAL THEFT INTERVIEW-INTERROGATION TRAINING SEMINAR

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Ohio Rental Dealers Association (Treasurer, 2004)

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