D. Bruce Hutchison, MBA

**** *** **** **** ******* Estates, IL 60192 847-***-****

acuhkq@r.postjobfree.com www.linkedin.com/in/dbrucehutchison

Senior Marketing and Customer Insight Executive

“Energizing the Engagement Triangle between Customers, Brands, and Organizational Processes”

Game-changing strategic marketing and customer insight executive with multi-channel marketing expertise and international business experience. Skilled at building brands and aligning customer experience strategies with organizational process design to enhance customer engagement, increase sales, build loyalty, and empower employee performance. People fluent communicator successfully leading marketing, research, and creative teams to deliver remarkable insights for long-term competitive advantage.

Areas of Expertise

Innovative Consumer Insight

Brand Development

Marketing Research

Strategic Planning

Multi-Channel Marketing

Customer Engagement

Process Design

Creative Services

Sports Marketing

Team Leadership

Employee Engagement

Company Culture

Professional Experience

State Farm Insurance / Apex Consultant – Bloomington, IL 2012 – Present

Customer Research and Insight Consultant – Innovations Team

Discovering new products and service offerings for the nation's largest property, casualty, and automotive insurer, using qualitative / quantitative, user experience, and ethnographic techniques. Collaborating on the Innovations Team to identify, test, and build offerings to target unmet customer needs in the automotive, financial, energy services, senior living, new technology, consumer and cultural trends, and customer segmentation areas.

Pioneered a new auto insurance quote and imaging information app now in review for a U.S. Patent.

Revealed in-depth customer, agent, and call center insights for multiple customer journeys.

Discovered key marketing solutions for new product bundling initiative and launch plan.

Communicated across all levels of the organization, from C-suite to customer facing and support teams.

Carhop Auto Sales & Finance / Interstate Automotive Group – Minneapolis, MN 2010 – 2012

Vice President, Marketing and Research

Directed marketing, communications, customer market research, online and traditional advertising, public relations, creative services, and the call center for an automotive sales group spanning 14 states and 58 stores. Reported to the CEO.

Achieved record highs in customer traffic volume through discovery research that informed development of a new in-store sales process, customer success stories, and innovative referral and retention programs.

Redefined the alignment of the customer experience for pre-shopping, shopping, and post purchase processes.

Developed a predictive new market performance survey to assess post-sale customer payment behavior.

DBH Marketing and Research – Chicago, IL 2009 – 2010

Managing Director

Managed day-to-day operations for this marketing consulting practice with a focus on brand strategy development and market research for multi-unit retailers in the automotive service, restaurant, and entertainment industries.

Key clients included Cosi Restaurants, Creative Circle Employment Agency, Sterling Jewelry (Kay Jewelers), Burns Entertainment and Sports Marketing, Interstate Automotive Group, and Car-X Automotive Services.

uBid.com / Enable Holdings, Inc. – Chicago, IL 2008 – 2009

Vice President of Marketing

Served as chief marketing officer with responsibility for all marketing communications, brand strategy, advertising, market research, and public relations. Directed creative services delivery and branding activities for the world's leading e-commerce excess inventory solutions company valued at $100M. P&L responsibility for the B2B / B2C call centers.

Revitalized the uBid.com auction site, increasing page views, improving navigation, and boosting traffic 31%.

Increased sales revenue 18% through buy-it-now customer options despite cuts to the marketing budget.

Launched a new fixed price website, RedTag.com, and a newly named Enable Holdings corporate website.

Professional Experience (continued)

Sears Holdings Corporation – Hoffman Estates, IL 2006 – 2008

Marketing Planning Director

Cross-functional leader of customer relationship and strategic processes for a broad line retailer with $4.9B in annual revenue from 3,800 stores. Aligned strategy and branding across all customer touch points.

Launched the first Kmart loyalty rewards card program and boosted member sales 32% in the first year.

Established strategic framework for the automotive and consumer electronics market areas of the business.

Led outreach and community involvement with St. Jude Children's Hospital and the March of Dimes.

Jiffy Lube International / Heartland Automotive Services – Omaha, NE 2004 – 2006

Senior VP, Marketing

Directed marketing, consumer research, internet advertising, franchise relations, public relations, creative and media planning services for Jiffy Lube’s largest franchisee (484 locations across 31 markets in 18 states).

Enabled 8% sales increase in upgraded products by informing customers of product offerings upon arrival.

Redesigned the in-store sales process and customer engagement with service writers and technicians.

Strengthened marketing programs by initiating local direct marketing through direct mail, email, loyalty programs, telemarketing, special events, and store manager customer follow-up call programs.

Saved $325,000 in a single year through in-house media buying and print creative services.

Earlier Experience

Senior Marketing and Brand Consultant, Element 79 / Aurum Partners – Chicago, IL

Led in-depth qualitative research on a new customer segmentation design for the Tropicana Twister brand.

Created new brand architecture for Bass Pro Shops including the launch of women's clothing for hunting.

Senior VP, Marketing, Midas International Corporation – Itasca, IL

Launched a new Midas brand and graphics identity program for 2,100 stores in 18 months, replacing the original 1950's logo and design, including a new in-store selling program for general maintenance services.

VP, Advertising and Market Research, RCA / GE / Thomson Consumer Electronics – Indianapolis, IN

Revitalized the RCA brand with the return of the RCA dog "Nipper" and new puppy "Chipper" to advertising.

Led the communications launch for the first ever digital satellite system with partners DirecTV and USSB.

Worked closely with Thomson European team supporting products across Western Europe.

Vice President Group Management Supervisor, D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles – Bloomfield Hills, MI

Spearheaded research for the launch of the Mr. Goodwrench brand for General Motors automotive service.

Directed $60 million in account billings and supervised the Goodwrench / NASCAR racing program.

Education

MBA, Marketing, Eastern Michigan University – Ypsilanti, MI

BA, Psychology, Franklin and Marshal College – Lancaster, PA

International Studies, Institute Montana – Zug, Switzerland

Awards and Honors

Atlanta Interactive Marketing Association, Most Effective Online Display Campaign, uBid.com, 2008

American Marketing Association, Gold Effie Award, RCA Advertising, 1993, 1996

Electronic Industry Association, Grand Show Award, RCA Advertising, 1994

Affiliations

Society of Consulting Psychology, American Psychological Association (APA)

Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA)

Marketing Executive Networking Group (MENG)

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