Sales and marketing professional

Summary:

A highly skilled, results-driven sales professional with over 10 years of experience helping manufacturers and service providers generate revenue and profit through clear and effective strategies.

Experience:

Duo-Form Plastics (Edwardsburg, MI)

Sales

2009-2009

• Responsible for all sales and customer service activities for this $15 million thermoforming company, with accounts in the RV, marine, automotive, and other industrial markets.

• Developed sales and marketing strategies and goals, built a retail marketing communications plan and managed its execution, and developed a new residential bath products brand.

Lyons Industries, Inc. (Dowagiac, MI)

Sales and Marketing

2004-2009

• Responsible for all accounts for this $20 million manufacturer of plumbing fixtures. Primary markets included big box retail stores, regional retail outlets, international plumbing wholesalers, and manufacturers of RVs and manufactured homes. Developed new business through national territory.

• Sold new product programs, as well as developing and executing retail marketing communications and promotional campaigns that resulted in a 50 percent increase in special order sales at Menards stores throughout the Midwest.

• Identified target markets and developed territories with outside rep firms, which led to the expansion of business into Ace Hardware and the RV/mobile home aftermarket. Coordinated all trade show activities for these markets.

• Conducted strategic pricing analysis and led a product development team to maximize profitability on current products, and to launch eight new products, which brought in over $2 million of revenue.

• Developed the recreational vehicle and manufactured housing market for the company, increasing revenues from $4 million to $8 million per year in 18 months, while maintaining profitability.

• Identified a more effective distributor to the RV market, and coordinated the transfer of $8 million worth of business from the previous distributor, with no interruption in service to customers.

• Managed the strategic development of sales and marketing plans, which included a complete corporate brand repositioning effort to more successfully reach a consumer audience.

Jay M Dressander

P. 2

Radix Communications, Inc. (Saint Joseph, MI)

Account Supervisor

2001-2004

• Managed client relationships and developed new business for this $16 million marketing communications firm. Primary clients included Whirlpool Corp., the world’s largest manufacturer of home appliances, Dometic Corp., an RV industry supplier, and La-Z-Boy, one of the world’s leading residential furniture producers.

• Built strategic marketing plans and annual budgets, which would provide consistency to all of Dometic’s marketing communications materials utilizing print advertising, photography, collateral, trade show displays, and interactive media.

• Developed sales strategies and marketing programs for Whirlpool’s trade partners and national accounts, including Best Buy, JCPenney, Ace Hardware, Rent-A-Center, True Value, and DirectBuy.

Sefton Associates (Grand Rapids, MI)

Account Executive

1997-2001

• Developed advertising and public relations campaigns for several of the agency’s clients, including the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, Automotive News, Steelcase, the world’s largest office furniture manufacturer, and others.

• Worked closely with the creative department to ensure that marketing communications and advertising material were developed to the clients’ specifications, and fit within the overall brand strategy.

• Wrote and produced press releases and quarterly/annual reports for the firm’s publicly traded clients, and secured media placement in publications ranging from The Detroit Free Press to The Wall Street Journal.

Education:

Grand Valley State University

Bachelor of Science in Advertising and Public Relations, May 1995

Professional Development:

• Member of Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) plumbing technical committee. (2006-present)

• Freelance writer for MiBiz Southwest, a weekly publication covering the business community in Southwest Michigan. (2001-2004)

• Guest lecturer for advertising courses at Grand Valley State University. (2000-2001)

• Committee chairperson for the West Michigan chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. (1998-2001)

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