Sales Representative

JAMES HOLSTE

**** ******* ***** **********, ** **167

313-***-**** ● abodx2@r.postjobfree.com

MBA management executive, with extensive experience in sales, and marketing of industrial goods in a B2B

environment. Progressive career quickly promoted throughout ranks of sales in steel industry, based on dedicated

customer focus, effective strategic planning capabilities, business acumen, and exceptional cross-functional

communication skills. Unique ability to communicate with both business -minded people and industrial workforce based

on high level of mechanical aptitude. Collaborative work style empowers teams to achieve goals.

MBA, Leadership: University of Phoenix, Livonia, MI - 2008

Selected by the faculty as The Most Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year, 2008 (Metro Detroit Campuses)

3.97 Cumulative GPA

BBA, Management with Honors: Davenport University, Detroit, MI – 2003

3.86 Cumulative GPA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Steel Sales Consultant, Legacy Steel International, Grand Rapids, MI, 2012

Sales consultant position, responsible for market analysis, and leads generation for an international steel trading company,

marketing and importing specialty steel bar products from China.

Long Product Sales Manager, Ryerson Inc, Grand Rapids, MI, 2010 - 2011

A senior level product manager position, I was responsible for sales and marketing supervision, for all “long products,”

including steel, stainless, aluminum, and red metal products. Products included bar products, tubing, pipe, merchant bar

products. Product management included daily supervisory review of product pricing, price margin, and product

applications. Duties also included daily raw material product sourcing for inside and outside sales representative personnel.

Activities included weekly forecasting, performance reporting, planning, product training seminars, and person al sales

development training.

Responsibilities required 60% travel with territory management in business development activities, exceeding weekly and

monthly business plan objectives, by an average of over 150%.

Reason for leaving: Companywide workforce reduction due to reorganization.

New Product Development Manager – Sales Development Team, EATON STEEL COMPANY, Oak Park, MI,

2007- 2009

Responsibilities included daily customer contact, and sales management activities for developing new customer

accounts. Responsible for new customer leads generation, with specific attention to new product applications, material

management logistics, and other non -standard account services. Created 65 new accounts, and increased annual

revenue by $2-1/2M, during 2-1/2 year tenure.

Reason for leaving: Companywide workforce reduction due to economic conditions .

National Sales Manager/Director of Engineered Products, MICHIGAN SEAMLESS TUBE COMPANY, LLC,

South Lyon, MI, 2004-2006

Sales leader in charge of 20 staff members in sales and engineering functions, including inside and outside sales,

clerical sales support, technical sales management personnel, and independent contract metallurgists. Duties

included marketing and sales of specialty steel tubular products to the energy and petrochemical industry.

Directed the daily supervision of the inside sales force, quickly promoted to manage outside sales force.

Responsible for hiring and training, performance reviews, promotions, terminations, forecasting, strategic

planning, pricing management, and periodic cost analysis activities, and other senior sales management activities.

Directed a Kaizen event, an analysis of every process in the manufacturing and delivery of goods, allowing

company to be more aligned with customer requirements.

Reason for leaving: Company restructuring under new management.

JAMES HOLSTE ● page 2 ● abodx2@r.postjobfree.com

Professional Experience continued

District Sales Representative, Automotive, CARGILL STEEL, NORTH STAR STEEL DIVISION, Monroe, MI

2003-2004

Directed the marketing and sales activities of specialty steel bar products, to the automotive industry, and their supply

base, the machining, forging, bar processors, and distributors. Daily responsibilities involved interactions with senior

corporate purchasing, technical services, engineering, transportation, and external p rocessing personnel. Customer

responsibilities included Visteon, American Axle, Dana Corp, Delphi Corp, Arvin Meritor, and a wide variety of

automotive related customers.

Reason for leaving: Company sold to Mac Steel with an existing sales staff .

Sales Representative, Ispat Inland Bar Products (formerly Inland Steel), East Chicago, IN, 1995-2003

Customer-focused role, where I was responsible for account management of engineered specialty steel bar products to

OEMs, cold finished bar mills, and steel service centers throughout the Midwest and Eastern Canada ($112M in sales, or

10% of total company revenue.) Complete administration and marketing management of accounts, as well as assist ed in

the development cycle for relevant product lines.

Responsible for adding $42M in sales over eight year tenure by successfully pursuing the development of

marquee clients to area automotive suppliers such as Eaton Corp, ArvinMeritor, Dana Corp, Metaldyne and

TRW.

Developed two new transmission components for Visteon yielding 7K tons/yr per product.

Assisted in the development of three new applications for automotive steering systems and suspensions that

delivered significant cost savings to automotive companies – new products were accepted by Toyota & Nissan

with orders of 2K tons/yr.

Assisted in the development of two new products for braking systems sold in to Delphi to yield 1K tons/yr per

product in sales.

Helped develop two new coil spring suspension products for Mitsubishi selling 1.5K tons/yr per product.

Reason for leaving: Companywide workforce reduction due to economic conditions .

Professional Experience continued

CAREER NOTE: Previous sales and marketing positions with Teledyne Columbia-Sumerill, Quanex Corp, and

Cyclops Corporation.

SPECIALIZED CREDENTIALS

Statistical Process Control Certificates: Macomb Community College/Ford Motor Company

Kaizen – Process Improvement Certificate : Michigan Manufacturers Association

Microsoft Office 2003 Certificates; Excel 1 & 2: New Horizons Computer Learning Centers

Membership

Metal Service Center Institute, Michigan Chapter – Board of Directors Member, 2004 -2009

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