Manager Marketing

M. Davis Cress

***-** **** ******, ***. *** . Forest Hills, New York 11375 . 718-***-****

. *******@***.***

Direct Mail & Print Production

Direct Marketing Cost Reduction Schedule Reduction

Vendor Relations Creative Consulting Strategic Planning

Collaboration Financial Control and Reporting

Principled Leadership

Dynamic manager with a track record developing production strategies in

support of marketing goals for complex, large volume mailings in a testing

environment. Tactical expertise to improve and streamline complex programs

/ processes, while beating cost control objectives and raising marketing

efficiencies. Leadership skills with ability to envision future

contingencies, drive ongoing enhancements, promote working partnerships,

and motivate staff for optimum corporate growth.

Special Skills: Accomplished strategist, negotiator, organizer and

facilitator. Mentor and team builder. Keen understanding of complex

production workflows. Strong cost management solution analysis and

presentation. Solid knowledge of in-line mail packages, web, sheetfed,

flexo, digital printing; database, imaging, lettershop, postal service.

Work well under pressure.

Selected Accomplishments

. Slashed in-line mail package print cost 35%, saving $5M annually over

7 years for BMG Columbia House. Sourced in-line printers for

successful customer acquisition mail program and delivered superior

printed product, while cutting rollout cost from $70/M to $45/M.

. Created Leveraged Vendor Purchasing Program for BMG CH, cutting costs

$1M annually. Developed annual contract purchasing specifications.

Researched vendors for RFPs. Evaluated proposals and awarded vendors

with annual printing of promotional material(s). Resulting Rate Card

reduced costs and streamlined estimates while ensuring timely quality

production.

. Fostered international Bertlesmann collaboration and achieved

significant cost savings. During cutbacks, lead autonomous consumer

packaged goods divisions (BMG Entertainment, Bookspan, CDNow, Random

House, and European Book Clubs) to leverage paper purchasing.

. Saved $1M annually in direct mail costs for AOL with unique price

policy. New consumer rate plan resulted in overtaxed server capacity.

AOL significantly reduced new customer mail solicitations; reduced

mail volumes should have increased CPM. Instead, negotiated vendor

pricing lower than the higher volume programs, saving $1M annually.

. Conceived integrated AOL internet workflow system to improve

production efficiencies. Recruited as turnaround manager, developed

web-based interface system to streamline direct mail production,

increase project accuracy, document project instructions, and promote

interdepartmental teamwork.

Career History

BMG Columbia House, New York, NY 1997-2005

The world's largest direct-to-consumer packaged goods distributor of music

and movies.

Director, Marketing Operations

Promoted from Production Manager within six months. Saved company $45M over

8 years. Standardized policies to manage $60M annual budget for a range of

complex, large volume print and direct mail programs. Streamlined

production times, improved print quality, reduced complexity, and

accelerated in-home delivery. Introduced new mail preparation methods to

improve early campaign result reads for test and control panels.

Responsible for fulfillment, packaged inserts, print ads, FSIs, onserts,

etc. Implemented innovation and technology changes in print, paper,

inventory management, logistics, postage, mail tracking and preparation,

among others. Wrote quarterly management appraisals and financial reports

for corporate budget control. Recruited, supervised, mentored and evaluated

seven print buyers, three logistical managers, and Digital Studio of

fourteen. Over 800 million pieces mailed annually.

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M. Davis Cress Page 2

America Online, Dulles, VA 1996-1997

Global Internet services and media company operated by Time Warner.

Manager, Print & Direct Mail Production

Hired as department turnaround manager. Restructured department. Developed

web-based interface system to streamline production, increase project

accuracy, document project instructions, and promote interdepartmental

teamwork. Introduced innovative web offset printing technology for board

stock packaging that reduced costs and expedited CD disk mailings.

Negotiated vendor pricing reduction, saving over $1M per annum even as AOL

slashed marketing program budgets. Managed staff of twelve and budget of

$35M. Mailed about 500 million acquisition packages annually.

G2 Direct & Digital, New York, NY 1995-1996

Multi-channel communications partner of $1 billion Grey Global leader.

Supervisor, Print & Direct Mail Production

Awarded recognition from FTD for introducing technology that improved

graphic reproduction of floral product catalogs. Awarded recognition from

JPMorgan Chase for seamlessly managing complex Chase Bankcards customer

acquisition programs of 100 panels, 700 million pieces annually; included

direct mail, collateral, branch signage, brochures, print ads and statement

inserts.

Production Consulting Assignments

McCann Erickson New York, New York, NY 1996

Now the Interpublic Group, provides advertising and marketing services

worldwide

Managed major automobile branding account including high-end print

collateral, 3D dimensional mailers and promotional premium items.

TBWA \ Tequila, New York, NY 2006

Branding specialty unit of Omnicom, the world's largest advertising

agency holding company.

Supervised Sprint Nextel retail collateral branding projects for creative

team, including on-site press approvals of print production.

Showtime Networks, New York, NY 2006

A wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS, owns and operates premium television

networks.

Supervised a range of projects that included direct mail projects, print

ads, large format wall posters, billboards, trade show kiosks and on-site

press approvals.

The Horah Group, Pleasantville, NY 2009

Specializes in the creation and production of direct mail advertising.

Performed print and direct mail production management audit for client

Incisive Media. Reviewed printed samples and job invoices from vendors.

Presented recommendations to better leverage print and direct mail

purchases and lower costs.

Staples Print Solutions Corporate Express New York, NY 2009 -

Present

Provides corporations with comprehensive print management, and direct mail

solutions

Print and direct mail buyer for a range of corporate accounts including

large health care organizations, professional firms, and international

businesses. Source suppliers, prepare quotations, process job placement

and manage schedules, delivery.

Marketing Experience

COM, Inc., New York, NY 2007-2008

Self-owned company retailing electronic consumer products via the internet.

Principal

Started, built and managed personal business venture. Spearheaded SEO

strategy, increasing website ranking with minimal budget spending. Executed

email promotion strategies to cross-sell products to customer base. Lead

campaign development, managing creative execution and third-party agency

partners.

Education

MBA, Finance, BS, Marketing, New York University, Stern School of Business.

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M. Davis Cress Page 3

Computer Skills

PC or Apple; Word, Excel, Office, Access, FilemakerPro, SAP, BAAN, Procure,

InVision, and more. High comfort level learning new software applications.

Endorsements

a highly capable print and direct mail Team Leader...intelligent,

resourceful, dependable, and detail oriented...focus on improving

production processes...resolved issues well before they became formidable

problems." April 21, 2009

- Gary Gresham Senior VP & General Manager Operations

Managed Davis indirectly at BMG Columbia House

a remarkable ability to leverage volume purchases and realize dramatic

cost savings...brings a sharp focus to workflow processes and problem-

solving contingency plans, resulting in dependable, seamless, and efficient

execution of campaigns, time and again." April 30, 2009

- Michael Moroney, Senior VP, Creative and Content

Managed Davis at BMG Columbia House

a remarkable ability to provide creative thinking from a production

perspective to enhance our marketing efforts. Whether it was cost savings,

cutting time out of the schedule to allow for quicker turn-around, or

finding the right partner to execute new and innovative creative concepts,

Davis provided the expertise and leadership to accomplish our marketing

objectives." May 15, 2009

- John Sandklev, Senior Director, Marketing

Worked with Davis at BMG Columbia House

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