BRENDA A. SPENCER

***** ** ********* ****, *********, Oregon 97124

ac1cuk@r.postjobfree.com • 541-***-****

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Astute multi-channel marketer and merchandiser with over 30 years of internet, catalog and store retailing experience. Proven ability to lead a team in complex business and operational challenges. Strong track record of strategic vision/planning, creative conceptualization and motivational leadership. Focus on customer-driven data to create products and develop brand. Successful leader with high standards and strong drive for proven results. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

FABRIC DEPOT, P ortland, Oregon 2016 - present

Fabric Depot is one of the largest, most complete, locally and independently-owned fabric retail stores and websites in the country. Over 40,000 square feet of retail space of fabric, notions and crafts. MERCHANDISE MANAGER, 2016 - PRESENT

Oversee all merchandising, retail marketing, purchasing and inventory activities for retail store and website. Manage purchasing open to buy that aligns with company’s financial goals and objectives. Manage 8 direct reports.

● Developed and implemented purchasing open to buy by category;

● Improved inventory stock levels and turns by focusing on core categories and product;

● Implemented new process for monthly direct marketing mailer to consumer;

● Led new store layout vision and promotional strategy;

● Managed vendor relations to improve pricing and terms;

● Part of leadership team working on re-branding strategies; NORM THOMPSON OUTFITTERS, P ortland, Oregon 2014 - 2016 Norm Thompson Outfitters, a division of Bluestem Brands, Inc. catalog and internet retailer of apparel, footwear, indoor and outdoor home living, and gifts with four leading brands; Norm Thompson, Sahalie, Solutions and Gold Violin. DIRECTOR OF MERCHANDISING, 2014 - PRESENT

DMM of catalog and internet for Home Goods and Food Brands – Solutions, Gold Violin and Norm Thompson Food. Responsible for developing brand strategy, catalog vision and overall product management. Oversee all merchandising activities, deliver well-planned merchandise assortments that meet the needs of the customer, achieve financial goals and execute company’s strategic objectives. Oversee and manage 7 direct reports.

● Increased Solutions brand profitability 50% each year through development of strategic road map, balancing of marketing advertising spend and expanded product assortment;

● Successfully implemented new product assortment planning process for catalog and web to allow for merchandising team to focus on key category growth, stronger collaboration with internal partners, deeper analysis by season by event, and quicker product to market;

● Part of leadership team responsible to increase customer response rate and gain new customer acquisition for Gold Violin brand through new marketing avenues and expanded product assortment;

● Developed process to improve vendor payment terms to meet the financial goals of the organization. Achieved a 90% success rate in moving vendors to new terms. 1

Brenda A. Spencer

FIGI’S COMPANIES, INC, M arshfield, Wisconsin 2010 - 2014 Figi’s Companies, Inc. is a leader in the direct-to-consumer food gift and specialty gift catalog and ecommerce business. VICE PRESIDENT MERCHANDISING, PURCHASING AND CREATIVE, 2010 - 2014 Visionary leader and driver for all aspects of catalog and internet merchandising, purchasing/procurement, inventory management, product development and innovation, catalog creative, wholesale division. Full P&L responsibility. Managed team of 20 across three divisions.

● Developed merchandising analytics to improve forecasting, new product success rate, and margin;

● Improved buying strategies and inventory management to reduce excess inventory levels by 20% and improve customer experience;

● Increased Gallery brand sales by 45% and profits by 55% over two years through increased segmentation and prospecting and product category focus. Developed a strategic growth plan to double the business in sales and profit in four years;

● Re-organized merchant and product development team to increase new product innovation, category growth, analytics of business and ecommerce growth;

● Developed and implemented new mission, vision and values and re-branding with a strong customer focus. HARRY & DAVID HOLDINGS, M edford, Oregon 1997 - 2010 Harry & David (formally Bear Creek Corporation) one of the nation's leading direct marketing, on-line and retail specialty food and gift companies, with leading brands including Harry & David, Wolferman’s and Cushman’s. VICE PRESIDENT MERCHANDISING, DIRECT MARKETING, 2009 - 2010 Full P&L responsibility for all aspects of catalog and internet merchandising, inventory management, product development and innovation for all Harry & David Holdings brands.

● Led the ecommerce merchandising across all brands that resulted in improved email marketing, enhanced product and category pages, re-vitalized product copy for better Search Engine Optimization, stronger product and promotions for partnership and affiliate programs;

● Improved forecasting and inventory management for over 1,400 SKU’s; came out of 2009 holiday season with third lowest inventory levels in ten years;

● Increased Wolferman’s sales and profits over prior year through stronger internet focus and new product development, while reducing costs through a 28% reduction in circulation;

● Led new vision and direction of internet and catalog creative design;

● Re-organized Merchant and Inventory teams to focus on new product innovation; DIRECTOR, MARKETING AND MERCHANDISING, WOLFERMAN’S AND CUSHMAN’S, 2008 - 2009 Responsible for strategic leadership and profit and loss results of sales and marketing across catalog and internet for Wolferman’s and Cushman’s brands. Total revenues in excess of $40 million.

● Led team that managed the acquisition of both Wolferman’s and Cushman’s in all areas of Marketing and Merchandising. Key member of the operational transition team to successfully move both brands over to Harry & David systems, fulfillment, call center and marketing database;

● Increased sales and revenues for Wolferman’s by 19% and Cushman’s by 6% in first operating year;

● Improved QVC program with Cushman’s by developing new product offerings and increasing sales by 10%, as well as launched Wolferman’s on QVC.

DIRECTOR, MERCHANDISING, DIRECT MARKETING, 2002 - 2008 2

Brenda A. Spencer

Responsible for all aspects of merchandising, product development, sales promotion and inventory management for catalog and internet. Total revenues in excess of $200 million.

● Led cross functional team to utilize company excess inventory. Developed offers that resulted in over $4 million in sales, 150K finished gift units.

● Achieved record sales and profits in 2006 by significantly reducing markdowns and discounts, capturing cost savings of over $2 million, analyzing and implementing improved pricing strategies, increased focus on forecasting and inventory management while reacting to the shift of consumer demand to the internet channel;

● Recipient of Outstanding Performance Award in 2005 for divisional sales increase over prior year by $2.6 million and maintained net profit margin of $1.3 million. SENIOR BUYER, PACKAGED GIFT DIVISION, 1999 - 2002

● Increased division sales over a 5 year period from 43% percent of total sales to 52%;

● Team leader for Direct Marketing in all areas of responsibility of catalog and internet merchandising;

● Recipient of Leadership Excellence Award in 1999 for increasing divisional sales revenue by 23%, exceeding the total company average of 11%.

ASSISTANT BUYER/BUYER, PACKAGED GIFT DIVISION, 1997 – 1999

● Responsible for forecasting sales, purchasing and inventory management to achieve divisional and company financial goals;

● Managed the divisional merchandising, planning and development of new product and packaging for 12 catalogs annually.

SUNRIVER RESORT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Sunriver, Oregon 1 990 - 1997 Sunriver Resort, a Destination Hotels & Resorts property located in central Oregon, is regarded as the Northwest’s finest year-round vacation, family, meeting and golf destination. BUYER/MERCHANDISE MANAGER

Oversaw four golf-retail operations which included the opening of Crosswater Club in 1995 and complete renovation of the Meadows Golf Shop as well as co-designed the new Merchant Trader Retail Shop in 1996.

● Developed assortment plans, financial plans and business strategies to maximize sales and profits;

● Initiated and maintained open-to-buy plans and budgets for each golf-retail outlet;

● Strengthened vendor relationships and coordinated special events including Oregon Open Golf Tournament;

● Association of Golf Merchandisers Northwest Director, 1995 – 1997. MT. BACHELOR SKI RESORT, Bend, Oregon 1 988 – 1990 One of the Pacific Northwest’s largest ski areas with a mission “to create the best all mountain experience in the Northwest for work and play”.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT, 1989 - 1990

● Administrative Assistant to the President – facilitated correspondence and office management;

● Human Resources Assistant – scheduled and managed seasonal applicant interviews. MOUNTAIN HOSPITALITY, 1988 - 1989

● Lift Hostess – amiably received skiers to lift.

NORDSTROM, C alifornia and W ashington 1983 - 1988 Nordstrom, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading fashion specialty retailers. DEPARTMENT MANAGER/SALES ASSOCIATE, Point of View - Missy Contemporary Clothing 3

Brenda A. Spencer

Responsible for setting and managing department sales and labor goals along with implementing employee sales incentives. C reated and implemented all floor merchandising and visual displays.

● Top sales performer across all Point of View departments nationwide;

● Chosen as part of team to open first East Coast Nordstrom’s store in Tysons Corner Center, Virginia, 1988. EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND, TACOMA, WA 1 986

Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration - emphasis in Management, Marketing and Finance. Minor in Economics. CHAMBER LEADERSHIP OF MEDFORD/JACKSON COUNTY 2007 – 2008 Leadership Medford/Jackson County is a program to identify and motivate emerging leaders and develop their potential for community leadership by creating a comprehensive and objective awareness of the community in action. CHAIRMAN OF PARENT BAND BOOSTER CLUB, MEDFORD, OR 2009 – 2011 In partnership with South Medford High School Band Director, led fundraising activities and outside of school band activities.

4

Contact this candidate