Mary Gaesser Austin

Cell: 612-***-****

*** ******* *****. *********, ** 14626 ac6mfa@r.postjobfree.com

Profile

Twenty years of Advertising, Marketing and Production. A solid network of vendors and manufacturers. Planning & Buying for Retail, Internet and Catalog experience. Keep current with industry trends and events for various markets.

Core Skills:

Development/Program Management and Procurement: Retail sales in multi-channel promotions and events opportunities. Successful at maintaining complex production schedules from idea, packaging, manufacturing, retail set/presentation, imported goods, warehouse allocation and shipping.

Advance Computer Skills:

Forecast 21, JDE, E-cometry, E-buy, IFSO, MAPS, Pivots, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, Excel, Pagemaker, and Photoshop.

Experience

Tran Oceans Imports– Rochester, NY

Inventory Manager (2016-present)

Internet and catalog supply chain inventory planner for wholesale importer of Indoor/Outdoor rugs. Responsible for both demand management and inventory planning of all products. Ensured the adequate supply of product to service customer needs while minimizing inventory investment by assessing demand activity. Led sales team in enhancing website management and skills. Schooled Sales on click throughs, search words, product page positioning and other web promo technology. We imported from India, China, Spain and Turkey,

HSNi/Frontgate – West Chester, OH

Inventory (Assortment) Planner/Buyer (2011 to 2016)

Frontgate is the Flagship of the cornerstone brand line under the HSN corporate umbrella. Responsible for managing the lifecycle of assigned product categories to achieve corporate demand goals, inventory turns, fill rate and margin goals. Partner with the product developer/buyer to build assortment

-Analyzed and hit sales, margin and inventory budgets.

-Oversaw, training and developing the assistant planner

-Manage inventory levels to open to buy budgets.

-Forecasted SKU level demand for all channels within category budgets of stock turn; fill rate, initial margin, and liquidation inventory levels

-Identified strategies to minimize the aging of inventory

-Communication with vendors regarding all order and delivery procedures

-Worked in partnership with vendors to ensure maximum profitability and on time delivery

Northern Tool + Equipment - Burnsville, MN

Merchant for Internet/ Catalog (2005 to 2011)

Created full assortment for assigned categories. Selected, budgeted, forecasted, and paginated all new and promotional programs. Handled 150 million across 6 categories. Managed 80-110 master catalog page layouts, internet items roll out/launches and assessed items viability for retail roll outs. Forecast all new buys and turned forecast over for purchasing and allocating.

-Executed and successfully rolled out (Stores, Internet and Catalog) Line Reviews.

-Researched, directed and implemented POG resets and analyzed their results.

-Managed inventory, pagination, art, copy, assortment, sales, gross profit and turns.

-Successfully negotiated Special Promotion costs, Co-op, Rebate and Markdown Funds.

-Analyzes overstocks, identify items to be discounted and sold through promotional efforts in retail, catalog or online

-Participate in the Bi Annual development of sales, margin and inventory budgets.

-Designed and implemented details of multiple medial launch –including successful Private Label Items.

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Cenveo/Colorhouse - Minneapolis, MN.

Account Manager (2003 to 2005)

-Target Corp Team Member, advertising segments.

-Responsible for workflow of color approval and page assembly.

-Managed daily production details for: catalogs (Christmas Toy and Lullaby Club), Target magazine ads, & newspaper insert and direct mail pieces.

-Project management and heavy customer contact.

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Banta Catalog Group - Maple Grove, MN

Senior Account Manager (1996 to 2002)

-Team lead: of 3 account managers

-Completed all required supply orders and out sourcing as needed to complete catalog mail process,

-handled all communications from pre press to bindery, shipping and mailing for timely in home arrival.

-Interfaced with customers and sales to coordinate catalog production.

-Successfully Handled Sam’s Club catalog account - 19 MM catalogs printed, stitched and mailed in 20 working days.

Quebecor Printing, USA- St. Paul, MN

Senior Account Manager (1996 - 1999)

- Team Lead: led a Phase 2 “World-Class Team” of 7 cross functional team members for the “Unbilled Items” team. Changed Name to ”Revenue Recovering” and saved the company $957,000 annual. Work Flow and duties were identical to those performed at Banta.(Plant closed 1999).

Riverside Communications - Hawley, PA.

Owner/Consultant (1993 to 1996)

-Printing, media planning for local businesses. Published a historical book based on local history.

Highlights for Children, Inc. - Honesdale, PA;

Production Manager (1988 to 1993)

-Hired, and managed staff of 14: Production Department, Systems Manager, Mail Room Staff, Telemarketing and the Typesetting Department.

-Responsible for production and monthly mailing of the 2.7 MM circulation magazine

-Managed art production/print budget of $10MM.

-Prepared bids, selected vendors, scheduled all project workflow and led company-wide production meetings.

-Purchased film, paper and finished goods in Europe, Asia and Canada.

-Produced over 250 projects including books, magazines, series titles, posters, postcards, brochures, slide shows, sale packets and other projects as needed.

Education and Related Experience

Bachelor of Science– Speech Communication, Advertising and Public Relations. State University of New York at Brockport, NY-December 1983.

Principle of Production and Inventory Management – University of PA. Total Quality Management, Deming’s Principles and theory, JIT, Six Sigma and general production theory.

Total Quality Team Management – In depth Seminar presented by the Proctor & Gamble’s Total Quality Management Team leaders on TQM at University of PA.

G.A.T.F. Print Production I and II – Attended week long training sessions and studied papermaking, prepress, printing, finishing and the general printing information.

Affiliations

International Training Communication – Public speaking and seminar presentation training (20yrs in NY, PA & MN). Past Library Board Member (PA). Westview PTO VP and President (MN). BSA Troop 205 Advancement Chair (6yrs): Over 35 Eagle Scouts.

VAA Sports Youth Director (12yrs) and Soccer Commissioner (5yrs) (MN): This was a 1,200 player two season program. I had 17 volunteers, 40 student referees, 130-200 coaches, and 3,000 parents. I managed a $50,000 plus budget. My goal was to put every child that wanted to play on a team, in a shirt (& a pair of socks) with a coach to play in a 6 to 8 week season. Two games a week for just pure fun.

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