Sales Manager

Thomas J. East

**** ******** ***** *****

Brecksville, OH 44141

H: 440-***-**** / C: 216-***-****

abrtt7@r.postjobfree.com

www.thomasjeast.com

www.linkedin.com/pub/thomas-east/15/56/37b

SENIOR EXECUTIVE SALES/OPERATIONS

Dynamic and seasoned business manager and sales/operations executive. A versatile, results driven

leader focused on building strong management teams, forging a common vision and driving a culture of

accountability. Experience and success in the public and private wholesale and distribution industries .

Lead roles in operations, long-term strategic initiatives, acquisition, integration, synergy capture, multi-

branch optimization, start-up and business unit creation. Strong operating, technical, and finance

background. Detailed and results-oriented, decisive leader, with proven success in concept-to-execution

and turnaround. Expertise in managing organizational change to achieve maximum results. Confident

public speaker, able to establish rapport with audiences and convey information with clarity and

enthusiasm. Authentic leadership style that thrives in dynamically challenging environments requiring

focused decision making. Possess a steadfast commitment to excellence with highly effective planning,

organizational and communication skills. Specific skills and specialties in the following:

• General Management • Marketing / Business Development

• Business Planning and Execution • Direct / Indirect Sales Organizations

• Competitive Market Intelligence • Advanced Change Management

• New Product Development • Recruiting Superior Talent

• Mergers / Acquisitions • Employee Development / Performance

Management

• P&L Management

• Operations Strategy • Lean Distribution

• Outsourcing • Operations Strategy

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Intelligent Mobile Support, Cleveland, OH 2012 - Current

National technology company offering integrated mobile support solution that connects

employees to experts.

Consultant

Strategic Consulting, including business plan & sales strategy development to bring cloud based

technology to HVACR manufactures and wholesale distribution organizations and their customers

throughout the United States.

Refrigeration Sales Corporation, Cleveland, OH 2009 - 2012

Northeast Ohio Carrier Distributor, wholesale of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration products.

President (2009 – 2012)

Corporate Officer & President of Refrigeration Sales Corporation - overseeing all Sales and Operations

for this HVACR wholesaler’s concern. Led all operations and sales functions, increasing annual sales

from $60M to $85M in five years:

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Thomas J. East

• Spearheaded $12.5M in new business by developing new sales teams, spurring a more proactive,

high performance organization, aligning value proposition / solutions-selling methodology with

customer support. Generated $3.5M by upgrading current store locations to have a more “retail

friendly” environment for which the customers could shop and increase their purchases.

• Mastermind behind a $9M parts and supplies sales organization within the current structure,

providing a new source for the Company’s revenue stream.

• Designed new credit policy – decreasing Days of Sale (DOS) from 63 days to 42 days.

• Reduced inventory levels 19% by combining SKUs, and developing price sheets that zeroed in on

only products the Company stocked.

• Negotiated $5M national product integration expanding portfolio and territory opportunities.

• Acquired $2M business in western PA, and opened new branch locations in Toledo, OH and

Pittsburgh, PA, adding additional revenue in the amount of $6M.

Refrigeration Sales Corporation, Cleveland, OH 2005 - 2009

Northeast Ohio Carrier Distributor, wholesale of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration products.

Executive Vice President (2005 – 2009)

Corporate Officer & Senior Executive Vice President of Refrigeration Sales Corporation hand selected to

turn around sales and profits. Championed a “customer first” cultural change. Specific leadership in:

• Revamping outside sales territories to be market share enhancing and customer friendly – improved

market share by a minimum of 2 points and increased overall customer satisfaction levels – evident

through manufacturer’s market share reports and customer ratings on surveys.

• Developing a hub and spoke business model for increased efficiencies – establishing delivery routes

and fees – lowering freight costs by 10%, and increasing the amount of daily deliveries, resulting in

an increase in sales per day by 15%.

• Instituted a full commercial and control sales and install department to service the

commercial/industrial customers in NE Ohio – increasing sales of commercial products by $2.7M

year over year.

The Habegger Corporation, Cincinnati, OH 2003 - 2005

$225M Heating and Cooling Distributor; serving OH, IN, IL, IA and KY.

Regional Manager in IN and KY

Promoted to increase market share, establish and led a diverse sales force, develop regional / localized

operational teams and expand branch locations into new markets.

• Significantly increased Market Share 15% / Enhanced Gross Margins to 22% / Grew Sales 65%.

• Dramatically improved market share in 33 counties by an average of 15% to 30% across all product

segments.

• Enhanced gross margin percentage to 22% from 18% by training sales force how to offer higher

margin products to existing and new customers.

• Slashed Selling and General Administrative Costs (SG&A) expenses by 9.7% by evaluating each line

item for opportunities to reduce spending, and assigning responsibilities to cost items to team

members.

• Spearheaded a new location in a new market for Company, adding $4.5M in additional revenue.

The Habegger Corporation, Cincinnati, OH 1999 - 2003

$225M Heating and Cooling Distributor; serving OH, IN, IL, IA and KY.

Branch Manager in IN

Recruited to increase sales and market share in an underperforming branch location:

• Developed existing sales personnel to sell both equipment and parts/supplies to increase margin

performance by 3 margin points resulting in a 2.5% improvement in bottom-line results.

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Thomas J. East

• Established a branch marketing department to localize customers’ needs for advertising and

promoting branded products – increased sales from $7M to $12M in 3 years.

• Improved purchasing, credit, delivery and warehousing policies to be easier to do business with –

resulting in a 40% increase in new customer activity in 18 months.

• This branch location won national awards from manufacturer for year over year improvement in high

efficiency sales and continually won branch of the month and year for consecutive years.

American Residential Services, Indianapolis, IN 1996 - 1999

$325M Midwest Heating & Air Conditioning Service Company; Service and Installing Residential /

Commercial Equipment.

President/CEO (Midwest)

Selected for the “top” job for a new venture in the world of acquisitions and mergers to join multi-

cultures, develop business models, and optimize shareholder value.

• Acquired four businesses through acquisitions with 450 employees and recruited a senior executive

team to capture dominate share of market in OH, PA, and IN. Propelled Sales Growth by $25M in two

years, increasing Shareholder Value.

• Increased gross margin from 19% to 22% by training the retail sales teams to focus on higher end

products in the home.

• Significantly improved profitability by 5% through the selling of higher end products and a line-by-line

assessment of each SG&A item.

• Reduced liabilities by $2M by liquidating old inventory (trucks, equipment, and non-sellable product).

• Streamlined internal operational processes, improving efficiency and ultimately providing nationally

recognized “world class” service.

• Designed national training programs for service technicians across North America.

Capitol Group, Inc., Evansville, IN 1989 - 1996

Midwest Distributor of Trane Heating and Air Conditioning Products.

Territory Manager

Recruited for the purpose of developing sales, gross margins, and market share for Trane residential /

light commercial products.

• Grew territory to $5.7M from $800k in five years in tough market conditions by adding 11 substantial

purchasing dealers and customers whose levels of purchases averaged $450k.

• Improved gross margins to 25% plus by ensuring mix of business was optimized.

• Trane control specialist - Vari-Trac and Tracker building automation – traveled to nursing homes in

the US and other health care facilities - engineered, designed and configured control systems.

PROFESSOR TEACHING EXPERIENCE

DeVry / Keller University, Cleveland, OH 2006 - Present

Offers degree programs in business, healthcare management and technology, electronics and computer

engineering technology, computer information systems, and multimedia design.

Professor 2007 - Present

Adjunct Professor 2006 - 2007

Conducted university courses for undergraduate and graduate students: Taught marketing, leadership,

management, change management, statistics and organizational behavior type courses within

developed and prescribed curriculum.

• Compiled bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.

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Thomas J. East

• Directed research for other professors or graduate students working for advanced academic degrees.

• Conducted research in statistics and leadership / management fields for knowledge and published

findings in University journals.

• Performed duties in the area advising students on academic and vocational curricula, and acting as

adviser to student organizations.

• Served on faculty committees providing professional consulting services to business industries in the

community.

Indiana Wesleyan University, Ft. Wayne, IN 2001 - 2003

An evangelical Christian comprehensive university that is committed to liberal arts and professional

education.

Adjunct Professor

Conducted university courses for undergraduate students: Taught leadership, management, change

management, macro/micro economics and organizational behavior type courses within developed and

prescribed curriculum.

EDUCATION

Doctorate (PhD) in Organizational Behavior and Change Management / Leadership

Capella University, Minneapolis, MN – Graduated sum cum laude - 2005

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN – Graduated sum cum laude - 2000

Bachelor of Science (BS) in Management Science

Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, IN – Graduated sum cum laude - 1996

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Professor, Keller Graduate School of Management, Cleveland, OH

Board of Director Member, DeVry, Becker, and Keller University Business Division, Cleveland, OH

Past Board of Director Member, Ronald McDonald House, Indianapolis, IN

Member AMA (American Management Association)

Delivered commencement speech for DeVry / Keller University, 2012

MILITARY EXPERIENCE

US Marines Corp. - Honorably Discharged

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