BRUCE SIEGEL

**** ********* ***.

Highland Park, IL 60035

847-***-****

Email: adskvc@r.postjobfree.com

OBJECTIVE

Sales & Marketing Management for a company in need of an individual able to build and foster client relationships, while developing and executing programs that build successful corporate and/or brand awareness programs in the marketplace that drive sales and profitability.

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Broad-based experience in the execution of increasingly complex responsibilities within the Premium and Promotional Solutions industry, as founder of Bruce Lawrence Promotions dba "The Source Promotional Products" a leading supplier of creative premiums and promotional products.

· Areas of expertise: ability to:

- Lead the development and capture of new business with major Fortune 100-1000 accounts (Pharmaceutical, Food, Consumer Goods, Sports Teams, Radio Stations, Chemical Industry, Government, etc).

- Develop new products, pricing strategies, merchandising and sourcing, distribution, packaging and strategic marketing concepts.

- Analyze needs and manage the development and implementation of a full range of marketing activities that support a client's business plans that produce measurable results particularly in the areas of brand management, advertising, public relations, and event support ensuring their complete integration into the company's other major marketing activities.

- Multi-task with demanding timelines while delivering a high level of client service to both internal and external clients.

- Hire, train, and motivate effective sales team through meetings, training, objective setting, problem resolution and other programs.

- Coordinate and lead participation in all industry trade shows and other marketing programs.

- Think strategically, able to contribute big ideas, inspires creativity, ensures quality, and enhances profitability.

· A mature, dedicated, proven leader with proactive communication, and team-building skills.

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

BL PROMOS ., dba "THE SOURCE" Promotional Products, Chicago, IL 1975 to Present

President

Founder of "The Source" one of the nation's most highly recognized full promotional product distribution companies. Sold the company in 1993 to Halo Advertising, as Halo's first asset purchase buyout using the reputation and sales volume of "The Source" Promotional Products to drive more Advertising Specialty distributors to Halo. This merger allowed Halo to become #1 Promotional Products Distributor in the world. Resumed full ownership of "The Source" in 1996.

· Overall responsibility for the growth of the company, setting annual sales, revenue and profit goals through the execution of strategic initiatives and marketing plans for established as well as new clients.

· Develop and implement annual business plans, including marketing, sales, financial and profitability goals that meet and exceed corporate goals and objectives.

· Negotiate contracts with National Account Buyers, Vice Presidents of Merchandise, Marketing and Advertising Managers.

· Direct company participation in trade shows.

· Ensure client needs are being met by monitoring and guiding account activities and by maintaining an effective level of direct contact with all clients.

· Source, secure, and merchandise all product categories; help create, establish pricing schedules, catalogs, and suppliers to promote and carry the products forward within the industry.

Major clients and projects include(d):

- Miller Brewing Company:

· Created unique, functional, promotional items relating to their different brands of beer; items became part of the very famous Miller Brewing Promotional Products Catalog used by their internal employees, external sales force, their bottlers, wholesalers, distributors, and consumers. Item usage ranged from recognition type, goodwill, brand awareness/brand loyalty, to "showing your colors" on the consumer end.

- Labatts Beer:

· Involved in the rollout for Labatts this Canadian brand into the U.S. Developed a promotional flyer with custom Labatts

promotional products for their distributors, wholesalers, bottlers; as well as for their customers. Items ranged from

advertising specialty use, premium use, and incentive use. Result of this program in conjunction with their PR efforts,

enabled the company to gain "shelf space" at the retail level 50% faster then normal.

- Abbott Laboratories, Searle Pharmaceutical, Monsanto, Forrester Labs, Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals:

· Worked on i.e., Biaxin product launch for Abbott and Norpace for Searle, working in conjunction with VP's of Marketing, Product Managers, and MD's.

· Developed individual promotional items to assist in the educating of doctors as well as consumers to understand the importance of PATIENT COMPLIANCE, and to carry the theme of the rollout down to the pharmacy level.

- Leaf Candy Company:

· Created an incentive program for their special brands division (Jolly Rancher's Poke, Now & Later, Rain-Blo Gum) for all their different channels of distribution from their internal sales force, to distributors, wholesalers, and retailers. This specific incentive/premium program drove sales to 10-20% higher in revenues during the sales promotion period.

· Developed a Consumer Offer Sweepstakes when Leaf became the MLB Confectionary sponsor of Baseball for a 3-year period. This custom program hit 28 MLB demographic areas, targeted for children from 6-14 for 20 home games for each team. The weekly winners (1-boy/1-girl) became THE CELEBRITY BAT BOY & BAT GIRL, sponsored by Milk Duds and Slo-Poke; the winners received individual team logo shirts, gloves, baseball bats with the Milk Duds logo, and the child's name was lit-up on the scoreboard. This 3-year promotion increased sales by 16% for each brand and allowed Leaf to receive national exposure in all 28 markets, building brand awareness and loyalty.

- IMC Fertilizer Worldwide:

· Developed the corporate Safety Calendar Contest bringing safety into the home for children and grandchildren; Results of this safety awareness program enabled IMC to win the National Safety Council Award of the Year. It also brought goodwill from their stockholders and goodwill from individual communities worldwide that IMC was located in. Ran the program for five years in other IMC divisions, including Pitman Moore.

- Jays Food, LLC:

· Created Jay's first consumer-self liquidator offer in conjunction with their first dealer-loader program; involved a custom wearable program on all their different brands of chips; offer was imprinted on their boxes and packages.

· Designed and implemented a custom personalized barrel bag program for back-to-school children; offered free pencils in the Jays Variety Snack Packages; program increased sales by 17% during promotion.

· Developed items for Jay's 75th anniversary celebration throughout 2002.

· Implemented a promotional products incentive program for Jay employees.

· Worked in conjunction with their advertising and PR agency and media for various product rollouts, including O-KE-DOKE Brand Cheese and Popcorn Product lines. Items included custom logo merchandise to product sampling.

- Schwinn Bicycle Company:

· Developed various promotional campaigns, including a promotional products catalog for Schwinn’s 1800 dealers; this “turnkey” marketing/premium catalog, funded by their individual co-op advertising budget; allowed the dealer to personalize to their target market promotional products with their own dealer name, address and telephone number; building a stronger brand loyal throughout the dealer network and increased sales by 12%. The result of this program turned the Promotional Marketing Department of Schwinn into a major profit center.

· Created an advertising theme utilizing promotional products when Schwinn launched the first BMX series of bicycles.

- Illinois State Agencies, including Illinois Lottery, IDOT, Department of Commerce and Equal Opportunity, State Police, Illinois State Fair, Governors Conference of Tourism, and the Department of Tourism.

· Created POP displays, promotional products, and giveaways for the initial inauguration of the Illinois Lottery in conjunction with Bozell & Jacobs Advertising Agency.

· Implemented safety programs for IDOT and the Illinois State Police.

· Developed "made in Illinois" programs using all types of promotional products, premiums to help build goodwill and awareness of Illinois products to businesses outside Illinois.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Served as VP of Manufacturing for Illini Inc., (1974-1975); Executive VP for Arnar Marketing & Sparky of Chicago (1972-1974); Card-O-Link Company (1970-1972); Industrial Engineer, Minneapolis Honeywell (1969-1970)

EDUCATION

BS Industrial Management, 1969, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

American Marketing Association (AMA); Promotional Products Association International Speakers Bureau (PPAI); Advertising Specialty Association Member (ASI); United Way Board of Directors; PBA Touring Member

AWARDS

Outstanding Alumni Award, Marketing Department at Northern Illinois University, 1997

1997 National Ambassador of the Year presented by the Promotional Products Association International

Regional Ambassador of the Year Award presented by the PPAI, 1995, 1996

Golden Pyramid Award presented by Specialty Advertising Association International, 1991

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