Sales Manager

Susan R. Benes

*** ******* ***. ****: 724-***-****

Leechburg, PA 15656 *********@*****.***

Product Manager • Account Manager • Marketing Manager

A market savvy, driven leader with 7 years in experience in product marketing and management, coupled with 6 years of demonstrated results in B2B sales. Specific talents include driving the sales lifecycle as well as researching, designing and implementing customer and product marketing plans. Additional talents include knowledge of direct sales, OEM and distribution marketing strategies and a strong knowledge of scientific market applications and customer needs.

Core Competencies

Product Launches • Marketing Plan Development and Execution • B2B and OEM Contracts • Process Improvement • Budgeting & Performance Metrics • Sales Force/Customer Training • Pricing Strategies • Direct and Web Marketing

Merlin Instrument Company Marketing Manager

Newark, DE March 2010-Present

Hired to create new marketing plan for company which included new distributor relationships, and re-launch company image. Focused on developing customer facing programs such as first company website to provide critical customer touch points. Duties also include product pricing strategies, customer technical support, contract negotiation, trade show support and distributor product training domestic and international.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DUTIES

• Design and successful launch of first company website; Fall 2010.

• Design and launch new market strategies with distributor partners.

• Collaborate with instrument manufacturer, to expand existing product line.

• Designed, contracted and marketed first independent technical study on products to promote line.

• Collaborate with inter-company departments on customer issues and questions.

Restek Corporation Product Marketing Manager

Bellefonte, PA July 2007 to September 2009

Entrusted to grow and manage a $20M consumables and equipment product line (40% of company revenue). Additional responsibilities included: voice of the customer surveys, product research and development, cross-department product integration, competitor monitoring and evaluation, sales training and programs, yearly strategy/business plans and OEM customer management. Global responsibilities included training and support.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DUTIES

• Product line results that outperform average company growth by 5-8%.

• Planned and managed product launch of re-designed gas leak detector equipment. Launch resulted in $1M first year sales and overall product line increase of 60% over prior year.

• Negotiated several OEM contracts successfully, which resulted in over $2M in sales.

• Awarded top sales by manufacturing partner for gas generator and air compressor sales and marketing program. Company saw a 200% increase in gas generator sales as a result of the program roll-out.

• Developed and implemented a new web process for collecting feedback of product beta testing electronically.

• Collaborated with internal departments on new product development, inventory and export compliance.

ThermoFisher Scientific Product Marketing Manager

US Distribution Operations – Pittsburgh, PA September 2001-July 2007

Managed a $20M food testing, $40M chromatography consumables, $30M compressors and pumps and $150M liquid handling product line(s) for sales to US customers. Additional responsibilities included competitive analyses, customer onsite training, supplier management; trade show support, contract negotiation and sales force training.

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ThermoFisher Scientific (Cont’d)

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DUTIES

• Managed a program that converted sales from a major water filtration company to products from a leading water filtration manufacturer. The program converted 68% of the business.

• Designed, and implemented a program to convert a Fortune 500 manufacturer’s product to a preferred supplier partner. A plan to replace $12M in business was rolled out, including product cross-references, marketing literature, sales training and customer promotions. The program in its first year recovered the entire $12M in new sales.

• Managed liquid handling product portfolio that included a product launch of the new Fisherbrand pipettor line, which proved to be one of the most successful OEM launches with growth of 45% in the line.

• Responsible for working cross functionally with all company departments to ensure product line success including Sales and Marketing, Transportation, Supply-chain, Regulatory, QA/QC and Product Development.

• Developed sales and marketing program for the food and beverage industry. Managed roll-out of the entire campaign, including a 400-page product catalog. Program resulted in a sales growth of +12%, which was sustained even after two years of program implementation.

• In–depth market analyses on: forensics, food. medical device, lab animal research and chromatography.

Exygen Research Industrial Sales Manager

State College, PA August 1998 - September 2001

Served as Sales Manager for all domestic industrial accounts. Responsibilities included account management, new account sales, customer liaison with internal chemists and biologists, marketing materials, trade show management.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DUTIES

• Secured numerous new key national accounts for independent method development for LC/MS and IC. New accounts included market areas such as food and beverage, wastewater treatment, petroleum, polymer chemistry and pesticide chemistry. Grew these accounts 125%

Test America General Manager

Atlanta, GA August 1996 – August -1998

Overhauled and reversed the reputation of three failing environmental testing laboratories including Atlanta, Macon, GA and Murfreesboro, TN. This also included: day to day management, business development, personnel management, data integrity, profitability tracking, and regional pricing strategy.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DUTIES

• Created double-digit growth in Atlanta one year post acquisition.

• Secured the company’s first mobile GC laboratory project utilizing in-house equipment and a warehoused lab trailer. All personnel and equipment were billed at an hourly rate resulting in an exceptionally profitable project.

Kiber Environmental Services, Inc. Technical Proposal Manager

Atlanta, GA February 1992 - August 1996

Coordinated and directed all technical US EPA projects including contract management, compliance and budget forecasting. Responsibilities included lab audits, lab certification and data integrity evaluation as well as managing proposals totaling over $2 M.

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS/DUTIES

• Gained U.S. Army Corp of Engineers approval for the in-house testing laboratory, one of the most difficult certifications to gain in the industry.

• Prepared technical proposal and was awarded US Forestry Service project which included over 20 locations.

EDUCATION

BA Chemistry and Biology, Indiana University of PA, Indiana, PA May 1987

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