Senior Sourcing/Purchasing Specialist

Ralph Cohen

Senior Sourcing/Purchasing Specialist

Ralph Cohen

917-***-**** • *****@***************.***

Senior Sourcing/Purchasing Specialist

Production and Product Management Expert

Production and Product Management professional with expertise in product development and sourcing of consumer goods. 20+ years of experience of direct oversight of international business in production.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Production Management • Contract Negotiation • Cost Reduction Strategies • Manufacturing Processes

Survey Analyses of Vendor Proficiencies • Quality Control • Customer Relations • Sales

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Production:

* Directly responsible for vetting and sourcing hundreds of international factories (with specialization in Asian Markets) in regards to quality, reliability, capacity capabilities, ethical & social compliance and safety. Oversaw for a diverse range of product manufacturing such as furniture, toys, baby feeding products, baby accessories and infants through juniors apparel.

* Management of production orders in the factories with best fit and accomplished incremental sales growth of 15-33% annually from 2005 through 2008 through utilization and selection of well priced, top quality, and safe products that are delivered on-time.

* Knowledgeable in all variations of substrate materials; natural woods and composites, woven and knitted fabrics, injection and blow molded plastics and metals.

* Built a network of partnerships with vendors in Asia to foster a relationships for the mutual benefit of our companies.

* Directed Quality Assurance / Quality Control teams in Asia optimizing the inspection, minimizing late-stage detection of quality problems and reinforcement of our commitment and expectations of on-time delivery to our vendors.

* Streamlined production schedule to facilitate a smooth production process leading to reductions in lead times of 30 to 60 days allowing us to provide unparalleled delivery of short notice orders.

* Achieved Walmart Vendor of the Year award for on-time delivery of high quality product that measured less than a 1.5% defect rate.

* Recognized for development of relationship and products resulting in revenue growth to over $25mm in 2009 with Walmart, Toys R’ Us and Kmart

Product Development / Marketing / Purchasing

* Excelled at organizing interdepartmental teams including design and sales teams to create innovative and attractive products at value price points for major US retailers from mass to specialty.

* 8 years experience working with licensors Disney, Nickelodeon and others, directly overseeing their approval processes and ensuring their satisfaction with the final product, navigating the licensor’s approval processes to quickly gain new product categories and artwork approval so that production could move forward without delay.

* Developed and Presented products, pricing, and marketing strategy presentations to Walmart, Kmart, Target and other large resellers, leading to sales over $30MM annually.

* Recognized for consistent delivery of yearly gross margins of 25%+ and a defect rate of under 2.5%.

* Developed and implemented strategies and line plans based on current market trend and historical sales analysis that yielded positive sales increases of 15 to 30% annually from 2006 to 2009.

* Transformed our Hong Kong office from an administrative and support office into a functioning trading company/show room that generated incremental sales of $4.5mm in 2009

Resolute Trade LLC Owner / Operator 2010 - Present

RC Global Synergy LLC (consulting) Owner / Operator 2012 – Present

DGL Group, Edison NJ Toy Division Production Consultant 2014 – 2015

Simple Shoe, Dongguan, China Material Sourcing Consultant 2014

H.I.S. Apparel Group Production Consultant 2013

Delta Children’s Products Director of Licensed Furniture/ 2002 – 2010

Vice President of Production

Little Moppets Chain Manager 1991 – 2002

Jordache by Most Wanted, Inc. Production Manager 1989 – 1991

Pretty Young Thing, Inc President 1985 – 1989

AWARDS

• Walmart Vendor of the Year Award

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