Sales Director

David Novak

Career Purpose

Sales Director with expertise driving sales, share and operating profit growth, seeking food/beverage industry management opportunity. Desire position where the ability to lead teams through hands-on coaching and mentoring and improve customer business results is expected and rewarded.

Achievement Highlights

• 23% Anheuser Busch market share growth in competitors home market (Miller/Milwaukee)

• 34% Profit Margin improvement in Wisconsin business unit

• Coached and Mentored 50 region and division management, administrative and contract employees

Microsoft Summary

• Word

• Powerpoint

• Excel

• Outlook

Technical Summary

• IRI

• Xlerate

• Infobeverage

• AC Nielsen

• Nitro

• Ad Alert

• dunnhumby

• LinkedIn

• Spectra

• Efficient Item Assortment(EIA)

Professional Experience

Anheuser-Busch Inbev 1982 - 2009

National Retail Sales - Category Manager 2005 – 2009 Grand Rapids, Michigan

• Spearheaded development and use of national Ad/Display performance tool to 1. Measure Ad and Display effectiveness and 2. Improve future planning and results

• Utilized sales expertise and data tools to integrate ad planning cycle with display execution and maximize sales

• Achieved 1.3% sales trend, tied to activating Ad Feature analysis and recommendation

• Led category review at #1 volume account resulting in renewed banner category status for beer

• 24.7% Michelob sales trend from 2.0% in prior year by increasing Michelob family ad frequency. Contributed to overall year to dates sales of 6.0%

• Directed teams of sales, marketing and shelf space management experts to build category management plans. Resulted in growth in sales, revenue and margin for total beer category

• Took ownership of personal training plan including: IRI-XLerate, AC Nielsen-Nitro, Spectra analytics, dunnhumby consumer based consulting, and FMI category management

Division Sales Director 1999 – 2004 Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Led sales and marketing execution and wholesaler contract compliance in most competitive state of Wisconsin – home market of leading competitor.

• In business development role, drove $280M retail brand portfolio.

• Led 3 Key Account Managers, 4 District Sales Managers and 15 distribution points

• 17% growth rate above sales plan, by targeting resources against competitive weaknesses

• 23% Anheuser Busch market share growth in competitors’ home market (Miller/Milwaukee)

• Included taking 4 share points from leading competitor

• 34% profit margin growth for business unit. Achieved through targeting price increases and promotional spending. Also by reinvesting administrative resources towards revenue generation

Division Sales Director (Cont.)

• 4% sales growth for flagship brand, Budweiser. Led entire country by simplifying goals and focusing execution on easily measured and articulated measures

• 40% of domestic volume growth for Michelob Amber Bock in 2003. Driven by executing targeted marketing plan built on independent wholesaler investment and execution

• Effectively communicated annual market plans and expectations to 700+ business partners

• 21 wholesale distribution points consolidated to 15. Reduced operating expenses by $3M annually and increasing business unit focus on selling

• Recruited, hired, trained and promoted 4 region sales managers

Region General Manager 1995 – 1999 Detroit, Michigan

• Supervised 40-member workforce and a $1.3B retail sales region.

• Directed $7M in marketing, administrative, and payroll expenses achieving budget expectations

• Reduced administrative costs in business planning and budget process by $100K.

• Reinvested $100K in direct retail selling programs to drive premium brand revenue

Wholesaler Development Manager 1994 Chicago, Illinois

• Led 22 Illinois Anheuser-Busch wholesalers thru Impact Selling.

• Refocused business around maximizing manpower resources and meeting changing retailer needs

• Elected panel chairman by peers in newly created national position. Initiated and coordinated writing of job description and strategic work plan.

• Recognized for efforts with national MVP award

Wholesaler Business Consulting – Team Leader 1991 – 1993 St Louis, Missouri

• Directed team of financial, operations, sales, and marketing experts thru 24 business reviews

• Reorganized each business, focusing their culture on the sales function.

• Improved operating expense efficiencies, growing overall operating profit 80 – 150 basis points

Education

• Bachelor of Business Administration (BA), Miami University of Ohio

Awards

• Most Valuable Player (MVP) – First Corporate Wholesaler Development Manager Winner

• Budweiser All Pro – National Division Manager of the Year

Professional Associations

• Grand Rapids Economic Club

• Grand Rapids Grocery Manufacturers Representatives

• Anheuser-Busch Field Managers Roundtable

• Wholesaler Development Panel Chairman

• Milwaukee Sales Performance Management Roundtable

Training

• Steven Covey, Seven Habits of Successful Leadership

• Facilitator Training for Managers – AB

• Leadership, Coaching and Mentoring Training – AB

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