Sales Customer Service

Stephen L. Spain

Lawrence, KS - 785-***-**** - ************@*****.***

http://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenspain

Profile

An accomplished “hands-on” Senior Financial Executive with a well earned reputation for integrity and driving top line revenue growth and bottom line profitability. Executive value includes strategic and financial expertise, plus a proven record of successful decision making, combined with solid execution in business development, IT integration, traditional and on line marketing, statutory, dynamic regulatory and financial reporting, P&L management, and high impact internal controls and processes.

Professional Highlights

• Business Planning, Forecasting and Annual Budgeting • Traditional and Online Marketing

• Financial Modeling and Risk Management • Leading Change Across Multiple Departments

• Expense Control • Relationship Building with Business Partners

• Revenue and Profit Optimization • Team Building & Mentoring

• Quickly add a significant impact within an organization • Investor, Stakeholder and Vendor Relations

• Extensive Knowledge of Business Operations • Proficiency in Internal & Controls Compliance

Education

MBA, Finance - Western International University (abt) BS, Business Management - Western International University

AA - Engineering Technology–Manhattan Technical College Author of many industry published articles

Career Progression

Chief Operating Officer Personalized Brokerage Services, LLC Topeka, KS 2008 to present

Directed the day to day operations of this $450 million financial firm including accounting, IT, on line marketing, human resources, and sales support. As a member of the senior management team developed and implemented the annual corporate strategy and budgets, serving 8,000 independent sales agents, and restructured business processes during the current recession to minimize risk and maximize returns. Managed and controlled relations with auditors and regulatory authorities.

• Develop and implement the annual strategic and operating plan process for the company including development and OVERSIGHT OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET and strategic and tactic development to achieve those goals.

• RESPONSIBLE FOR FIRM P&L with special emphasis on meeting plan to performance (P to P) BUILDING TO A 26% RETURN ON SALES performance.

• Manage HR, IT, Marketing, Customer Support, Purchasing and Finance departments while performing as the primary liaison with the parent firm Allianz of North America. IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, while reducing costs. Effectively manage varying lines of business in multiple sales teams to promote alignment of tactics and strategies with evolving priorities. Onboarding of new employees.

• Strengthen and expand business partnerships and alliances. BUILDING ORGANIZATIONAL AND CUSTOMER INTIMACY through client and employee communications programs. Build robust communities of users, enthusiasts, and fans, enact strategic and tactical initiatives to grow market share.

• CREATION AND EXECUTION OF TRADITIONAL AND ONLINE MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAMS that generate productive leads and strengthen awareness of the company brand to support our agents and representatives in the field. Distribution of 9 million emails annually, contracting with advertising portals, execution of day to day marketing activities. Negotiated sourcing strategies and contracts to facilitate a win/win for partners and creating strategic supplier partnerships. Accountable for business retention, requests for proposals, and contract negotiations.

• Business process integration and executive dashboard implementation to make available real time sales metrics and ANALYTIC TOOLS TO PROVIDE COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS, MARKET FORECASTS, AND PROACTIVE PERFORMANCE SUCCESS. The second generation included a sales agent portal to provide direct analytical tools for independent agents on sales metrics and product distribution needed for strategic decision making.

• Improved receivable and cash collection processes and financial controls that maximized cash flow while strengthening internal controls.

Chief Operating Officer Industry People Group Des Moines, Iowa 2004 to 2008

As a leader, my primary responsibility included the day to day operations of the firm with special emphasis on sustainable growth and fiscal management of this $12 million ecommerce firm serving over 2,000 companies nationally to quickly locate, hire and onboard qualified employees.

• Posted a 200% increase in revenue growth. Achieved a 253% increase in web traffic, 280% increase in first time visitors, dramatically improved site technical reliability and built and organization to support growth.

• Build robust communities of users, enthusiasts, and fans, enact strategic and tactical initiatives to grow market share

• Monitored competitive and industry trends via market research to maintain competitive advantage, remain differentiated and create value for the customer Successfully planned and implemented a national marketing plan including targeted radio ads using a “rolling thunder” philosophy.

• To improve profitability, the firm’s product line was augmented by the development of six new ecommerce products.

• Recognized by the President as a catalyst who can implement transition, generate revenue and income growth, and develop strong sales teams while driving strategic and cultural change.

• Financial Management: - Bottom line responsibility for strategic planning, P&L, ROI, managing profits, pricing, sales and operating budgets, and financial systems automation.

President PenDragon Services, Inc. Overland Park, KS 1998 – 2004

PenDragon Services is a professional services firm that specializes in guiding the executive leadership of companies by leading the integration of improved business process supported by technology and robust customer experience solutions.

• Led the launch of an emerging growth firm from the idea stage to the implementation of a business plan, financials, NEW MEDIA MARKETING PLAN and technology plan. The firm, Extellisys and technology were acquired in 2003.

• Spearheaded a marketing initiative to develop an in house IT infrastructure team. Responsible for implementation of IT Hardware to multiple call centers on an international basis. RESULTS: SAVED $50M BY REPLACING OBSOLETE SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED BUSINESS MARKETING PROCESSES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE for Sprint PCS.

• Assisted a client’s firm’s management in the reorganization and turnaround of a core business unit for a Fortune 1000 firm. Developed financial models and supply chain/channel integration from the agent's desk through the reflex ordering process, reducing processing time from 12 to 3 days. REVERSED $3 MILLION ANNUAL LOSS AND BROUGHT THE BUSINESS UNIT TO PROFITABILITY FOR CHOICEPOINT.

VP Government Affairs Hudson Technologies, New York, NY 1996 - 1998

Hudson Technologies (NASDAQ HDSN) is a supplier of specialty chemicals including refrigerants. Hudson acquired my firm, Environmental Support Solutions, in 1996 through acquisition. After the merger I was an elected to the Board of Directors of the publicly traded firm.

• Lobbied national lawmakers to PROMOTE LEGISLATION favorable to market sector.

• Spearheaded an ACQUISITION OF A SOFTWARE FIRM in Atlanta in a stock deal that brought additional product lines, revenue and a significant new customer database.

• Negotiated stock purchase with DuPont that drove stock price from $6.00 a share to over $14.00.

• Effectively POSITIONED THE COMPANY in the market by establishing effective relationships and communications with relevant constituencies including, analysts, investors, banks and other financial institutions.

• Coordinated the ANNUAL MARKETING PLAN with the DuPont Marketing team to assure CHANNEL PARTNER success.

President/Founder Environmental Support Solutions, Inc., Mesa, AZ 1991 - 1996

Founded technology / training start up and achieved $65 million in annual revenue through combined organic growth and M&A in 5 years.

• Founded software, training and consulting startup; grew to $65 million annual revenue in 5 years.

• Honored by Arizona Software Association in 1996 as founder of one of FASTEST GROWING COMPANIES in the state.

• Awarded "Duty of Care" approval by the government of Great Britain for INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE application.

• Selected by the EPA to administer federally mandated national training programs.

• Designed a national certification program in conjunction with the EPA, Certified 50,000 technicians nationally.

• Provided environmental consulting for Fortune 500 leaders including DuPont, Ford Motor Company, GM, & Intel.

• Responsible for recruiting, hiring, training, evaluating and managing a sales organization of 12 sales representatives.

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