Sales Manager

KEVIN EWING

*** ********* ******

Wadsworth, Ohio 44281

330-***-**** • ***********@*****.***

CAREER SUMMARY

Accomplished and highly motivated marketing professional specializing in partnering with upper management to drive business results. Strengths include:

• Full cycle new product development, from inception to roll out

• Developing strategies to increase value and brand identity

• Identifying and capitalizing on new market opportunities

• Implementing strategies for product and packaging improvements

• Analyzing, preparing, and presenting new account proposals

• Channel Management – Traditional Automotive, Chain Stores, Mass Merchant

Recognized for developing results-driven campaigns, effectively interacting with sales, with excellent product/project management, and written/verbal communications skills.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

JOHNDOW ENTERPRISES, Barberton, OH – 2010

Product Manager – JohnDow Dynamic Brand-The Dynamic brand includes Automotive Fasteners and Supplies, such as Brake and Fuel lines, Body Shop Hardware, Wheel Studs and Nuts, Drain Plugs and Gaskets, and Electrical Parts.

Responsible for monitoring all phases of the Dynamic brand, from order entry to purchasing.

• Streamlined order entry process, resulting in approximate annual labor and time savings of $10K.

• Reduced number of backorders by over 50%.

THE VALSPAR CORPORATION (formerly Plasti-Kote), Medina, OH – 1999 to 2009

Automotive Marketing Manager – Plasti-Kote Brand, which includes General Purpose Enamel, Primers, Automotive Touch-Up, Truck Bed Liner and Specialty Coatings

Managed new product development initiatives including new product development based on market trends. Implemented all label, literature and web site designs. Reported to National Sales Manager.

• Co-managed Wal-Mart account, with annual revenues of $4.5MM, including new product proposals, vendor negotiations, monitoring sales, inventory, shipping performance and GMROI, resulting in positive line reviews. Participated on three different sales teams that sold product to three individual Wal-Mart buyers.

• Developed Truck Bed Liner Coating Kit, with annual revenues of $3.15MM including package/graphics development, and placing initial orders for all outsourced components. Instrumental in selling product to Wal-Mart, increasing store count by 378%.

• Conducted focus group to determine consumer perception of four different brands of like products. Prepared questionnaire, moderated product testing, analyzed results and presented upper management plans to increase product retails. Implementation raised sales from $.5MM to $2MM.

• Cross functional team leader for a $2MM joint venture line of products with the House of Kolor® division. Fifty percent of these items were top revenue items at Wal-Mart.

• Marketed device that attaches to spray can, making spray-painting much easier while generating $500K in annual sales.

• Streamlined annual update process to determine new product mix by analyzing internal sales data and data from automotive vehicle manufacturers; evaluated packaging procedures and frequency. This resulted in a biennial process, with 125% time savings, 140% reduction of shipping, packaging and labor costs, while satisfying market needs, saving $60K annually.

• Proposed and implemented carton change resulting in $40K recurring annual savings.

• Served as primary contact for product buyers at Wal-Mart, Advance Auto, Pep Boys, and CSK (Checker, Schucks, Kragen) stores, to provide a knowledgeable contact with timely follow-up. Total annual sales revenue for these accounts exceeded $26MM.

PLASTI-KOTE COMPANY INC., Medina, OH – 1988 to 1998

Automotive Marketing Assistant – Plasti-Kote brand

Prepared competitive analysis for new business proposals. Maintained 25-year database of exterior vehicle colors used in annual analysis of five product lines. Identified potential new items based on market trends. Reported to Vice President of Marketing.

• Identified need for new line of products, developed all point of sale materials, prepared sales spiff program and presented program to entire sales staff and representatives at annual sales conference. This was a unique $4.5MM total revenue line in the market place, and sold successfully at Pep Boys, Advance Auto, and CSK.

• Researched, revised and customized product labels to comply with state regulation resulting in re-establishment of $8MM in sales of product to market.

• Co-engineered design of an aerosol paint filling machine that generated $500K in first year of sales. The companion pre-charged aerosol can consistently generated $700K in annual revenue.

• Authored training materials to educate retail sales personnel at 3,000 stores with detailed product knowledge resulting in a 20% reduction in requests for information by consumers.

• Implemented 8% cost reduction of two paint formulas resulting in $15K recurring annual cost savings.

EDUCATION

BS, Business Administration (Marketing) University of Akron

AA, Business Cuyahoga Community College

(All education costs self funded)

HONORS AND AWARDS

Valspar Award of Excellence - 2000, 2005

Plasti-Kote Second Effort Award - 1993

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