Experience

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  Self-Employed

  • Product Management And Marketing Consultant

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  Self-Employed

  • Wheaton, Illinois, United States

  • Product Management and Marketing Consultant

    • 2014 - Present
    • Wheaton, Illinois, United States

    Independent Consultant | Wheaton, IL Product Management and Marketing Consultant 2001 | Present Created long-range strategic roadmaps and shorter-term marketing and product management strategies, developed new products and built marketing plans for North American, European, and Asian manufacturers and global customers to position products for diverse markets. • Created a new marketing program for a small manufacturing company that did business in the U.S. and China. Developed a product life cycle roadmap, created a new website, and redesigned packaging materials to successfully launch new products to compete against competitors, leading to increased sales within the market.• Brought in by Joint Commission Resources to reorganize their marketing programs, redesigned their weekly production report that created an easy-to-follow roadmap of progress, and developed several new educational courses with consistent branding to current and new markets.

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  School Health Corporation

  • Hanover Park, IL

  • Product Manager - Sports Health

    • 2013 - 2014
    • Hanover Park, IL

    Managed 11 product lines representing over 3,000 products and performed category and SKU rationalization. Created standardized reports analyzing sales data, pricing, costs, and profit. Developed marketing materials, sales presentations, and product mix strategies. Trained sales reps on the presentation of products. Created effective trade show displays, product mixes, and demonstrations. • Refreshed sales procedure for a team of 20 sales representatives through working with several significant vendors to create product training, provide samples of products, and create customized marketing pieces for the sales team to achieve quotas resulting in an increase of up to 20% in sales of promoted products.• Developed standardized reporting procedures for 11 product lines representing over 3K products to receive sales data, pricing data, costs, and profit figures that led to identifying trends, problems, and opportunities to help create a roadmap for future projects.

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  Patterson Medical

  • Warrenville, IL

  • Product Manager

    • 2009 - 2013
    • Warrenville, IL

    Worked with 1,000 + sales representatives, handled 9 product lines representing over 5,000 products and 250 catalog pages, layouts in smaller catalogs, and web pages. Developed marketing and advertising strategies for current developments and new market introductions. Worked with suppliers in Asia and Europe to create several lines of proprietary private-label goods and managed regular strategic update meetings. Presented analyses of financial, marketing, and sales trends, plus detailed plans for future weeks, months, and the next few years. • Revised pricing structure of 4 competing product lines to maximize profit on house-branded line. In less than one year, sales on that line increased 20%, and gross profits rose 40% without losing sales on other product lines.• Integrated Australian manufacturer into an existing house-branded product line. Determined which products and features to modify or discontinue. Created a new, 3-level branding structure based on part and quality levels, and sales increased 26% within the first year. • Created and sourced new products to meet ever-expanding market needs by working with sales, purchasing, and national and international vendors. This resulted in 15% of the sales being from the newly added products.

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  Self-employed

  • Wheaton, Illinois, United States

  • Product Management and Marketing Consultant

    • Aug 2007 - Nov 2009
    • Wheaton, Illinois, United States

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  American Nurseryman

  • Chicago, IL

  • Director of Marketing and Catalog Sales

    • 2006 - 2007
    • Chicago, IL

    Managed all aspects of marketing programs, including scheduling projects, selecting target markets, selecting products/services to feature, marketing segmentation, and creating marketing pieces. Wrote copy and shot 50% of the photos for the yearly media kit and directed creative staff on the layout. • Spearheaded marketing program redesign by collaborating with the creative services team to develop a schedule of catalog releases that increased catalog sales by 25% year over year. Ad sales for the magazine increased 20% upon the release of the Media Kit.

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  Self-employed

  • Wheaton, Illinois, United States

  • Product Management and Marketing Consultant

    • Apr 2001 - Feb 2006
    • Wheaton, Illinois, United States

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  GAINSystems

  • Naperville, IL

  • Marketing/PR Manager

    • 2000 - 2001
    • Naperville, IL

    Developed a marketing and strategic plan, including detailed plans and schedules for all print material, website improvements, public relations programs, trade shows, sales force training and management, and sales lead program. • Designed and executed targeted direct mail and lead management campaigns; created marketing pieces and sales letters; developed and administered tracking and follow-up programs; chose and obtained mailing lists. Response rates averaged 11%; sales resulted from 40% of responses.• Implemented and administered programs for public relations, conferences, and events. Wrote effective press releases that resulted in increased visibility of the company, products, and services, leading to a 15% increase in sales.

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  Wallace

  • Lisle, IL

  • Marketing/Product Manager

    • 1997 - 2000
    • Lisle, IL

    Managed product and catalog review process. On an ongoing basis, evaluated new products to add, drop, or update. Evaluated and revised product marketing strategies, prices, and design of the catalog and its web version.• Directed creative development and graphic design to achieve a consistent image for all communications: print, direct mail, electronic, promotions, and trade shows. Ensured continuity of corporate message, increasing sales by 7% to 10% after each release.• Developed best practices for reps and plant personnel which facilitated the flow of jobs through the plants and eased rep-plant relations. The program increased sales to major account markets by 15%.

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  In-Flight Phone Corporation

  • Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, United States

  • Marketing Manager

    • 1994 - 1997
    • Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, United States

    In-Flight Phone was one of the early developers of phone, data, and game systems for commercial airlines. Its systems were installed on Continental, USAir, and America West. In addition to creating marketing materials, I was responsible for revenue planning and monitoring, new product development, and flight attendant marketing programs.• Created strategic marketing plan for new product with no previous benchmarks; developed schedules of product introductions, price changes, installation levels, rollouts, and expected usage and revenue levels. • Developed system to analyze product performance, including design and administration of surveys for product evaluations, identification of critical aspects to test, and tracking of customer satisfaction levels

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  AT&T

  • Lisle, Illinois, United States

  • Product Manager

    • 1987 - 1992
    • Lisle, Illinois, United States

    The Network Systems Division of AT&T was responsible for managing the infrastructure of the phone system. I was responsible for managing marketing and sales programs for two product lines, together bringing in over $100 million of revenue annually: purchased products (hardware items) and 3B20D switching processors.• Developed innovative ordering process for computer line used in 8 other products. Using sales and engineering data, created packages of items commonly ordered together, along with option groups. Resulted in $3.5 million profit on line which had lost money the previous year, and reclassification from cost center to profit center.• Led the process to revise warehousing and distribution procedures and negotiate new contracts; reduced floor space, inventory, labor hours, and time from order to shipment. Saved $2.1 million annually in warehousing costs.

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  J. Walter Thompson Worldwide

  • Chicago, Illinois, United States

  • Creative Assistant

    • 1983 - 1987
    • Chicago, Illinois, United States

    I started my career in the Creative Department of JWT, gaining experience marketing products for such companies as Hyatt, S. C. Johnson, Kellogg’s, Northwestern Mutual Life, Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Pepsi, Quaker, Sears, and McDonnell Douglas.