Sales Customer Service
Resume:
KIRSTEN E. COSTELLO (NÉE JOHNSON), MBA
**** *** **** *****, *** Air, MD 21015
*******.*.*******@*******.***
SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER
OVERVIEW
Highly accomplished, customer-centered, and results-focused marketing professional with in-depth experience in strategic
product planning and business development. Experienced in managing matrixed employees to secure delivery, revenue
and customer satisfaction (B2B and B2C) - brand and project management, concept and product development, marketing
communications, operations and logistics management, profitability analysis, sales and trade show representation.
Background includes procurement, customer relationship management, marketing services in determining distribution /
price / promotions, overseeing internal and beta testing.
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Superior decision making techniques, problem analysis and resolution, verbal and written communications skills,
presentation/training skills, political savvy, persuasiveness and influence, and adaptability to change
Development of detailed plans, goals, objectives, and milestones with appropriate evaluation criteria for important
logistic support programs and related activities
Manage all lifecycle aspects of product and project planning: defining new products, researching market requirements
and performing competitive analysis, product/brand differentiation, portfolio and category management, evaluation of
profitability thru cost of goods, gross margin and total revenue
Lead and manage project and new initiative teams in matrixed organization
Ability to increase a product’s perceived value to the customer and develop brand franchise and equity, increase gross
margin across product/category by cost reductions via design changes and negotiations
EDUCATION
MBA: Dual Major in Marketing and International Business 2006
Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey Camden, NJ
Graduated Magna Cum Laude National Honors Society: Mu Kappa Tau
BA, Liberal Arts: Major in Behavioral Science, Minor in Economics 1996
Drew University Madison, NJ
Graduated Cum Laude Dean’s List for six consecutive semesters
PROFESSIONAL WORK HISTORY
LENOX CORPORATION, INC. BRISTOL, PA
DIRECTOR, MARKETING & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – DANSK, DONNA KARAN, DKNY, FOOD & WINE 2010-11/13
Entrepreneurial promotion included expanded duties and additional Brands. Increased visibility and participation: Sales,
meetings with Wholesale and Specialty Customer Accounts, presentations to executive corporate management, training,
event planning for Brand Awareness/PR activities. Product Expert supporting domestic and international Sales. Act as
President’s Operations Officer demonstrating knowledge of organizational functions to provide logistical support for
brands/products; execute strategy and implement marketing initiatives within creative latitude while coordinating and
evaluating the efforts of functional specialists to identify specific requirements with expectation of facilitating growth and
meeting President’s goals.
Managed inaugural launch of two new Brands: Donna Karan Lenox, DKNY by Lenox from concept to delivery
Maintained marketing and brand relationships with licensors
PRODUCT AND ASSOCIATE BRAND MANAGER - DANSK 2007-2010
Responsible for presenting a cohesive product assortment for each market introduction. Supervise
two in-house designers and ensure contractual compliance with all given deadlines. Manage and
lead product development through multiple sourcing/procurement teams. Responsible for final cost
Kirsten E. Costello Page 1 of 3
KIRSTEN E. COSTELLO (NÉE JOHNSON), MBA
2212 Fox Hunt Court, Bel Air, MD 21015
*******.*.*******@*******.***
of goods and gross margin analysis across individual skus, collections and product line offerings.
Initiate feasibility studies, set price, monitor product delivery, instigate packaging requests and
collaborate on catalogs, collateral, promotional materials and packaging. Problem and conflict
resolution. Respond to customer service concerns.
Repositioned Dansk brand and reinvigorated sales by reintroducing the collection, playing up history and lifestyle,
revamped pricing structure, and realigning promotions
Increased average margins since tenure.
LENOX CORPORATION, INC. BRISTOL, PA (CONTINUED)
CHANNEL MARKETING MANAGER- DANSK 2007-2008
Performed liaison duties between Sales for Wholesale, Internet and Retail groups
Evaluated sales and wrote sales promotions, set prices and designed exclusive products, and arranged goods for
presentations
Updated product development reports; collaborated with the channel manager, Sourcing and Design to identify
production quality issues
Knowledge of program planning and use of internal management information systems.
SENIOR PROCUREMENT SPECIALIST 2006-2007
Promoted to Senior. Led Far East product development and directed sourcing operations for Lenox, Gorham and Dansk
Crystal and Glass products.
Traveled to China to survey factories, identify problems, establish and maintain vendor and remote office relations
Obtained successful integration of new sourcing team located in Shanghai into daily product development and
sourcing activities
2001-2006
PROCUREMENT MANAGER SOURCING SPECIALIST
Promoted from Specialist. Managed global product development of multiple commodities: porcelain, crystal, watches and
jewelry; utilized Catalog and Internet channels to promote off-the-shelf merchandise.
Analyzed data and trends; encouraged development of two products resulting in $2M in annual sales
Administered annual expenditures of $3M across vendor base of 400 vendors
Facilitated negotiation of discounts, extended trade terms, and freight allowances resulting to as much as $300K in
annual savings
Decreased development costs and delivery time, whereby increasing market penetration by four weeks
ALCAN (FORMERLY WHEATON, USA) MILLVILLE, NJ
SALES ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE 1999-2001
Responsible for project management, contract review and compliance, translation of customer specifications into
engineering documents, reconciling accounts receivable, logistics, and initiation of quality process.
Provided technical leadership to obtain agreement on required actions, schedules and conflict resolution
Supervised inside sales of more than $20M of pharmaceutical packaging for 15 major international accounts
Reduced aged inventory in excess of $400K
Recovered lost revenue of $25K annually by analyzing customer accounts receivables
JOHNSON CONTROLS (ACQUIRED BY AMCOR IN 2002) PINE BROOK, NJ
ASSISTANT MATERIALS MANAGER 1996-1999
Maintained communication with production and logistics personnel, vendors, and clients. Ensured safety stock levels,
supervised vendor performance and negotiated contracts. Projected sales and production for capacity planning and
designed plant production schedules using MRPII systems.
Enhanced database accuracy, lessened inventory shrink and slow moving inventory
Evaluated movement of materials, corrected accuracies, utilized cycle counting and planned purchases, enforced
FIFO shipping
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KIRSTEN E. COSTELLO (NÉE JOHNSON), MBA
2212 Fox Hunt Court, Bel Air, MD 21015
*******.*.*******@*******.***
INFORMATION SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR AND POWERUSER 1997-1999
Managed network LAN, and all hard and software. Employed initial installation of MFG Pro and uploaded all system
modifications. Conducted continuous improvement training at the facility level.
Served as member of the corporate management team; evaluated and planned the actual implementation of integrated
financial module at the facility level
References Available Upon Request
Kirsten E. Costello Page 3 of 3
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