Sales Manager

Kevin Edward Ludke

**** ********** **** • Minneapolis, MN 55410 • (H) 612-***-**** (C) 612-***-**** • ******@*****.***,

linkedin.com/in/kevinludke

PROFILE

Retail account manager with 16 years of experience in bringing consumer electronics to market

1.

through national retail distribution.

Respected reputation among buyers within Best Buy, CompUSA, Office Depot, OfficeMax,

2.

RadioShack, Rent-A-Center, Speedway/SuperAmerica and Staples.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Client Services Manager, Mosaic Sales Solutions, within Best Buy headquarters, Richfield, MN –

2007 to current

Primary point of contact between Mosaic and Best Buy. Manage relationships with: Best Buy Project

Team, Best Buy Third-Party Labor, Best Buy Retail Services, Best Buy Gift Cards and several Best Buy

business teams. Mosaic is a retail merchandising company with 3,000 representatives nationwide and

is the largest third-party labor force within Best Buy.

• Led bidding process against 7 competitors to land new projects for Mosaic. Won 46% of

proposals.

• Oversee national merchandising projects, including games, music, movies and

consumer electronics for Sony, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Universal Studios, Disney, EA,

Nintendo, Ubisoft, THQ, Kodak and Microsoft.

• Manage merchandising for Best Buy gift card program.

• Currently leading the implementation of a new Best Buy vendor reporting system, which

will track all vendor merchandising projects.

• Promoted from Brand Champion, managing the Sony relationship.

Director of National Retail, STi Mobile, New York – 2005 to 2007

Refocused wireless company (MVNO) from regional to national retail distribution.

• Increased sales by 433% in one year.

• Landed and managed the following national retail accounts: CompUSA, RadioShack,

Rent-A-Center and Speedway/SuperAmerica.

• Oversaw $1 million co-op advertising program and a $1 million MDF program.

• Created partnership with the top prepaid card activator, resulting in accelerating

growth.

Marketing Consultant, RTX Telecommunications, Minneapolis – 2004 to 2005

Developed and executed marketing strategy for a local telecommunications company.

International Sales Manager, Primera Technology, Plymouth, MN – 2003 to 2004

Managed the worldwide distribution channel for an innovative CD/DVD printer and duplicator.

• Increased sales by over 50% in 2003 from the previous year.

Managed recruitment and negotiations with 10 new international distributors.

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Kevin Ludke,

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Integrated Communications Specialist, Eschelon Telecom, Golden Valley, MN – 2001 to 2003

Consulted and provided telecommunications customers with stable and scalable solutions including

voice and Internet T1, DSL, analog and data services, as well as recommendations for hardware, voice

messaging and long distance.

Winner - Presidents Club for the highest sales increase in the nation.

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Director of Sales and Marketing, Co-Founder, Wireless Ronin Technologies, Minneapolis, MN –

2000 to 2001

Managed the marketing and development of a new wireless handheld computer in a start-up

environment.

1 Developed distribution plan involving business to business, e-commerce and national

retail.

2 Wrote business plan, marketing plan and developed a comprehensive brand identity

system.

Manager of Retail Distribution, SunCom (AT&T Wireless Affiliate) Arlington, VA – 1999 to 2000

Successfully launched and managed national and local retail distribution for a wireless

telecommunications start-up that grew from 11 to 35 million POPs. Managed the following accounts:

Best Buy, Circuit City, Let’s Talk, Metrocall, Office Depot, OfficeMax, RadioShack and Staples.

• Grew retail channel from 20% of overall business at launch to 40% of total sales.

1 Achieved 130% of sales objective in 1999.

2 Managed $1.5 million national co-op advertising and promotions program.

• Primary point of contact for team of 37 Market Directors, Sales Managers and Retail

Merchandisers.

3 Authored operations procedures for indirect sales force.

Manager of Indirect Distribution, Aerial Communications, Inc. Minneapolis, MN and Chicago, IL –

1997 to 1999

Managed national and local retail distribution channel for a wireless telecommunications start-up.

Oversaw marketing, sales and distribution in a highly competitive marketplace. Managed the following

accounts: Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Depot, Staples and Ritz Camera.

• Primary point of contact for national team of 51 Market Directors, Sales Managers and

Retail Account Representatives.

• Managed co-op advertising program of $1.1 million.

• Developed incentive programs that increased total national and local retail sales by

31%.

• Created powerful marketing plans that boosted national retail sales by 42%.

• Increased sales through Best Buy by 176%.

• Promoted from Retail Account Executive.

Marketing Representative, Maytag Corporation, Los Angeles, CA – 1993 to 1996

Merchandised and marketed major appliances to retail stores. Managed the following accounts: Best

Buy, Circuit City, Montgomery Ward and 23 local retailers.

• Top salesperson in Maytag’s largest region during 1995. Earned several sales

achievement awards.

Successfully managed co-op advertising budget by identifying the most effective media

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channels.

• Independently created the first-ever Spanish language marketing program.

• Recruited entrepreneurs, opened and promoted 6 new retail stores.

EDUCATION

Masters Coursework in Telecommunications 1999: St. Mary’s University, Minneapolis, MN

Bachelor of Science 1993: International Business, St. Cloud State University, MN

International Studies Abroad Program 1990: Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica (fluent in

Spanish)

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