Sales Design
Resume:
Mari SanGiovanni
Email: *********@********.***
Address: ** **** **** ****
City: Coventry
State: RI
Zip: 02816
Country: USA
Phone: 401-***-****
Skill Level: Management
Salary Range: $90,000
Primary Skills/Experience:
See Resume
Educational Background:
See Resume
Job History / Details:
Mari SanGiovanni
16 Pine Tree Road
Coventry, Rhode Island 02816
Email: *********@********.***
PROFILE
Highly experienced product development professional with an extensive background in brand expansion, creative directing, design team building in the tabletop, home decor, jewelry and giftware industries. Specialized in developing product lines sourced from high-end fashion trends to be re-engineered for the mass market.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Lifetime Brands Corporation. Medford, MA. 2002-2012
Lifetime Brands is North America`s largest resource for nationally branded tabletop, silver giftware, flatware, kitchenware, home decor, and Gorham sterling silver jewelry. The world leader in sterling silver flatware and gifts; they own such prestigious brands as Mikasa, Towle, Wallace, Gorham, International, Pfaltzgraff, Sabatier, Farberware, Padrini, Kirk Stieff, and license ownership for Cuisenart and Kitchenaid.
Vice President of Product Development (2005 - 2012)
Responsible for all aspects of the product development department from trend interpretation to the mass market, generating concept art and tech design, through to product sample completion. Created all new products for the metals and home decor divisions, while directly engaged with key accounts` retailers, where our critical design partnerships resulted in substantial business growth.
* Traveled to industry trade shows (Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Asia) to discover top fashion trends, define new product innovations, and to meet with vendors and designers to explore new manufacturing capabilities for reinterpretation/re-engineering for mass channel distribution at the right price point for a multitude of channels ranging from Wal-mart to Neiman Marcus.
* Design-directed and managed team of six in-house designers and freelance artists, creating product lines featuring New-to-Market items to expand all existing product assortments through a variety of materials including: base and precious metals, ceramic, crystal, wood, resin, jewelry findings, beads and glass.
* Executed product research with in-depth store visits to unearth new trend paths and prepare design presentations for Division Presidents for customer consideration, via weekly brainstorming sessions with design staff and Category Managers. Met primary objective to have a constant influx of new product concepts and categories to build line extensions for all brands.
* Worked with marketing department to assist with packaging and titling concepts for multiple new products/brands from initial concept to market.
* Partnered with sales to develop custom products for OEM accounts. Worked directly with buyers in our top custom design accounts including: Williams-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Horchow, Tuesday Morning, HSN, The Todd English Collection, Vera Wang and Calvin Klein.
* Provided direct customer optimization ideas to their existing trends using provided trend boards, color palettes review, European influences, P&L history, etc., for product assortment improvements.
* Consistently assessed design staff performance to maintain critical-to-customer needs/satisfaction and conducted in-house training to meet these demands.
Director of Product Development (2003 - 2005)
Headed a team of 9 designers to create product for the metals, picture frame and home decor divisions.
* Managed all technical aspects of PD regarding design for manufacturing with overseas vendors including the approval of first samples, sculpts, and color trend while maintaining an accurate interpretation of trend.
* Created and implemented the Product Design Request meeting process to create a better workflow and improve communication and to help to adhere to timelines of the multitude of current projects in the department.
Senior Product Designer (2002-2003)
* Designed flatware patterns for: Williams-Sonoma, Wallace, Towle, International Silversmiths, Vera Wang, Target, Tuesday Morning and Wal-Mart.
* Invented and designed JCPenny`s first Halloween backpack which sold over 100,000 units in one season.
* Chosen as one of 8 of 100 employees to be a part of an evaluation and investigation team to help the company Executive Officers effect positive change within the organization through an outside consulting firm.
Desmark Industries / Tamerlane Corporation. Smithfield, RI. 1988-1996 & 1998-2002
A leader in seasonal gift and collectibles, costume jewelry and custom giftware for the photoetching industry and rubber mold cast collectibles.
Creative Director
Directed design staff and designed virtually all new product lines from concept to manufacture.
Worked directly with key accounts to generate new business; expanded sales at all major trade shows.
* Supervised and trained art department designers, and computer graphic designers utilizing Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator design programs.
* Custom product development and sales experience with corporations such as Avon, Longaberger, May Company, Tupperware USA, Russ Berrie Company, QVC, Walt Disney Corporation, etc. as well as the collegiate market with the top universities through major sales rep organizations (i.e.: One Coast, Madco.)
* Oversaw the design direction of all catalogs, trade materials and advertising content for every phase of marketing new products as well as directing general packaging concepts and design and branding for all products.
* Worked with sales at all major gift shows as well as training new independent sales staff and large rep organizations on how to increase the generation of custom designed product opportunities.
* Designed and implemented a new company identity with trade show booth design and collateral materials which increased buyer traffic at trade shows.
* Wrote, coordinated and placed all press releases and advertising of all new product launches.
International Etching. Providence, Rhode Island. 1996-1998
A leader in the photoetching industry for photoetched fashion jewelry and custom gifts, specializing in
sterling silver jewelry and costume jewelry for the Two Hands jewelry line.
Senior Designer
Designed jewelry based on children`s drawings to benefit children`s charities in the photoetching process,
assisted in training of new designers, and worked directly with key accounts` customers to generate new
business. Researched European jewelry trends and how they could be reinterpreted for the photoetching
industry at a low cost in both base and precious metals.
Freelance Jewelry Designer 1988-2002
Designed costume jewelry for a multitude of clients including Kerissa Creations, Adrianna, Hurley Designs and Newpro, with an emphasis on production of costume jewelry for epoxy filled `tween/teen lines. Also designed giftables (sterling bookmarks, keychains, etc.) for Tiffany through a third party source.
EDUCATION
Rhode Island School Of Design, Providence, RI
Bachelors Of Fine Arts, Illustration
Deans List
Additional Skills / Information
* Management Course Work: Organizational Behavior; Law; Labor Relations; Freelance/Outsourcing; Copyright Infringement; Employee Management
* Direct Sales Experience: Resulted in development of new product lines through relationships with William-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, HSN The Todd English Collection, Macy`s, Avon, Walt Disney Co., Amway, Longaberger, Saks, Tupperware USA, Encore, Things Remembered, MDA, Easter Seals, Horchow/Neiman Marcus, and all the major U.S. colleges
* Certified Public Speaker
* Golden Crown Literary Award
Technical Skills
Expert level Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint and SAP experience
Industrial design, illustration, sculpting, painting skills
Jewelry sample making
References & extensive portfolio are available upon request.
onal Behavior; Law; Labor Relations; Freelance/Outsourcing; Copyright Infringement; Employee Management
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