Karen Hicks

**** ******* *****, **********, ** **112

Email: adu960@r.postjobfree.com C: 717-***-****

Astute, tenacious professional with extensive experience in grocery and retail sales. Demonstrates exemplary expertise in the complete sales cycle to secure new accounts and maintain existing business. Intellectually and competitively equipped to excel in fast-pace challenging environments. Experienced sales rep with the proven ability to build markets and brand awareness. Strong work ethic in working collaboratively in a leadership role with Marketing Managers, Store Managers, Brokers, to ensure success in leveraging new products while branding existing product line.

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

GENERAL MILLS—Minnesota (2019–present)

RSR—Retail service rep—Harrisburg/ Mechanicsburg, Lancaster, Hanover, Reading Pa

*Present, promote and sell products to new and existing accounts.

Perform cost benefits and needs analysis of existing/ potential customers to meet their needs.

Establish, develop and maintain positive business and customer relationships.

Build displays, put up POS, merchandise products.

Find needs and solutions to each account to help them grow and expand our sku’s.

Knowledge of market trends, promotional trends and competitive activities.

Communicates the benefits of our products in order to drive sales.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

Always making a difference at retail level, thinking outside the box to make it a win-win solution for all.

Coordinate sales effort with team members and other departments.

Prioritizing, time management and organizational skills.

Accounts—Walmarts, Giants, Weis, Wegmans, Whole Foods, Acme, Target, Shop Rite

Hasbro—Rhode Island (2008—Present)

Account Rep –Harrisburg/Lancaster/York/Mechanicsburg, PA Territory

*Developed proper relations with department/store level personnel to maximize sales results

Merchandise products to obtain schematic compliance

Interface with customers and consumers as a representative of our products

Implemented planograms, point of sale; built displays; cross merchandised; price tags;

Ensured new product cut in: identify and correct voids and out-of-stocks

Utilized all headquarters approved tear pads, channel strips, IRC’s, shelve talkers

Communicated competitive and market activity in every account

Verify that scanning prices reflect current promotional allowances and zone pricing

Knowledge of market trends and visual merchandising proficiency

Accounts covered: Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Kohl’s, and Kmart

Lindt North America—Stratham, New Hampshire (2011-2018)

Retail Sales Merchandiser—Harrisburg/Lancaster/York/Mechanicsburg/Hanover/Scranton Pa Territory

*Premium Chocolate Company

Achieved sales goals by quarter as defined by Regional manager

Strong brand recognition optimization

DSD—ordered product, put product out

Distributed promo displays, built endcaps, put up Point-of-sale,

Plan-o-gram execution; providing optimum display of products

Create strong relationships with store managers, department heads and employees: answering their

Questions, responding to special requests, describing product features; great in store service

Ensure the proper level of stock is maintain; correct voids, out-of-stocks: price tags

Accounts covered: Giant Ahold, Weis, Target, Walmart, Wegmans, Food Lion, Shoppers

House-Autry Mills (Grocery):

Account Representative & Store Auditor Four Oaks, NC, (2006-2013)

* Implemented all business & relationship-building expectations with uniquely assigned accounts & customers

Consistently fulfilled and exceeded department expectations for productivity and accuracy levels, increasing sales on a monthly basis.

Monitored market conditions, product innovations and competitor activity; Adjusting target market to optimize sales

Identified new business opportunities alongside company executives, securing long term growth and new placement

Evaluated Management Action Plans to determine reasonableness and determine follow up audits

Built strong brand recognition optimization in markets and developed superior customer relationships within stores.

Developed strong relations with brokers, worked diligently to strengthen our impact on the retail level

Territory Covered; NY, PA, NJ, MD, DE; Audited: Giant Ahold, Safeway, Food Lion, Weis, Wegmans, Redners, & Tops.

Sony SECA (Electronics):

Sales Representative, Foster City, CA

* Launched and multiplied new product sales and distribution in first year, while surpassing annual quota by 75%

Generated strategies to develop and expand existing customer sales, which resulted in a 30% increase in monthly sales

Assisted PlayStation launch into stores through marketing pitch with store management in placement of product and positioning.

Attended trade shows and sales conferences; openly sharing product knowledge & recommendations with customers.

Promoted to “Team Training Coordinator” within 2 years…Strong background on displays, cross-merchandising, point-of-sale, building customer relations and delivering outstanding service.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

*Sales Merchandiser of the Year honors for LINDT

• Achieved “Sales Representative of the Year” honors under Sony SECA

• Monitor progress and status of assigned projects to ensure completion within a timely manner to management

• Developed and implemented a training program for new hires

• Maintained 100% accuracy in monthly reports

• Maintain current knowledge of audits, retail and other related trends

• High level of experience in brand recognition optimization

EDUCATION

University of Scranton, Scranton, PA

• Bachelor of Arts: Business Administration/Human Services

Contact this candidate