Sales Customer Service

Andrew Benz

**** **** *** ********* ***, CA 831-***-**** aczrel@r.postjobfree.com

Leadership for Accelerating Business Performance

Leadership Business Development Retail and Wholesale Management Customer Service

Sales Management Operations Stakeholder Relations P&L Responsibility

Experienced senior level operations and sales leader with over twenty years of success delivering record top and bottom-line results in ultra-competitive business sectors. Creates strategic solutions that drive market penetration and competitive advantage. Accelerates financial capacity by capturing revenue pipelines to optimize income while maximizing operating margins.

Builds high performing teams and deeply engaged organizational cultures. Meets challenging goals by collaborating with key stakeholders and inspiring the development of innovative solutions. Combines decisive leadership, keen subject matter knowledge and business savvy with intense focus and exceptional interpersonal skills to deliver performance excellence. Additional competencies include:

Merchandising New Store Development

Inventory Management Cost Analysis & Budgets

Loss & Shrinkage Prevention Trend Tracking & Analysis

Customer Relationship Management Marketing & Sales Strategies

Staff Recruitment, Training & Performance Strategic & Operational Planning

Career Synopsis

Boat Innovation (www. automaticfender.com) 2016-Present

Startup company and first in the industry to produce a fully automated boat fender deploy and retract system

Vice President sales & marketing

Joined company in 2015 as a Senior Consultant January 2016 and accepted position of VP Sales and Marketing to move company from conception to sales.

Currently partnering directly with Chairman and CEO to develop marketing and launch plans for an innovative boating safety product, planned for Summer 2017.

Created and implemented web site, working with Director of Creative Arts, and launched pre-sales vehicle on the Internet.

Building distribution network and securing distribution.

West Marine, Inc., Watsonville, CA 2002 – 2015

$700 million boating supply and water life outfitter company

Regional Vice President Western and Central Regions, including Hawaii and all international stores, (2011 – 2015)

Promoted based on prior success leading teams in achieving aggressive revenue targets to grow this high potential $135 million region with 100+ stores. Full P&L responsibility with nine direct reports and 1,000+ associates. Served as face of the company internally and externally.

Grew regional sales to $185 million over three years, up from $135 million, a 37% increase and the largest in company history for that territory.

Optimized revenue and profitability by maximizing operational excellence, customer experience, organizational engagement and market development strategies.

oImproved customer satisfaction 10%, exceeding industry average.

oExceeded all other corporate KPIs including sales, profits, customer satisfaction, membership, warrantee sales.

oRecruited, mentored and managed a top-performing team.

Increased EBITDA 38%, or $9 million by focusing on KPI’s, leadership, travel expenses and maintaining P & L controls.

Opened 12 new stores, remodeled 80% of regional stores, and rolled out visual merchandising standards play book.

Carefully tracked and monitored expenses and allocated resources toward high yield activities.

Led various corporate and market development projects including the closure of all Canadian operations with no loss of management during the 18-month process.

Senior Director of Sales Western Region – Wholesale Division, (2005 – 2011)

Promoted to reverse this underperforming business unit and drive growth in line with company targets and expectations. With full P&L responsibility, oversaw 34 inside and outside B2B reps, initially generating $34 million in revenue.

Strengthened a wholesale division that was dragging down corporate results and turned it into a strong, respected, and contributing division.

Grew sales to $89 million, up from $34 million, a 162% increase over six years, the greatest revenue increase in company history.

Consistently increased margin YoY, to 27%, up from 18%, delivering a record +$24 million in margin in FYE 2011.

Expanded professional services customer base 35% and grew international business 18%.

oTransformed the sales and customer solutions model by creating a team-based approach with innovative compensation incentives, moving reps from commission based pay selling to salary based pay selling as directed.

oDesigned and implemented a customer-tiered pricing matrix, an ongoing e-learning sales training program, and transitioned sales model from transactional to consultative.

oDeveloped and implemented strategic plans to achieve all corporate and regional KPIs including creating annual plan for entire division. Integrated new offerings into the product portfolio and expanded market potential.

Transitioned sales team from product peddlers to consultative sellers; creating a pricing logic tool, now the norm for the industry.

District Manager Northern California, (2002 – 2005)

Recruited to apply broad scope of industry knowledge and business acumen toward driving two districts in the region with 19 stores generating $38 million annually in sales.

Led more than 75% of stores to over-achieve YoY sales targets.

oDeveloped and deployed initiatives around operational excellence, team professional development, customer focus and compensation.

oIdentified, analyzed and corrected areas of greatest opportunity across all key district-wide metrics, including profit and loss, associate quality of work life, and customer service.

Conceived and implemented a successful discontinued product sales initiative that was rolled out nationwide and produced savings in labor both at store level and distribution center level.

Toys “R” Us, Paramus, NJ 1997 – 2002

Leading children’s retailer with 700 stores nationwide and billions of dollars in revenue

District Manager, Pacific Region

Promoted to capitalize on market potential, ensure operational stability, and lead the $165 million, 15-store district.

Achieved #2 rank in sales and #1 rank in overall contribution, and earned “Top District Manager” recognition in a national field of 68 DMs.

Drove succession planning for all district management personnel and played instrumental role in the promotion of six managers into different positons in the company.

Directed results-focused site selection for relocation of the Fresno store and positioned stores for expansion in the market.

Recruited, trained, mentored, and managed a profit-generating sales team.

Reduced management turn over from 35% to 22% by fostering a collaborative culture throughout the district. Designed, developed, and implemented comprehensive programs around human resources and loss prevention.

Directed and coordinated building and remodeling of multiple stores.

Created and implemented a three-tier development program for management, and remodel strategy adopted by region.

Achieved all KPIs across revenue, margin, profit, service and operations.

Selected by corporate as “Lab Store” testing all corporate strategies for chain-wide rollout.

Earlier Career Pre 1997:

Toys R Us: Operations Support Manager – Northern CA Market; Store Director – Modesto/Pleasant AHill/Hayward

Lucky Stores: Assistant Store Manager – CA

Education, Training, Certifications & Licenses

San Diego State University, San Diego, CA Business Administration 50 credits in addition to AA degree

Canada College, Redwood City, CA Associates degree

Stuart Atkins, National LIFO Trainer Toy’s “R” Us, National Diversity Trainer

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