KEITH E. POWELL

• Location: Omaha, NE. ***** • Phone: 402-***-**** • Email: adua9f@r.postjobfree.com • LinkedIn: in/keith-powell

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP FOR REGIONAL TERRITORY DEVELOPMENT

A strategic and driven sales leader with an entrepreneurial background. Successfully launched and grew a multi-million-dollar, multi-territory, regional B2B operation for 37 years before successfully selling the business. Notably built out, hired for, and established each department’s operation and grew the organization to 58 members while heading development of multiple lines of business, revenue growth strategies, and growing a network of distributors, vendors, and suppliers.

A growth coach and mentor who has empowered team members to expand their confidence and skillsets by challenging them with increasing responsibilities and creating successful, healthy environments to encourage and support them.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

B2B Channel Sales and Partner Development • Logistics Planning & Management (distribution, 3PL)

Salesforce/CRM Database Migrations • Team Leadership • Continuous Improvement • Process Development

Prospecting Strategy & Competitive Proposal Development • Account Management & Budget Maximization

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY

HiTouch Business Services Omaha, NE

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR March 2021 – October 2022

Oversaw and support territory development and goal attainment for a regional sales team’s $20M in B2B revenues stemming from customer sales and service agreements for a wide gamut of Office/Facilities Management supplies, products, and professional services. Strategized with sales staff and coached/mentored them in developing and implementing business plans to approach active prospects and streamline processes with current customers. Major focus on product and process improvement/standardization, customer retention, supply chain management, and vendor consolidation among all lines of business (LOB).

** This role served to manage the resulting M&A of the Pay-LESS Office Products business lines and customer contracts**

Led financial analysis, product standardization, and consolidation across 100’s of vendors for several LOB

Managed a $20M sales budget and developed, coached, and mentored a 13-member Regional Sales team

Led the mergers’ integration of key account SLAs into billing and distribution functions within 6-months and maintained 100% of active customers

Facilitated hiring, firing, training, one-on-ones, and bi-weekly sale sales meetings

Created effective marketing collateral and sales support tools for prospecting; implementation increased pipeline by 15% to 18% resulting in $2.8M in new business

Directed the internal UI/UX team to incorporate market feedback and user insights into new site features, resulting in more LOB ordered, higher average order amounts, and increased inventory turn to 1.7 turns year

Pay-LESS Office Products Omaha, NE

OWNER/OPERATOR August 1986 – March 2021

Founded and grew a fully-operational regional office furniture and supplies business from <$1M in sales to >$20M in annual revenue through numerous DC expansions, business acquisitions, strategic sales, and local and national account management. Led out the development of each department’s operations to develop and establish business process, procedures, margin reviews, marketing initiatives, variance reporting, CRM functionality, pipeline, and all additional areas of business.

Acquired 3 businesses from 2008-2014, enabling the company to expand into Kansas City and Des Moines area markets and increase its distribution footprint; ranked in top 20% of dealers in the co-op buying group

Led hiring, coaching, training, mentoring, sales management, strategy, and incentive programs to grow and sustain a salesforce from 4 initial employees to 58

In response to margin deterioration, tasked the Pricing Director on matrixes, regular contract reviews, timelines for increases, and margin expectations within each LOB;

-Within 6 months, increased margin by .75%, netting an additional $13K/mo.

-Increased to 1.75% by end of the fiscal year, netting ~$31k/mo. to bottom line sales

Core office products business represented 80% of sales that decreased in total revenue each year because of new technology; developed a strategic roadmap with productivity goals to offset the annual decreases for core businesses, balance category percentages across all product lines, and reduce vendors;

-Recruited and hired executives to build 3 new LOBs and drastically increase core business category sales within an already active account base;

-Created an all-in-one business model (ordering, reporting, delivery, etc.) and became a single-source provider;

-Their efforts and the strategy were on target to reach goals in the 4th year (at the time the business sold)

**Successfully sold the business in March 2021, to HiTouch Business services**

Volunteered personal time and company resources to support numerous community programs from 1992 – 2021, including a Back-To-School program, Summer Fan Drive, Walmart Holiday Season Toy Drive, Winter Coat Drives, provided delivery pick-up and drop-off, and facilitated many other programs through the years.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Essendant Nebraska

Advisory Board Member January 2015 – December 2016

Served on the board with owners and senior management within the independent channel in the office product industry, collaboratively advising on state of the industry, marketing approach, distribution centers, and other vital areas that support independent dealers throughout the United States.

Nebraska Kidney Association Nebraska

President May 2014 – April 2016

Served a two-year term as President of the Board of Directors and strategized with the CEO on the organization's direction, reviewed financials, and helped develop programs throughout Nebraska for fundraising and testing.

Salvation Army Nebraska

Board Member February 1992 – January 2015

Served on several committees such as housing, tree of lights, backpack drive, and yearly food drive. Volunteered PAYLESS Office Products truck fleet to pick up and deliver donated products throughout the Omaha metro area.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce – Omaha’s Fastest Growing Companies, 1996

Midlands Business Journal – 40 Under 40 Winner, 2004

Recognized by a committee of business leaders across various industries in the Omaha metro area

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Business – the University of Nebraska at Omaha

(Pursued but did not complete)

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