President & Founder

• Feb 2022 - Present

Growing beverage brands is incredibly challenging. It is estimated that 93% of the 2000+ beverage brands launched each year will fail. Liquid Sherpas offers proven strategies, tactics and support to help you beat the odds and become a powerhouse brand. Growing beverage brands is incredibly challenging. It is estimated that 93% of the 2000+ beverage brands launched each year will fail. Liquid Sherpas offers proven strategies, tactics and support to help you beat the odds and become a powerhouse brand.

Mentor

• Feb 2022 - Present

Mentor within the SKU CPG accelerator program providing guidance with emphasis on business strategy, commercialization, production scale-up and supply chain optimization. Mentor within the SKU CPG accelerator program providing guidance with emphasis on business strategy, commercialization, production scale-up and supply chain optimization.

President

• Jun 2018 - Present

Velocity Catalyst provides industry-leading technical specialists to help solve challenges in beverage development, regulatory, production and supply chain. Whether you simply need quick technical consultation and review or full hands-on support, Velocity Catalyst quickly and cost-effectively provides experts matched to your exact need. Velocity Catalyst provides industry-leading technical specialists to help solve challenges in beverage development, regulatory, production and supply chain. Whether you simply need quick technical consultation and review or full hands-on support, Velocity Catalyst quickly and cost-effectively provides experts matched to your exact need.

Key Accounts Director

• Jun 2020 - Feb 2022

Providing companies with natural beverage formulation solutions and superior brewed beverage extracts and vegetable juices. Providing companies with natural beverage formulation solutions and superior brewed beverage extracts and vegetable juices.

VP of Sales

• Feb 2016 - May 2018

Helped manufacturers, retailers and foodservice companies conceptualize and bring to market innovative food and beverage products. Partnered with customers to provide beverage formulations, ingredient and packaging sourcing, product manufacturing, inventory management and product routes to market planning. Led sales teams for Regional and Local accounts. Formulated and executed business, sales and product development strategies to achieve financial goals. Partnered with operations to achieve efficient, timely and profitable production of finished goods. Show less

Global Key Account Director

• Aug 2013 - Jan 2016

Built and led global account team supporting Starbucks business. Developed and led execution of global and regional account strategies for Starbucks. Built global and HQ-based relationships with Starbucks to expand awareness of Dohler and to secure new business opportunites. Led project resulting in Dohler's first exclusive agreement for supply of a core Starbucks item.

Head of Marketing

• Sep 2012 - Aug 2013

Led marketing organization for the company. Stabilized and revitalized morale and capabilities of the marketing department. Devised and implemented the company's first vertically integrated, omni-channel promotional calendar which gained additional brand presence in the market while reducing marketing expenditures and lessening reliance on couponing and discounting. Managed company's highly successful entry into the single-serve coffee category, significantly surpassing targets for retail distribution and sales. Developed multi-year roadmap for strategic geographic expansion of the brand. Implemented processes to improve communication and clarify roles of supporting marketing partners resulting in cost savings, better brand consistency and greater speed to market. Revamped ecommerce marketing strategy driving double-digit growth in on-line product sales while increasing profitability. Partnered with Sales to exponentially expand product availability in both traditional grocery and mass merchandisers. Show less

President

• Dec 2007 - Sep 2012

Independent consultant providing brand positioning and brand management expertise; marketing and sales strategies; strategic marketing program development; consultation on franchise system design, alignment and optimization; and consultation on optimization of multi-unit marketing activation. Clients included: The Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble, H&R Block, Nestle, Community Coffee Company, Weigel’s C-Stores, Quiznos, Buffalo Wild Wings, Joe's Crab Shack, Sonic Drive-In and Firehouse Subs. • Developed foodservice and hospitality channel marketing strategies for Community Coffee’s National Accounts Sales Team which doubled national account sales within 18 months. • Conceptualized new market entry strategy and programming for Sonic Drive-Ins. • Designed integrated marketing support infrastructure for H&R Block which increased the efficiency and effectiveness of marketing execution across their 12,000+ retail locations. • Helped Buffalo Wild Wings design and successfully drive franchisee adoption of an advertising co-op process. Restaurants joining these co-ops significantly outpaced non-coop units in sales growth. • Provided Coca-Cola with go to market, selling and activation strategies for new beverage dispensing platforms, including the Coca-Cola Freestyle fountain dispenser. Show less

Director of Channel Marketing

• Nov 2005 - Dec 2007

Built and managed an organization of channel and field marketers charged with expanding brand penetration and driving product volume within the independent restaurant and c-store channel; a business segment of 350,000 decentralized US outlets. Responsible for strategic planning; product portfolio management; consumer and customer research; brand merchandising and go-to-market strategy development; and sales force training and support. • Designed and managed implementation of a segmented channel strategy which significantly increased branded merchandising penetration, enhanced selling productivity and dramatically improved selling outcomes across the channel.• Conceptualized and implemented “Welcome to Coke”, a highly cost-effective, integrated direct mail & digital program which increased connectivity with newly acquired customers and increased brand activation within their outlets.• Developed processes that drove a 20x increase in branded merchandising within outlets while saving the company $4 million+ in production and fulfillment costs.• Conceptualized, developed, launched and managed CokeSolutions.com, Coca-Cola Foodservice Division's first B2B site and customer portal. Today, CokeSolutions is the customer portal for Coca-Cola's retail, convenience retail and foodservice customers. Show less

Sr. Customer Marketing Manager - Sonic Drive In Account Team

• Oct 2000 - Nov 2005

Partnered with Sonic on strategic planning, provided brand management consultation, product and packaging innovation, merchandising strategy and execution, promotion development and execution. Managed consumer and customer research.• Conceptualized and managed implementation of a multi-year Strategic Beverage Business Plan which drove 17% CAGR on product volume over a 4-year period.• Designed and sold beverage merchandising program to 98% of all Sonic units. The program dramatically accelerated sales and generated double-digit ROI for Sonic operators.• Led beverage innovation efforts to conceptualize, develop and bring to market dozens of carbonated and frozen beverages which drove incremental beverage sales and helped position Sonic as a destination for one-of-a-kind beverages.• Led customer segmentation, product usage, and test market research initiatives on behalf of Sonic.• Recognized with Coca-Cola N. America’s highest individual performance award for extraordinary initiative and with the Sonic Partner Leadership Award in recognition for exceptional contributions to the Sonic brand. Show less

Sr. Regional Marketing Manager

• Dec 1997 - Oct 2000

Managed select national and regional marketing campaigns through all stages: new product development, consumer acceptance and pricing research, advertising strategy and tactics, roll-out and post-analysis. Provided marketing consultation to Applebee’s franchisees to ensure compliance with franchise branding and marketing requirements. Provided pricing & product mix management recommendations to operations leadership. Managed full system and co-op marketing budgets. • Developed and executed brand reinvigoration campaigns for key regions which leveraged promotions, public relations, grassroots marketing and in-store merchandising to reverse declining comp sales and profit. Grew same-store sales by nearly 5% and reversed negative guest count trend, outpacing company trends by more than 60%. • Conceptualized and implemented trade area segmentation marketing process for new and down units which improved first-year sales of newly-opened restaurants by 35% vs. peers; doubled the number of restaurants meeting program goals and yielded an average ROI of 5x. Show less

Media Director / Director of New Business Dvpmnt

• Aug 1994 - Dec 1997

Managed all media department functions with full P&L responsibility for full-service advertising agency, including media planning, account services and business development. Directly supervised team of 5. • Transformed agency media department from an out-sourced, pass-through service to an in-house, profit-generating center of excellence. • Secured new accounts and identified new opportunities within existing customers that doubled agency’s billings within a 2 year period. • Named Media Person of the Year in 1997 for innovative media strategies. Show less

Media Buyer

• 1992 - 1994

Media planning and placement for a diverse client roster including: Houston Lighting & Power, the Houston Post, Players Riverboat Casinos, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Conoco & Johnson Space Center. Media planning and placement for a diverse client roster including: Houston Lighting & Power, the Houston Post, Players Riverboat Casinos, Houston Museum of Natural Science, Conoco & Johnson Space Center.

Jr. Media Buyer

• 1990 - 1992