Customer Service Engineer
Resume:
Arlene Folsom
Wheaton, Illinois 60189
**********@*****.***
Job Objective: To develop and source product that is innovative and
exciting to the consumer.
Summary
A business professional with more than 30 years of diverse experience, I
bring a unique perspective to sourcing. With result proven backgrounds in
consumer marketing, product quality and process development, I am very much
an out of the box thinker who understands the customers view, able to match
product quality to expectation, and effectively negotiate the deal.
Well versed in Customs - Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT),
California Proposition 65, Total Quality Management, Audit Bureau of
Circulations (ABC), and USPS regulations
Special Expertise
Relationships Balance Back-end
Create win/win solutions with Quality to Analysis of
vendors production sales/returns
Skilled at cross divisional Factory to quality Re-source
collaboration
Focus on the customer Price/quality to Re-engineer
(internal & external) market
Professional Profile
The Pampered Chef June 2008 -
June 2010
Addison, Illinois
Global Sourcing Manager
. Responsible for sourcing finished goods in: Glass, Ceramics, Metal,
Metal/Plastic mix, and Food.
. Successfully negotiated cost reduction of over100 existing products,
annual savings $1,000,000.
. Performed cost avoidance on new product, annual savings in excess of
$750,000.
. Managed timelines to successfully launch 30 - 50 new private label
products per year.
. Responsible for the successful contract negotiation on each product
sourced.
. Skilled at cross functional collaboration working as a team to bring
all aspects of the project to fruition.
. Redesigned and Managed the Preferred Supplier Program, a supplier
scorecard prepared quarterly.
Southern Progress Corporation (a division of
Time Inc.) 1997 - February 2008
Birmingham, Alabama
Sourcing Manager Southern Living At HOME 2003 -
February 2008
. Successfully introduced 90 new products annually
. Managed 300 skus per catalog
. Successfully resourced pottery line from USA to China and glassware from
Poland to Romania
. Developed standards for Southern Living At HOME to ensure production met
quality expectations
Arlene Folsom, Professional Profile
(continued) Page 2
. Devised lead testing strategy to mitigate liability exposure
. Initiated and implemented function testing of particular products prior
to final production
. Negotiated third party pricing of all Southern Living At HOME product
lead testing
. Educated company personnel in new product specifics allowing them to be
more effective in their various functions
. Created the process to handle prototype, concept and production samples
. Designed and developed reports to quantify product returns
. Set ranges of color and quality limits for each product
. Resourcing product when necessary
. Successfully reduced product return rate to less than 1%
. Worked with vendors to re-engineer product
. Performed product, factory and C-TPAT inspections at factories throughout
the world
. Created first process to take product development from inception to
Distribution Center delivery
. Maximized container quantity by reducing packaging while retaining
package integrity
. Developed a scale grading vendor performance by quantifying and recording
vendor performance on performance scorecard
. Implemented a vendor website to instruct vendors on business requirements
Director of Client Services Media Services 2001 - 2002
Initiated development of Web forms for client to submit projects.
Communicated marketing projects from clients to programmers translating
needs into programming terms. Prioritized projects to meet deadlines.
Director Customer Service Development and Media Services 2000
Enhancements
Created and implemented "How to Handle the Customer" training for all
Southern Progress Corporation magazine and Oxmoor House customer service
personnel in Birmingham and Camden, Alabama.
Implemented and trained cross selling techniques for Southern Progress
Corporation magazines, turning customer service center into an additional
revenue source. Developed employee incentive programs to increase customer
service production and morale. Created reports to quantify effect of the
incentive programs.
Director of Agency Business Circulation (all titles) 1999
Prepared and implemented annual agency business budget based on projected
agency production. Negotiated agent remittance and production and designed
agent tracking report.
Group Circulation Director Cooking Light & Weight Watchers Magazines 1997
- 1999
. Supervised a three-person circulation team
. Responsible for preparation and implementation of the annual
circulation budget fir each title
. Determined source mix of new business acquisition using direct mail,
insert programs, in-house and outside space advertising as well as
partnership marketing initiatives
. Responsible for renewal and billing series, maximizing response
through the use of test panels
Amos Press 1993 - 1997
Sidney, Ohio
Circulation Director
Managed circulation of two special interest weekly publications (Coin World
and Linn's Stamp News) with combined revenues of $4.1 million. Developed
circulation strategies, pricing, and source mix, including four direct mail
campaigns annually, gift promotions, and package insert programs. Led four-
person circulation team. Served on Steering Committee for both
publications.
Arlene Folsom, Professional Profile
(continued) Page 3
. Increased direct mail conversion 22 percent by developing and
implementing renewal and collection test strategies.
. Initiated first Internet subscription promotions, making Internet a
viable source for subscriptions
. Managed circulation modeling enabling views of potential future outcomes
based on strategy decisions
Cowles Magazines 1988 - 1993
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Group Circulation Director
Managed circulation of six special interest titles, Vegetarian Times, Doll
Reader, Teddy Bear and Friends, British Heritage, Early American Life and
Country Journal with combined revenue in excess of $11 million
(Vegetarian Times bought out by Cowles in 1991)
Education
Bachelor's of Fine Arts, Theatre Arts Drake University,
Des Moines, Iowa
Leadership: Public Relations Chair, Board of Directors, Institute of
Supply Management (2007 - Present)
Member, Wellness at Work Committee, Southern Progress Corp. (2006
- 2008)
Visiting Allocation Committee, United Way (2006 - 2007)
Leadership and Development team Southern Progress Corporation
(2004 - 2005)
References available upon request
Contact this candidate