National Sales Manager

NIKA ALEX

ORLAND PARK, IL ********@*****.***

708-***-**** www.linkedin.com/in/nikaalex

Customer-focused leader with 30+ years of technical sales/product management experience coordinating sales efforts at major corporations.

Led projects, managed project teams of 4-6 people, responsible for project oversight and strategy, task delegation and final deliverables.

Articulate communicator skilled in delivering insightful presentations and strengthening relationships with business partners, peers and senior leadership.

Proven mentor, trainer of distributors, customers and salesmen.

Strategic Marketing Territory Expansion Product Launches

Problem Analysis/Resolution

Solutions Selling

Promotional Events

Budgeting & Cost Control

Client Relationship Mgt

Customer Focus

“Increased Widin’s sales 10 to 15% annually from 2022 to 2023”

“Increased Mitsubishi’s drill sales 30 to 35% annually from 2004 to 2018”

“Increased Ashland’s strategic accounts revenue by 20% from 2002 to 2004”

“Increased Grainger's sales from $20 million to $25 million”

“Trained and administered sales training to 300+ employees” PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

WIDIN, INC., Schaumburg, IL 2022-Present

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

Lead nationwide sales team of manufacturers’ representatives (US & Canada) to achieve sales goals & targets. Develop and implement effective sales strategies. Establish productive and professional relationships with key personnel at customer accounts. Negotiate and close agreements with large customers. Prepare annual sales forecasts. Perform research and identify new potential customers and new market opportunities. Provide timely and effective solutions aligned with clients’ needs. Liaise with Marketing and Product Development departments to ensure brand consistency. Keep abreast of new product launches and ensure sales team members are on board. Maintain market knowledge in the automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, and medical industries. Maintain communication channels with primary product and marketing associates in Korea. Leadership: Work with major companies (GM, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Boeing, Caterpillar & John Deere). Accomplishment: Increased Widin’s sales 10 to 15% annually from 2022 to 2023. MSC INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY, CO., Wood Dale, IL 2021-2022 METALWORKING SPECIALIST

Technical metalworking tooling and machining support for MSC customers & sales personnel. Provide extensive cost savings through individual projects and facility-wide process improvements by suggesting the most efficient tooling, work holding, training, process changes and running parameters that optimize the operation and lead to value added solutions. Leadership: Work with major metalworking companies (Sandvik, Kennametal, Norton, 3M, OSG, Seco, Guhring, Iscar). Accomplishment: Average over $50,000 per month of cost savings for my customers. MITSUBISHI MATERIALS USA CORPORATION, Schaumburg, IL 2004-2018 PRODUCT MANAGER

Coordinated all commercial activities for drilling products and other industrial cutting tools. Maintained strategic relationships with Honda, Caterpillar, Boeing & John Deere. Performed marketing research for all industrial cutting tools. Prepared R&D requests for new products, price study sheets, launching sheets and marketing memos. Recommended product/application parameters and improved manufacturing processes. Evaluated new products for the North American market. Coordinated field testing for all new products. Remained up to date on competitor products: pricing, performance, etc. Coordinated all technical brochures, articles, advertisements and displays. Maintained communication channels with primary product and marketing associates in Japan.

Leadership: Developed training programs for distributors, customers, and Mitsubishi salesmen. Accomplishment: Increased Mitsubishi’s drill sales 30 to 35% annually from 2004 to 2018. ASHLAND HARDWARE SYSTEMS, INC., Lowell, IN 2002-2004 STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER

Grew strategic accounts with cumulative sales equal to $4.5 million whose revenue increased by 20% from 2002 to 2004. Fostered and maintained strategic relationships with company’s most lucrative revenue generating accounts (Anderson, Marvin, Pella & Milgard). Secured new accounts and grew other existing accounts. Served as liaison between customers and the Product Development Department. Worked with Product Development Department to test and analyze new products. Collaborated with manufacturers’ representatives to increase sales. Provided technical support and worked to troubleshoot customer/product issues. Maintained market knowledge in the window and door industry. Customer Relations: Succeeded at reviving damaged relationship with leading business resulting in retention of a

$750,000 account.

Accomplishment: Increased Ashland’s strategic accounts revenue by 20% from 2002 to 2004. W.W. GRAINGER, INC., Lake Forest, IL 1996-2002

PRODUCT SPECIALIST

Analyzed financial and market information in the Product Line Review process. Improved Grainger’s GP, which was 10 - 25% under industry average, by initiating a product line review for our Fasteners Category. Sent out a request for proposal (RFP) to all the major suppliers while handling all related tasks. Performed price benchmarking activities and competitive analysis in quarterly line reviews. Reviewed and edited all aspects of product information for display in Grainger catalog, electronic catalog, and Grainger.com website. Provided technical information and application guidance to customers and field employees. Managed product team's marketing activities in terms of selecting product, setting promotional prices, and proofing copy/layout for sales bulletins, direct mail brochures, and specialty catalogs. Achieved and maintained a high level of market knowledge and technical expertise.

Process Improvement: Worked in various cross-functional teams, including inventory management to help reduce excess inventory and helped forecasters become familiar with the new products resulting in improved cycle times and an overall improvement in performance while saving the company over $120 million in excess inventory. Accomplishment: Increased Grainger's previous year’s sales from $20 million to $25 million, gaining annual profits of $5 million with the new GP and reached decisions resulting in improved economic earnings. EDUCATION

MASTERS OF SCIENCE (MATHEMATICS), 2018

GOVERNORS STATE UNIVERSITY, University Park, IL

MBA, (MARKETING MANAGEMENT), 2000

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY, Chicago, IL

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MECHANICAL ENGINEERING), 1992 SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY, Carbondale, IL

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