LEE HOWELL

Marietta, GA ***** • adzzsk@r.postjobfree.com • 404-***-**** • linkedin.com/in/michael-howell-1186797

Creative Lead / Project and Resource Management

Visual and Creative Director with extensive leadership experience in the creation and management of branding, visual merchandising, marketing, product launch and promotional campaigns, with initiatives in both client and agency environments. Adept in employing a conceptual and strategic development process using multiple levels of data as the foundation for successful projects. Skilled at managing projects, sustaining client relationships, presenting creative concepts, and leading the launch of new products and services. Highly effective in developing creative, visual and project management talent, and building a cohesive team. Recognized with multiple National Creative, Communication and Internal Corporate Awards.

Skills

Brand Creation and Management • Marketing and Creative Strategies • Team Management

Visual, Verbal and Written Communication • Production • Internal and Co-Op Partnerships

Conceptual Development and Production • Project and Financial Tracking • Talent Resourcing

Professional Experience

The Home Depot • Global Store Support Center 3/2018 – 2/2023

Sr Manager, Visual Merchandising / D24 PAINT, D25T POWER TOOLS & D29K KITCHENS DEPARTMENTS

• Responsible for the overall visual merchandising strategy of assigned business categories

• Drove towards an integrated in-store experience on behalf of The Home Depot brand and supporting vendors

• Provided direction to agency production and creative teams to maintain design integrity of corporate brand standards

• Leveraged consumer insight data, merchandising heat maps and trend research to strategically construct and design in-bay merchandising fixtures, product packaging and support signage to impact customer experience

• Attended Category Product Line Reviews & Business Reviews to ensure product merchandising strategy aligns with business strategy supported by The Home Depot

• Maintained timeline, scope & budget of creative design and fixture development and production of in-store signage programs

• Partnered with Core Merchant Team, as well as Product Vendors to develop working relationships that supported brand efforts

• Collaborated with Cross Functional Teams in Advertising, E-Commerce, Marketing and Internal Private Brands for larger corporate initiatives

Highlights:

• Influenced National Brands in Packaging and vendor-funded signage systems to create better customer product knowledge and shopping experience, along with aligning interconnected messaging for a seamless online product knowledge and expansion

• Attended Proof of Concept Resets nationally to ensure proper guidelines and documentation for store implementation

• Assisted in writing and photographing all Fixture Reset Installation Guides and Signage Reset Guides and Installation for efficient store employee execution

• Attended national monthly MVP/RVP Regional Events, interacting with Store Managers and Vendor Demonstrations of new products to build excitement and product knowledge at the store level

The Home Depot • Global Private Brands • Crown Bolt Division 1/2012 – 3/2018

Sr Manager, Creative Service Department

• Provided direction for a team of graphic designers, production artists, print managers and temp freelance

• Translated business objectives into strategic creative solutions for the company’s global retail private brands

• Drove revenue gains by influencing the customer experience through product packaging, in-store support signage, promotional displays and planogramming solutions for 15,125+ SKUs of products in 25 distinctive product categories across 9+ individual brands, breaking $1 billion in POS in 2017

• Led team in updating all individual Private Brands Packaging to New 2018 PROP 65 Guidelines and beat schedule

• Created prototyped support materials for all THD product line reviews (new product acquisitions and expanded existing product lines) and facilitated meetings with THD Global Brand executives and marketing teams

• Maintained full accountability for lifecycle of all product packaging, in-store support signage and promotional displays from concept through production (bilingual), with final approval of all first articles in domestic and global production facilities

• Created in-use and silhouetted hi-res product photography + instructional video database for print and online usage

• Led creative kick-off/brainstorming sessions with marketing and sales teams

• PMP Certification + PMP Fundamentals Training

• Selected in 2017 for Pilot Management Leadership Training Program of initial 1,200 Associates

Highlights:

• Awarded 2013 Vendor of the Year – The Home Depot

• Recognized with 2013 Employee Award of Excellence for project management and strategic leadership

• Recognized with 2013 Creative Team Award of Excellence for project management and strategic leadership

• Served as a change agent guiding team during a major business model shift to an exclusive private brand relationship with The Home Depot, resulting in a $280 million extensive contract, and met an aggressive deadline in converting 15,125+ SKUs into THD’s private brands

• Consistently led packaging and prototype development for successful product line review wins in new product categories and existing expansions

• Led creative and production development of in-store promotional displays for unique products garnering $18 million/yearly in promo sales

• Created new prototyping system for PLRs, resulting in a 95% decrease in prototyping costs and a 50% decrease in the development timeframe

• Supported all graphics and signage needs for record store resets in 2015 (11,880) - Average Yearly Resets = ~6,500

Big Red Rooster May 2010 – June 2011

Sr Creative Manager / Softlines / The Home Depot Account

• Provided direction for a team of graphic designers and production artists for the agency’s largest account

• Translated business objectives into strategic creative solutions for The Home Depot’s “Softlines”, including departments of Paint, Flooring, Carpeting, Gardening and Outdoor Tools, along with the Holiday and Spring seasonal promotions

• Facilitated presentations for THD executives and outlined projected ROI for campaigns, programs and promotions

Highlights:

• Researched and developed complete graphical overhaul of the Cleaning Supplies Aisle to double sales from $1 billion to $2 billion annually in 18 months

• Researched and developed complete graphical overhaul of the Tool Rental Department

• Researched and developed new signage system and graphics for “Holiday” that would then transform into “Spring”, saving each store ~$8,000 per signage kit pack

Creative Mechanic, LLC February 1998 – April 2010

Sr Graphic Designer and Sr project Manager

• Managed the full life cycle of creative projects including strategic and conceptual development, design, RFPs, budgets, production, quality and client relations

• Recruited by industry-leading agencies to serve as assigned Senior Graphic Designer on high-profile accounts for branding, product and marketing promotions, and new business presentations

• Hired and managed contractors and vendors (photographers, illustrators, media buyers, printers) as needed

Highlights:

• Recruited as a Senior Graphic Designer for the BBDO Atlanta Team that won the 2004 Cingular Wireless account, and the 2007 rebranding to AT&T Mobility

• Creative contributor to the BBDO Atlanta Agency revenue growth on the Cingular/AT&T Wireless account, growing from $200 million in 2004 to $2 billion annually, becoming the #1 account in BBDO’s global network

• Entrusted by several major advertising agencies to act with full authority as their creative representative

• Received multiple awards for design of logos, marketing collateral, corporate communications and product promotions for clients in several industries

SportMart January 1997 – January 1998

Group Creative Lead

• Member of a 3-person team hired to reinvent the complete company brand and position this publicly traded retailer (57 stores) for acquisition

• Creative contributor in concepting and developing the “Play-By-Play” Frequent Buyer Program (along with all visual in-store and direct marketing promotions support materials) resulting in a 50% increased customer improvement and participation, qualitative feedback for a more specific and effective marketing focus to the customer, significant increases in average purchases and an enhanced brand perception

• Developed co-op in-store and online programs with major sporting equipment manufacturers (Nike, Reebok, Puma, Adidas)

• Developed private brand solutions in multiple product lines (women’s athletic wear, mens and womens golf apparel, California surfwear, hiking/camping apparel)

• Developed SWAT (SportMart Women’s Advisory Team), a new Women’s Initiative Program incorporating product and community scholarship awards for female athletes and featured previous female Olympic winners across the country

• Efforts resulted in a company sale in 10 months, exceeding the 18 month target by almost 50%

Education

The University of Georgia

BFA / Graphic Design

3.7/4.0

Agency and Client Account Experience

Broadcast Promotion

CNN • HEADLINE NEWS • TNT • TBS SUPERSTATION • CARTOON NETWORK • TURNER SOUTH

Food

POPEYE’S FRIED CHICKEN • MRS.WINNER’S CHICKEN • ARBY’S • KENNY ROGER’S ROASTERS

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE • BUGABOO CREEK STEAKHOUSE • THE CAPITAL GRILLE

TED’S MONTANA GRILL • ATLANTA BREAD COMPANY • CHECKERS HAMBURGERS

MARLOW’S TAVERN • AQUA BLUE • HI-LIFE RESTAURANT • GEORGIA SPICE COMPANY

COCA-COLA • DOG STAR BAKERY • TINES CATERING • INGER’S FINE FOODS

BIG RIVER BREWERIES • SMINT MINTS • BLAIS RESTAURANT • OSI RESTAURANT PARTNERS

CANOE RESTAURANT • MRS. FIELDS BRANDS • COWGIRL KITCHEN RESTAURANT

Non-Profits

ATLANTA FIELD DAY • MEDSHARE INTERNATIONAL • PIEDMONT PARK CONSERVENCY

CLIFTON COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP • CHILDRENS HEALTHCARE OF ATLANTA

MUDBUG FUNDRAISING • CAPTAIN PLANET FOUNDATION

Business-to-Business

OMYA INTERNATIONAL • ADAC (ATL. DECORATIVE ARTS CENTER) • ACCELERATED DESIGN

RANDSTAD • ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL • AVON PROTECTION GEAR

SOUTHERN MILLS / TENCATE FABRICS • SIMMON’S CORPORATION

Finance

CAPITAL ONE BANK • HIBERNIA BANK • WORLD FINANCIAL GROUP • OFC CAPITAL, INC.

BANK OF NORTH GEORGIA • GEORGIAN BANK • CAPITAL THIRTY-THREE

HAGAR FINANCIAL CORP.

Real Estate

PARTNERS DEVELOPMENT • 626 DEKALB APARTMENTS • THE STACKS LOFTS

CAPITAL 33 REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT • WYSOCKI BROTHERS HOMEBUILDERS

MILL POND DEVELOPMENT • DISHCO REALTY GROUP • GRACE CONSTRUCTION

Sports Marketing

THE ATLANTA HAWKS • THE ATLANTA BRAVES • 2006 ATLANTA GAMES • ALASKA EXPERIENCES

CVA • POWERBELT BULLETS • LEICA OPTICS • WINCHESTER • BERGARA BARRELS

ATLANTA FIELD DAY

Retail

THE HOME DEPOT • CROWN BOLT • BASSETT FURNITURE • SPORTMART

THE LOVABLE COMPANY • BELLSOUTH MOBILITY • CINGULAR WIRELESS • AT&T MOBILITY

AMTICO FLOORING • YKK ZIPPERS INTERNATIONAL • BLUE MEDSPA • THE SAVAGE GARDEN

QUIKCRETE • POSTAL PAST • ASA-CARLTON INTERIORS • DUREX CONDOMS

CVA MUZZLELOADERS • WINCHESTER MUZZLELOADERS • POWERBELT BULLETS

LEICA BINOCULARS • CARTERS CHILDRENS CLOTHING • PAUL MITCHELL • MITSUBISHI MOTORS

HOME DEPOT LANDSCAPE SUPPLY • Behr and PPG Paint • Ryobi, Milwaukee, DeWalt and Bosch Power Tools

Utilities

BELLSOUTH MOBILITY • CINGULAR WIRELESS • TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY

PROGRESS ENERGY • AIRSAGE • GEORGIA’S CLEAN AIR FORCE • COX COMMUNICATIONS

GEOSTATS

Contact this candidate