Sales Assistant

Said Samman

Email: abqi7u@r.postjobfree.com

Address: **** ********** **

City: New Albany

State: OH

Zip: 43054

Country: USA

Phone: 614-***-****

Skill Level: Experienced

Salary Range: $80,000

Primary Skills/Experience:

See Resume

Educational Background:

See Resume

Job History / Details:

Sa'id Samman

5161 Abbotsbury Ct * New Albany, OH 43054

614-***-****, 251-***-**** * abqi7u@r.postjobfree.com

Senior Buyer / Planner / Leader

PL Responsibility * Sales Marketing Leadership * Strategic Planning * Vendor Negotiations * Advertising

Growth Strategies * Company Start-ups * New Product Development * Sourcing * Planning * Turnaround Management

Store Layout Planning * Creating Product Assortment * Gross Margin Growth * Private Brand Development

Established a successful record of career growth, achievements, awards (5-Time Buyer of the Year), and recognition as a senior-level buyer with well-known national department stores including Saks Department Store Group, Mercantile, and Sears as well as start-up discount retailers. Earned reputation as a fashion-savvy buyer who is constantly ahead of latest trends and has ability to develop/implement buying strategies to turn around underperforming divisions, reduce costs, capitalize on new opportunities, exceed goals for sales/margins, and double inventory turns.

Success can be demonstrated by: (1) reducing inventory 20% and increasing inventory turn in one year for Sears $150M fashion bedding business; (2) ranking as the #1 Buyer with up to 12% year over year sales growth and developing new product lines for $20 million division of Saks Department Store Group; and (3) achieving 6 percentage point sales trend increase over company average and increasing turn by 10% with Value City.

Professional Experience

United Linens, NY, NY June 2012 PRESENT

Product Manager

* Advise and consult United Linens in building a new textile assortment in fashion bedding, sheets, window, and bath..

* Plan merchandising/sales strategies with sales team reporting directly to me..

* Work directly with designers in creating new and differentiated patterns.

* Travel to China, seeking out new factories, sourcing new goods, helping develop new and exclusive patterns, and

developing merchandise to customers needs and specifications.

LINENS MORE FOR LESS, Warren, Ohio 2009 June 2012

Senior Buyer - Fashion and Basic Bedding, Furniture, Mattresses, Sheets, Bath, Bath Accessories, Fashion Window, Decorative Pillows, and Kitchen Textiles

* Hired as a key member of the start-up team to work with other executives to establish buying, product assortment, and other strategies to drive sales/profit growth; successfully developed the entire financial plan for the company.

* Built entire assortment in textiles; negotiated favorable terms for entire textiles area; and was extensively involved in the planning of store layouts and fixtures to maximize merchandising impact for the textiles department.

* Managed team of four, consisting of two assistant buyers, one clerical and one planner.

INDEPENDENT CONSULTING, Columbus, Ohio 2008 - 2009

Buying Consultant

* Advised and consulted with senior executives at multi-million dollar companies in building textile assortment and providing strategic direction to assist in solving issues or expanding product offerings.

* Planned merchandising/sales strategies and assisted in developing better value goods.

SEARS, Hoffman Estates, Illinois 2007 - 2008

Senior Buyer - Fashion Bedding

* Managed $150 million business and was instrumental in implementing buying strategies and inventory control initiatives that had a direct impact on company profitability.

* Reduced inventory by 20% in one year, while maintaining sales, and increasing turn within one year.

* Achieved 7 percentage point sales trend increase over company average and increased MU% by 1.5 points in one year.

* Managed team of 7, consisting of two assistant buyers, two planners, two distributors and one clerical. In addition, worked closely with Advertising/Marketing and Sourcing/Design to implement corporate marketing and assortment plans.

VALUE CITY, Columbus, Ohio (Company filed chapter11) 2006 - 2007

Senior Buyer - Luggage, Fashion Window, Floor Covering, Table Linen

* Managed $120 million business and was instrumental in conceptualizing, developing and launching brand new product line Sa'id Samman - page 2

assortments of luggage, window and flooring

* Significantly improved gross margins through better cost controls, lowering markdowns, and coordinating a new advertising campaign.

* Achieved 6 percentage point sales trend increase over company average and increased turn by 10%.

* Managed team of four, consisting of one assistant buyer, one planner, one clerical and one distributor.

SAKS DEPARTMENT STORE GROUP (MCRAES/ PROFFITTS), Alcoa, Tennessee 1999 - 2005

Buyer - Tabletop, Sheets, Moderate Bedding, and Gourmet Food

* Recognized for consistent record of achievements for managing $30 million business, buying, developing new product lines, increasing gross margin, and improving profits for this large national department store chain with 54 locations.

* Ranked among the top three Buyers and won four Buyer of the Year Awards for ranking #1 in overall performance in 2005, 2004, 2003 and 1997.

* Generated sales growth by developing and establishing the corporate Private Brand assortment in sheets and Bed-in-a-Bag (BIAB) ensembles and establishing exclusive dinnerware patterns/designs.

* Translated fashion trends to strong exclusive bedding ensembles and dinnerware resulting in continuous yearly sales increase of 8-12% and profit improvement of 5-8%.

* Worked directly with vendors in sourcing and developing product from overseas resulting in cost savings of 10-20%.

* Negotiated favorable cost and terms for Saks Department Store group.

* Achieved an increase of 25% Gross Margin Return on Investment over plan.

* Achieved over $750,000 in merchandise returns to vendors in one year.

* Maintained a 90% differentiation from competition in sheets and BIAB patterns, and dinnerware.

* Managed team of three, consisting of one planner, one assistant buyer and one clerical.

BURDINES DEPARTMENT STORES, Miami, Florida 1998 - 1999

Buyer - Control Buying for Luggage

* Consistently achieved aggressive sales and margin plan.

* Negotiated $1,000,000 in vendor returns and order cancellations while getting an additional $300,000 in advertising allowance and $90,000 in payroll support for sales specialist.

GAYFERS/MAISON BLANCHE; Mobile, Alabama 1980 - 1998

Buyer - Luggage, Furniture, Bedding Lamps, Fashion Bedding, and Rugs

* Maintained the #1 volume in luggage sales in Mercantile

* Assisted in designing and creating the Essential Organizer as a key item that earned recognition as a top-selling

product in all department stores.

* Doubled the luggage business sales in three years and achieved highest dollar profit in bedding and luggage.

* Achieved the highest profit increase in all departments in Mercantile South

* Achieved the highest sales increase in furniture in 1996

* Managed team of three, consisting of one planner, one assistant buyer and one clerical.

Education: B.S., Marketing - THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, Knoxville, TN

Leadership Courses (1992-1996)- MERCANTILE UNIVERSITY

Languages: Fluent in English and Arabic

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