VP Sales, Operations and Administration

Joe E. Meherg

Cellular 334-***-**** / Home 334-***-****

*** ******** *****, **********, ** 36022

*********@**********.***

Objective

PROVEN and QUALIFIED to lead and direct in various areas of sales, management, administration and field operations. This includes performance management applications, sales and product strategy, business specific reporting tools and establishing accountability models.

Executive Profile

Senior executive with over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing, field operations, sales administration, analysis and reporting. Proven ability to build and foster strategic business relationships with corporate level executives resulting in increased revenues, bottom-line profitability and customer retention. Background includes strategic planning, forecasting, budgeting, sales reporting and analysis. Managed field operations, sales contract negotiation and administration, distributor development and operations. Successfully recruited customers, grew revenue, improved productivity, reduced costs, improved operations, and drove market share growth in North America.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Successfully built relationships with all levels of a company to further the recruiting of new business, maintain existing business and resolve issues quickly and efficiently. Have demonstrated exceptional skill for comprehensive analysis of data and business processes resulting in improved communication, planning, forecasting, cost reduction, margin improvement, operational efficiency and profitability.

Greatest asset is the ability to provide solutions that turn complex issues into manageable tasks and to develop the plans and implementation processes to deliver outstanding results.

Professional Experience

April 2008 to November 2008 - Plus 3 Alliance, LLC. – General Manager Deatsville, Alabama

 Managed an alliance of independent distributors of social expressions products.

 Responsible to the membership of the alliance for negotiation of pricing, availability of product lines, strategic partnerships and sales programs.

 Managed the negotiation, generation and administration of all sales contracts

 Responsible for sales and marketing functions of the alliance, business development acquisition, strategic planning and standardization of processes and procedures to minimize costs.

November 2006 to April 2008 - Gartner Greetings, Inc. – VP Sales, Operations & Administration Deatsville, Alabama

 Developed the operational strategy for the start up of a new greeting card company after the closure of Paramount Cards.

 Responsible for the structure of product line availability, administration of budgets and operations.

 Provided the strategic planning, product pricing, forecasting, demand planning, purchasing and logistics support.

 Managed sales, sales administration and customer relations.

 Responsible for the negotiation, generation and administration of all sales contracts

 Developed customer ordering processes and implemented these processes into a legacy system.

 Successfully transitioned customers to the new company while developing the product line to fill their needs immediately.

 Developed and managed new customer relationships to grow sales base.

April 1997 to November 2006 - Paramount Cards Holding Corporation – Senior VP Deatsville, Alabama

 Managed all functions of US Distributor Division including:

o P&L responsibility for the division, strategic planning, pricing, structure of product line availability, forecasting and administration of budgets.

o Sales, training of independent distributors as well as functioning as the primary contact for the owners and presidents of the distributors.

 Managed the Sales Administration division with responsibilities:

o Advanced P&L review

o Negotiation, generation and administration of all sales contracts

o Sales Reporting and analysis, sales and expense forecasting

o Business review generation

o Developed business development tools and a sales resource library for use by field sales personnel resulting in improved close rate percentage and more profitable aggregate deal value.

 Automated the sales process by creating sales tools to allow field sales personnel to evaluate the profitability of offers independently. Worked with finance to empower the sales organization to make sales proposals, within preset limits, with little or no management review.

 Utilized technology to streamline and integrate day to day communication needs and operational processes of sales team and internal departments.

o Developed and installed RemoteLink IVR (Interactive Voice Response) database for the collection of data from field sales and service personnel.

o Developed and managed online database and CRM solutions.

o Developed various automated reporting structures.

 Developed and implemented sales programs that consistently delivered double digit incremental sales increases.

 Created the process to recruit, hire, train, schedule, manage and evaluate over 750 part-time service workers. Reduced merchandiser turn over rate by 50% and total expense by 30% over 3 years.

 Developed comprehensive standards for distributor network that continues to serve as the model for the industry.

 Coordinated distributor relationships to expand product presence in each major distributor's offering through displacement of competitive goods and grew sales in excess of 10% for 5 consecutive years.

 Developed sales tools and reports resulting in a 35% increase in field sales face to face selling time.

 Developed and implemented comprehensive management review and organization handbook for the purpose of standardizing distributor internal and external operations.

o Joined company originally as the SE Regional Sales Manager for Sangamon Greeting Cards.

o In November 1998, Sangamon was purchased by Image Craft, Inc. of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada,

 Promoted to the National Director of Sales and Operations.

o In January of 2000, Image Craft was purchased by Paramount Cards of Pawtucket, RI

 Promoted to Vice President Sales Operation in February 2000

 Promoted to Senior Vice President in September 2004

March 1987 to April 1997 - American Greetings – Area Manager Atlanta, GA; Tuscaloosa & Montgomery, AL

 Responsible for the sales and merchandising of social expressions products in existing and new accounts

 Responsible for the hiring, training and supervision of part time merchandisers,

 Managed headquarters sales contacts in various chains

o Named "1989 Outstanding Sales Representative'' in the Southeast Region and received the "1994 Fast Pace Award”

October 1984 to March 1987 - Moore Handley. –Territory Manager Pelham, AL, Pensacola, FL & Atlanta, GA

 Responsible for the sales of hardware and building supplies to existing retailers and for prospecting and opening new accounts

 Managed and implemented advertising, identification and sales programs.

 Named “Territory Manager of the Month'' for February 1986.

March 1981 to October 1984 - Livingston University – Director of Public Information Livingston, AL

 Responsible for the implementation of the University public relations and advertising programs

 Managed the planning and bid process for all University publications

 Managed student photographers and reporters

 Instituted and directed of the ``Miss Livingston University Pageant''

 Functioned as the Official University Photographer.

May 1980 to March 1981 - The Green County Democrat – Editor/Business Manager Eutaw, AL

 Managed the overall operations of a weekly newspaper including editorial oversight, writing of stories, photography, layout, advertising sales and financial (P&L) oversight

 Worked full time while attending university classes.

December 1977 to June 1980 - A&T Building Supply, Inc. – Assistant Manager/Assistant Buyer Livingston, AL

 Managed, as an assistant manager, the operations of a retail building materials store including counter sales, inventory management, financial review, customer service and delivery

 Worked full time while attending university classes.

October 1974 to September 1977 - Fayette Building Supply, Inc. -- Clerk Fayette, AL

 Worked as a sales clerk in a retail building materials store including inside and outside sales, inventory management, customer service and delivery.

 Worked full time while attending high school and university classes.

Education

B.S., Business Administration – Operations Management 1981

Livingston University (now The University of West Alabama) Livingston, Alabama

Skills

Expert at Microsoft Office Products including Excel, Outlook, Access, Word and PowerPoint.

Proficient at analysis, budgeting and sales development

95% Share Marketing - Executive Management Training

References

Furnished upon request

Contact this candidate