Sales Manager

JACK IRISH

*** ******* ****, #*** 905-***-****

Hamilton, Ontario, L8K 5N2 *******@*****.**

Dynamic solution-focused executive, 10+ years in all cycles of business

development, key strengths in management, increasing efficiencies, sales

and profit margins. Experienced business manager with expertise and strong

skills in production, efficiency, sales, marketing and staff development.

Entrepreneur who grew successful business from start up, through effective

business planning, creative sales techniques, innovative marketing, use of

specialized equipment and development of strong niche markets.

Account Management Continuous Improvement

P&L Responsibilities Business to Business Selling

New Business Development Contract Negotiations

Plant management Direct Sales

General Manager/Owner 1991 - 2013

Irish Images, Carlisle, ON

When I was downsized as COO of the OGVPMB my wife suggested I use the

settlement and get out of the corporate world and expand my hobby into a

business.

This company was co founded by myself and my wife in 1991 as a stained

glass studio producing for the juried craft show market. It proved to be

very successful and we grew quickly and expanded into other areas.

SALES AND MARKETING

Pioneered the development, implementation and manufacture of 3 dimensional

stained glass angels and gift items.

. Direct sales at numerous juried craft shows throughout Ontario.

Minimum of 5 ten day shows per annum ($15,00 to $40,000 per show)

plus up to 20 three day shows ( $5,000 to $15,000 per show).

. Distributed on consignment across Canada to the General Stores and

Crafters Marketplace. Over 25

. locations. We provided the displays for each store and stocked

them. Monthly rent was paid plus a selling commission. Sales

averaged between $300,000 to $475,000 per annum)

. Sold direct and on consignment to several Gift Stores across

Ontario.

. Created promotional items for various Charity groups, ie

Parkinsons, Breast Cancer, Canadian Cancer Society.

. Sourced avenues to market product wholesale and retail.

. Produced various brochures, website, marketing materials.

. Total revenues exceeded $1,000,000 at the peak.

RETAIL

. Opened a gift shop on site carrying our product and other local

artisans.

. Promoted our own glass door inserts and did installations

. Added a line of custom door inserts and door entry systems

. Carried a large inventory of stained glass and supplies including

tools, chemicals, kilns and materials.

. Taught stained glass classes.

MANUFACTURING

. Purchased all of the glass and supplies for production

. Hired all staff 12 full time and 4 seasonal

. Grew to over 10,000 angels annually

. Produced stained glass door inserts.

. Purchased a water jet 10' x 4' for cutting boosting our production

to over 35,000 units

. Negotiated with Chinese firm to produce our smaller angels for us.

This ended up at a cost less than our current material costs.

Unfortunately the quality, though quite good, was only suitable for

our small items but not our larger pieces. Brought in more than 50,

000 pieces.

WATER JET CUTTING

. Purchased an additional CNC Water Jet machine 12' x 6' to increase

productivity with glass cutting.Built up a custom cutting business

with machine shops, manufacturing plants, etc

. Custom precision cutting steel, aluminium, plastics, wood, etc.

. Cut " bullet proof steel for armoured cars on Government contract

With the loss of my wife several years ago and the collapse of the artisan

market along with the offshore pricing the company is no longer viable. I

sold off the water jet operation and have closed operations.

. REVELANT EXPERIENCE

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Producers Marketing Board, Lamington, ON

Growers of greenhouse vegetables; governed by the rules and regulations as

set out by the Provincial Government

. Built a cohesive working relationship with the 220 growers, working on

their wants and needs for prosperity of the board and the members.

. Liaised with marketing and packaging companies to develop uniform brand

identification resulting in new logo and packaging; received positive

feedback from customers for innovative branding and packaging.

. Spearheaded the revamping of an outdated sales system allowing the

growers to control the direct sale of their product thus lowering costs

and increased sales.

. Implemented new computer assisted sales system within 6 months that

resulted in lower costs, reduced spoilage and packaging costs and

improved shipping efficiency.

. Liaised closely with government departments, including research

committees.

GENERAL MANAGER

Springhill Farms Limited, Neepawa, Manitoba

Instrumental in creating and building an innovative Hog slaughter and Cut

Processing plant processing 2800 hogs daily - 500,000 lbs per week,

approximately $90 million in annual sales for domestic and international

markets

Plant Construction

. Consulted on original feasibility of operation which resulted in

obtaining provincial and federal building grants for the first plant in

Canada to skin hogs and sell the hides.

. Instrumental in selecting building site based on criteria that included

highway access, product availability, environmental concerns, and staff

availability.

. Developed basic plant design and requirements with architects and

builders, working with them throughout the building process; worked with

equipment manufacturers and suppliers and designed the cutting room

layout, shipping and storage area.

. Innovative processing allowed for better cooling of the carcasses, saved

weight loss and increasing shelf life resulting in a 1 % savings of 5,000

lbs per week.

. Co-coordinated the computerization of all facets and areas to enable

analysis of all cutting, shrink yields and total daily profitability as

well as inventory control though out the plant

. Responsible for all of equipment purchases including the Hillshire Kill

Floor (15,000 sq. ft), from Appleton Wisconsin and the dismantling,

shipping and installation at Springhill.

Management

. Hired Plant Engineer, Plant Superintendant, Maintenance Manager and

Distribution Manager and oversaw all of the hiring and training of the

balance of 300 employees.

. The plant achieved 75 % capacity - 3750 hogs per week within 1 month of

opening

. Strong and open communication at all levels facilitated a quick and

efficient start-up. Low staff turnover due to planned ergonomics and

frequent re-evaluation of work and workloads.

. Consulted with packaging companies to develop labels, wrapping, cartons,

required to supply the plant.

Sales/Marketing

. Developed and executed a detailed business strategy to ensure sales

volume and gross margin goals and objectives.

. Liaised with marketing firm in the development of logo, brochures and

marketing materials.

. Negotiated sales contracts with local chain stores and independents.

. A state of the art, custom built cutting room allowed for diversity in

trimming and further processing of specialized products, allowing us to

develop a market and productive relationship with Japanese importer

Fresh Procurement and Account Manager

Trillium Meats, Rexdale, ON

Produced all fresh and packaged meats for Miracle Food Mart and Steinbergs

. Negotiated all short and long term contracts for production requirements

of fresh beef, pork and poultry

. Member of management team involved in all decisions affecting the

operation and profit centres of the plant.

. Plant received all raw products and produced all packaged meats for

Miracle Food Mart in Ontario and some of the Steinberg stores in Quebec.

. Developed and implemented a new concept to receive and process whole

carcass hogs, resulting in increased efficiency, quality control and

providing an extra 1.5 days of shelf life. Annual savings of over

$500,000.00

PREVIOUS RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Commodity broker-exporter, Toronto and Montreal for the domestic and

international markets, specializing in exporting pork to Japan. This

required considerable travel to Japan and other countries.

F.W. Fearman Meats in Burlington - assisted in developing a new complete

costing and P & L System. Versed in all aspects of the jobs, processes, by-

products and formulations to operate the plant. This included Fresh Pork,

Beef, Processed Pork and Rendering.

Resulted in promotions to Provisions Manager (Raw material

Procurement/Sales) and then to Assistant Plant Supervisor.

EDUCATION

McMaster University, Hamilton, ON

. MBA; Operations Management, costing

. Bachelor of Commerce

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