THOMAS Sales, Marketing, and Product L. GARDNER Management Professional

330-***-**** add3sq@r.postjobfree.com Silver Lake, OH Core Qualifications

• Sales Strategy Expertise: 30+ years of experience developing successful sales strategies in the automotive refinishing industry

• Product Management: Extensive technical expertise in developing new products using customer feedback and market research, as well as launching new products or existing products into new market segments, detailed below

• Sales Team Development: Specialized expertise in building new sales departments from the ground up and developing and supporting existing sales teams Professional Experience

Regional Sales Manager – Transtar Autobody Technologies, February 2019-Present

• Manage and lead the sales team selling automotive refinishing products in a 12-state territory to distribution channels that include warehouses, jobbers, and collision centers

• Oversee all regional P&L responsibilities

• Provide ongoing coaching, motivation, support, and performance feedback to salespeople

• Train Territory Managers on product attributes and sales techniques

• Handle all key accounts, including developing business plans and success metrics

• Serve as the point person on technical issues with customers Key Contributions

• Created a price/margin calculator for Territory Managers to see the effects of discounted prices

• Developed a new pricing strategy, which resulted in an improved margin

• Presented a new product line to the Marketing and R&D departments based on customer feedback Vice President, Sales and Marketing – Haysite Reinforced Plastics, August 2014-November 2018

• Supervised all sales and marketing globally for a leading composite FRP manufacturer servicing electrical insulation, transit, water treatment, and corrosion markets in Europe, Asia, and the Americas

• Managed multiple sales teams selling to fabricators, distribution warehouses, and OEMs, including Siemens, Alstom, Eaton, GE, and NYCTA and CTA

• Developed and implemented strategic sales plans and monitored P&L trends

• Managed the sales department budget, including implementing cost reductions wherever possible Key Contributions

• Created a new business development team to identify new markets for existing products

• Launched a new company website in 2014

• Increased sales revenue and EBITDA in 3 out of 4 years

• Developed a new pricing strategy for the European market to combat the effects of a strong dollar

• Oversaw the integration of a sister company (Synthase-Taylor) into Haysite

• Launched a new subflooring product (Duracore 1000) in the transit authority market Director of Business Development, Paints and Coatings – U.S. Chemical & Plastics, March 2003-August 2014

• Managed all aspects of product management, product development, and color management for premium brands and pro-spray automotive finishes

• Responsible for the distribution and marketing strategies for the product lines

• Built and developed the sales teams nationwide, including setting goals based on forecast data and providing them with ongoing mentoring on sales techniques and other performance

• Conduct weekly conference calls to review sales figures, leads, and action plans Key Contributions

• Integrated multiple teams into a single unit, consolidating product lines to increase product efficiencies on “like” products

• Successfully grew a new brand of automotive finish into the North American market, with $13M in sales in the first 8 years

• Developed the “Navigator” Chromatic Color System using 5,400+ chromatic OEM color chips for color- matching

• Launched the Pro-Spray H2O System in North America in 2009

• Part of the Executive team that increased sales from $28M to $86M in 10 years Senior Product Manager – Sherwin Williams Co., December 1998-March 2003

• Oversaw all product management, development, and marketing of the Dupli-Color and Krylon brand aerosols for automotive retail accounts, including AutoZone, Walmart, O’Reilly’s, and Pep Boys

• Supervised 4 direct reports, including providing opportunities for professional development

• Developed key products and programs to position assigned product lines as brand leaders in the automotive market

• Managed a marketing budget of over $2M

• Assisted the marketing team with various tasks, including creating promotions for retail and traditional distribution channels, revising the company website, and launching major ad campaigns Key Contributions

• Developed and launched a new color shifting paint kit with sales of $2M in the first year

• Conducted extensive SKU rationalization initiatives to keep company offerings optimized

• Developed numerous new products, including 2 paint kits, a truck bed coating, a scratch fix 2 in 1 applicator, and Metalcast, among others

• Handled the hiring of a new advertising agency, including initial research, vetting, and performance oversight

• Received the Sherwin Williams Marketing Excellence Award in 2000

• Received the Popular Mechanics Top New Product Award in 2001 and 2003 National Account Manager – Sherwin Williams Automotive, January 1992-December 1998 Territory Sales Manager – Sherwin Williams Automotive, September 1988-January 1992 Education

Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing Concentration – University of Dayton

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