Experienced Foodservice Professional & Center of the Plate Specialist

Contact

205-***-**** (Mobile)

***********.******@*****.**

m

www.linkedin.com/in/

paulwhughesalabama (LinkedIn)

Top Skills

Sales Management

Chef

Purchasing Management

Languages

Sign Languages (Limited Working)

Spanish (Limited Working)

Certifications

HACCP and HACCP Pre-requisites

Certified Angus Beef Roundup

School

Basic Sanitation

IBM Customer Engagement:

Communications & Personality

Dynamics

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective

People

Paul Hughes

Experienced Foodservice Professional, Center of the Plate Specialist, and Team Builder

Greater Birmingham Area

Summary

I am actively involved in the food service industry in culinary management, purchasing, sales, and as a center of the plate (COP) specialist. My focus includes proteins,specialty foods,HRI,distribution,supply chain and consulting for businesses that seek to increase profits. My past and current career positions have challenged,rewarded,educated and developed my skills professionally including over a decade as an Executive Chef. I am creative, motivated, and organized with a vast knowledge of the food industry which enhances my ability to provide excellent customer service, teaching methods, sales techniques, and product management. My expertise in all areas of food service produces results that exceed organizational goals.

My career includes working with several James Beard award winning chefs, center of the plate food service distributors, and a protein import/export company. I have completed training certifications that include the Certified Angus Beef (C.A.B.) Roundup School, HACCP/ HACCP pre-requisites, Basic Sanitation, and the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.I also have extensive experience interacting with the USDA/FSIS working to ensure that all protein products were safe, wholesome, properly labeled, and packaged correctly. Specialties: Accountable, National Accounts, Corporate Chef, Product Management, Center of the Plate Specialist, Organizational Skills, Mentoring, Teaching, Dedicated, Honest, Focused, Purchasing, Sales, Culinary Knowledge, Team Player, Customer Relations, Experience, Professional, Brand Development, Procurement Negotiator, Marketing, Fine Dining, Profit Margin, Executive Chef, Restaurant Management, Buyer, Category Management, Merchandising, Food Shows, Sustainable Foods Page 1 of 5

Experience

Darlin Rubys- Preserve The Harvest and Pickle It!

General Management

July 2014 - Present (7 years 10 months)

Birmingham, Alabama Area

Inspired by the character, traditions and style of southern cooking with regional and international spices.

The Mission is to use only the freshest all natural produce using diverse flavors resulting in incredible pickled and fermented handcrafted products. Old Time Flavor in a Jar produced with true southern influences. Additionally we process regional seasonal fruits into jam, jelly, and marmalade. Duties include sales, purchasing, social media maintenance, operations, product demonstrations, business development, product development, ingredient sourcing, logistics, and production

Performance Food Group- Batesville, Mississippi

COP Specialist and Protein/Seafood Buyer

July 2012 - June 2014 (2 years)

Batesville, Mississippi

Daily management of the fresh and frozen center of the plate protein and seafood inventory. Responsible for achievement of department and company procurement objectives by completing accurate purchase orders and maintaining accurate files used for proficient costing and invoicing using the IBM FOOD STAR AS 400 buying system to manage supply chains, logistics, vendors, national accounts and brokers. Other duties include:

• Procure, price and drive profitable COP street sales growth.

• Interact with customers, vendors and Sales Force in a timely and quality manner

• Ensure all questions are answered accurately

• Consult with Company personnel regarding customer requests and product specifications

• Procure and sell assigned COP categories

• Respond to sales and customer service requests and inquiries

• Negotiate pricing for special promotions and programs

• Manage the overstock products

• Manage Rebate Programs and ensure confidential treatment of related information

Page 2 of 5

• Establish customer base to ensure the COP category grows to plan expectation

• Establish new vendor accounts

• Promote and manage marketing program at location Evans Meats Incorporated- Birmingham, Alabama

Purchasing Manager and Center of the Plate Specialist June 2008 - June 2012 (4 years 1 month)

Birmingham, Alabama Area

Purchasing Manager and Center of the Plate Specialist (COP) for specialty all natural/organic proteins, artisan cheeses, condiments and finished food products.

• Developed, implemented, and maintained the ordering, rotation, inventory, and organization of stocked LTL freight products through brokers and distributors. Responsible for the institution and maintenance of the company’s social networking, blog and website. Created marketing production and updated industry information developments by analyzing new products, applications and trends through web based applications like the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service daily live animal cutout and negotiated market reports concerning animal proteins for the company and customers. Participated in system code creation and pricing updates, sales reports and promotions, and product slotting using the Excellence in Computing (EIC) and Microsoft software programs.

• Participated in regional distributor food shows demonstrating new products, protein portion control, and finished food products. Interacted extensively with the USDA/FSIS inspectors to ensure that all protein products were safe, wholesome, properly labeled, and correctly packaged. Personally wrote the fresh seafood HACCP plan and was responsible for the physical warehouse inventory control and oversight. Directly worked as one of the managing partner’s primary strategic business adviser.

Marx Foods- Birmingham, Alabama (Home Based)

National Account Executive and Corporate Chef

January 2007 - May 2008 (1 year 5 months)

Marx Foods, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey

National Account Executive and Corporate Chef - Home based

• Developed and managed national distributor and hotel-restaurant-institution

(HRI) accounts working separately from the corporate office. Reported to management by supplying documented sales reports, market analysis Page 3 of 5

information, and files on existing and potential customers. Personally wrote the point of sale (POS) technique cooking guide with recipes for the Le Quebecois All Natural Grain Fed Veal Program which is solely owned and imported by Frank Marx/CEO.

• Wholesale distributor support, corporate chef and center of the plate specialist for natural/organic proteins and specialty foods which involved direct sales, sampling and product roll-outs with customer specific marketing material, industry trade shows across the United States and Canada. This account support and maintenance focused primarily in the southeastern United States. Participated in the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Food- show in Chicago-Illinois, the IFE Americas International Food and Beverage Show in Miami-Florida, the Inland Seafood Food and Wine Experience in Atlanta-Georgia/Nashville Tennessee and the SIAL International Food-show in Montreal-Quebec/Canada.

Royalty Foods Incorporated- New Orleans, Louisiana (Home Based) Outside Sales Account Executive

December 2001 - December 2006 (5 years 1 month)

Greater New Orleans Area

Royalty Foods Incorporated, Orlando, Florida

Outside Sales Account Executive- Home based

• Personally responsible for developing, building, and maintaining new territory base with sales exceeding three and a half million. Customer base included fine dining, large hotels, and high end steakhouses with a diverse product line of specialty proteins, cheese, condiments, and finished food products. Managed sales and support for twelve large downtown hotels with extensive food and beverage operations under the AVENDRA contract.

• Sole account executive for metro New Orleans working from personal home office setting own sales margins averaging between 16 and 18 percent in total sales while achieving consistent commission goals. Achieved Certificate of Completion for the Certified Angus Beef (C.A.B.) Roundup School at The University of Nebraska.

Inland Seafood Corporation- New Orleans, Louisiana Outside Sales Account Executive

June 1999 - November 2001 (2 years 6 months)

Inland Seafood Corporation, Atlanta, Georgia

• Personally responsible for maintaining and building customer base with extensive fresh and frozen seafood, proteins, and finished food and specialty Page 4 of 5

products in regional New Orleans-Louisiana, Jackson-Mississippi, and the panhandle gulf coast region of Alabama and Mississippi.

• Sales more than two million dollars achieving commission and margin goals set by company in first year.

Education

Johnson and Wales University

Associate of Occupational Sciences- Charleston, SC Campus, Culinary Arts- Food service Management · (1991 - 1993)

Mountain Brook/Shades Valley High School

Diploma/Graduate, General Studies · (1985 - 1988)

Page 5 of 5

Contact this candidate