PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Technical Consumer Products Inc. Aurora, OH October 2012 - Present
S&OP COORDINATOR – BUYER PLANNER III August 2015 - Present
Integrating business management processes to achieve focus, alignment and synchronization among all functions of the organization. Facilitating informed forecasting initiatives to drive sales plan, production plan, inventorying planning, backorder planning, new product development plan, and strategic initiatives and resulting financial planning.
Drive conversations and planning influences with internal and external stakeholder’s sources to provide more insight to category driver and product life cycles and performance.
Utilize forecasting applications to help identify gaps in sales and budgeting alignments down the sku level. Including Smoothie, MRP, as well as JD Edwards.
Helping to implement overall Product Life Management process to manage product lines as innovation
oHighly volatile market requires tight inventory requirements and constant communication with suppliers and sales
CATEGORY MANAGER October 2012 – August 2015
Worked as a key account manager for The Home Depot (THD) in the US and Canada, supporting overall category business in the evolving North American replacement lamp market. Providing the highest level of support in a rapidly changing market directly impacted by government regulations, innovative technology, and eroding pricing strategies.
Manage national private label CFL program, branded LED program, comprised of 50+ key items with a $120M annual sales value. Sales generated through imports, ecommerce, domestic operations, and commercial and industrial channels.
Launched national branded innovative wireless LED lighting system throughout US and Canada. Work as a collaborative group of suppliers and retailers to help design a platform, packaging, and marketing strategies pioneering replacement lamps into the Home Automation Category.
Product forecasting, pricing evaluation, off shelf promotional plans, and merchandising recommendations for all product lines.
Support China based operations team with management of supplier required pre-qualification and product onboarding, pre purchase testing, pre shipment inspections, product classifications, product containerization, and shipment metrics.
Worked on a collaborative Steady State program comprised of national suppliers and internal THD departments’ for overall category space management, promotional activities, as well as ongoing core programs resets.
Directly responsible for specific sales projections and coordination amongst internal departments for sales plan execution.
Dr Pepper Snapple Group Columbus, OH November 2010 – October 2012
CATEGORY ANALYST November 2010 – October 2012
Work to build, grow, and maintain relationships with national and regional accounts, primarily in the Northeast/Midwest regions of the US. Create bridges to fill the gaps between sales and the retailers providing consumer and category driven recommendations and insights to grow all areas of the retailer’s beverage categories.
Prepared and distributed key finding and scorecard analysis from AC Nielsen syndicated data applications
Created supporting pieces to sales selling decks to include beverage category reviews and recommendations from an entire category and market views.
Work directly with key retailers providing space planning, assortment, consumer insights specific to their channel and consumer
Provide key shopper insights through panel and scan data, providing retailers more in-depth view of their opportunity gaps, share of wallet, and way to increase basket rings
Key customer’s included but where not limited to Speedway, United Dairy Farmers, and Giant Eagle
ROCKSTAR ENERGY INC– Cleveland, OH November 2008 - November 2010
CATEGORY ANALYST – Small Format – Speedway
Member of a collaborative team comprised of various vendors working together to maintain and implement a reset process and Category Management at Speedway Super America. Used Intactix, JDA Space Planning, and Space automation to evaluate store compliance, performance, and opportunities.
Successfully prepared and posted planograms for 1600 plus stores in an 8 weeks time period
Collaborated and implemented a process that changed the addition of new innovation from a yearly occurrence to monthly
Acted as central data resource for both SSA and Immediate Rockstar Manager
Was able to increase distribution of Rockstar brands nearly 25%
Conducted quantitative analysis for customer that focused new distribution, promotional trends, competitive analysis, pricing, and promotional effectiveness, thus identifying areas for growth opportunities
DR. PEPPER SNAPPLE GROUP– Cleveland, OH July 2007 - November 2008
CATEGORY ANALYST - Alternative Channel – Travel Centers of America
Responsible for providing the Category Manager with category trends utilizing syndicated data such as Nielsen, Spectrum, and Beverage Builder. Used ad hoc reporting to help Category Manager identify product assortment, product placement, and space allocation for entire Cold Vault. Acted as a liaison between all major beverage vendors (Coke, Pepsi, Red Bull, Hansen’s, Quaker, Nestle, and regional dairy suppliers). Reported customer and vendor specific data, including possible go to market strategies for new products and promotions.
Created and maintained market specific planograms for 400 stores nationally
Implemented JDA Space Planning Automation to create consistency among defined store markets
Initiated a new reporting process used for quarterly reviews of product assortment and promotional program’s performance.
Defined and analyzed stores by markets defining Travel Centers specific customers as “nontraditional” based on their buying habits, and job implication that influence buying patterns and demands
Participated in vendor presentations with Category Manager at Travel Centers, as well as customer presentations with the Account Executive for DPSG
BARNES DISTRIBUTION– Cleveland, OH March 2004 – July 2007
IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR - Corporate Accounts November 2006 – July 2007 Coordinated and implemented national contractual agreements through a defined process, including correspondence, support, and training to Field Sales Representatives. Created reporting processes using Customer Relationship Management Tools including, Crystal Reporting, New Business Objects, and ASI 400 I Series to ensure that all contractual agreements where met nationally.
Managed relationships with an average 65 national accounts, and 9 Corporate Account Managers
Tracked account sales and orders intensively during introductory periods of national agreements
Analyzing incremental growth to company President and Corporate Account Managers monthly
Created virtual tools for training and account contract information in support of Field Sales Representatives
Received 100% participation from Field Sales Representatives for periodic training seminars
COMMUNICATIONS ANALYST/ SECURITY ADMINISTRATOR March 2004– October 2006
Gave access to, and defined all company positions through access to systems including ASI/400, Lotus Notes, and various company specific databases. Specifically I was responsible for providing and removing access of employees based on changes of employment status within the company. I worked directly with the VP of Information Technology to maintain communication software and equipment used by all Field Sales Representatives.
Rolled out RIM Blackberry to 2000 users
oProvided training information and support to all users
Through constant monitoring of communications, decreased costs by 6%
Implemented inventory control process for all company equipment decreasing overall lose of equipment
Clearly defined employment process for all IT security rights in compliance with SOX requirements
Related Skills:
Technical Skills
Microsoft Office Suites
JDE E1 Production
Adobe Illustrator
ACNielsen Nitro
Nielsen Homescan
Nielsen Answers
Business Drivers
Spectra
Rich Mix (Cannondale Associates)
Beverage Builder
Cognos Powerplay
Salient Margin Minder
Lotus Notes Email Client and Databases
ASI/400
SAP
Smoothie
Salesforce
Special Skills
PMP Course Evaluation – pending PMP Certification
Expert in JDA Space Planning
JDA Space Automation
Intactix Knowledge Base
Category Management Training
Education:
Baldwin and Wallace College Berea, OH 2005
MBA International Business
Concord University, Athens, WV 2003
BS Business Administration