Ken Wasnock
President and CEO at Harris Seeds, Garden Trends, Inc.- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Chris Lloyd
Few people have the opportunity to report to a CEO who is also a coach and mentor—but I did when I worked for Ken. I had the pleasure of working with Ken Wasnock on a daily basis Axzo in several roles. I'm blown away by Ken's ability to command a room. He is always the smartest and most charismatic guy in the room. I learned so much about the nuance of negotiation and how to position yourself in the marketplace from him. He is the best I've ever seen at building relationships. Ken values relationships above all, and I've taken that lesson with me as I continue my career. Ken's a "big thinker" and is always three or four moves ahead everyone else. He is able to see the world from the perspective of all of his stakeholders. Whether he's creating value for investors, solving problems for partners, or getting his team to buy into the next big thing, people trusted his vision, even if they didn't totally understand it yet. Ken is a great CEO, but he's an even better person. His team is always on his mind. He cares about you and your family, and always has a "family-first" mentality. I have a special needs son, and he was so supportive of our situation, and did everything he could to help. I will never forget that. It was my pleasure to serve under Ken Wasnock. Leaving Axzo was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I knew it was time to move to another challenge, but I felt like I was abandoning Ken. I spent many sleepless nights wrestling with that decision. He was very understanding, and never made me feel bad about it (I was doing enough of that on my own). I give Ken my highest level of endorsement, and would look forward to working with him again sometime in the future.
Colleen Elberty
It’s rare to come across a visionary and standout talent like Ken. With a magnetic charisma and on an endless search for knowledge and innovative ideas, he naturally takes the position of leader while upholding respect for every component of a large working company. He is instinctively logical and strategic when making important decisions, but he is also to take risks and constantly strives to break new ground. One of the most driven people I know, he emanates passion for his endeavors, inspiring higher work ethic and excitement for the project at hand. Ken thrives under pressure and possesses the ability to make quick judgments in tough situations with grace and seeming effortlessness. I had the opportunity to be one of Ken's first employees at the company that eventually became Concentrix. He skyrocketed the company from a 3 employees with $175k in sales to 400 employees with $25m+ in sales in a few short years. It was an exciting time during which teamwork and creativity managed the fast growth and Ken was consistently resourceful in finding solutions to obstacles as they arose. He remarkably brought 3 distinctively different companies together to become one fine tuned working machine. As my manager, Ken was a true mentor. He steadily pushed me to improve my skills and expand my knowledge. We have a mutual respect and he appreciates being challenged, loyalty, and high standards. He has an eye for finding highly qualified individuals for key roles, which allows him to explore and plan the future while gleaning quality input and information from his colleagues. I took the opportunity to work with Ken again at Axzo Press and I would promptly grab the chance to work with Ken again in any of his future endeavors.
Chris Lloyd
Few people have the opportunity to report to a CEO who is also a coach and mentor—but I did when I worked for Ken. I had the pleasure of working with Ken Wasnock on a daily basis Axzo in several roles. I'm blown away by Ken's ability to command a room. He is always the smartest and most charismatic guy in the room. I learned so much about the nuance of negotiation and how to position yourself in the marketplace from him. He is the best I've ever seen at building relationships. Ken values relationships above all, and I've taken that lesson with me as I continue my career. Ken's a "big thinker" and is always three or four moves ahead everyone else. He is able to see the world from the perspective of all of his stakeholders. Whether he's creating value for investors, solving problems for partners, or getting his team to buy into the next big thing, people trusted his vision, even if they didn't totally understand it yet. Ken is a great CEO, but he's an even better person. His team is always on his mind. He cares about you and your family, and always has a "family-first" mentality. I have a special needs son, and he was so supportive of our situation, and did everything he could to help. I will never forget that. It was my pleasure to serve under Ken Wasnock. Leaving Axzo was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I knew it was time to move to another challenge, but I felt like I was abandoning Ken. I spent many sleepless nights wrestling with that decision. He was very understanding, and never made me feel bad about it (I was doing enough of that on my own). I give Ken my highest level of endorsement, and would look forward to working with him again sometime in the future.
Colleen Elberty
It’s rare to come across a visionary and standout talent like Ken. With a magnetic charisma and on an endless search for knowledge and innovative ideas, he naturally takes the position of leader while upholding respect for every component of a large working company. He is instinctively logical and strategic when making important decisions, but he is also to take risks and constantly strives to break new ground. One of the most driven people I know, he emanates passion for his endeavors, inspiring higher work ethic and excitement for the project at hand. Ken thrives under pressure and possesses the ability to make quick judgments in tough situations with grace and seeming effortlessness. I had the opportunity to be one of Ken's first employees at the company that eventually became Concentrix. He skyrocketed the company from a 3 employees with $175k in sales to 400 employees with $25m+ in sales in a few short years. It was an exciting time during which teamwork and creativity managed the fast growth and Ken was consistently resourceful in finding solutions to obstacles as they arose. He remarkably brought 3 distinctively different companies together to become one fine tuned working machine. As my manager, Ken was a true mentor. He steadily pushed me to improve my skills and expand my knowledge. We have a mutual respect and he appreciates being challenged, loyalty, and high standards. He has an eye for finding highly qualified individuals for key roles, which allows him to explore and plan the future while gleaning quality input and information from his colleagues. I took the opportunity to work with Ken again at Axzo Press and I would promptly grab the chance to work with Ken again in any of his future endeavors.
Chris Lloyd
Few people have the opportunity to report to a CEO who is also a coach and mentor—but I did when I worked for Ken. I had the pleasure of working with Ken Wasnock on a daily basis Axzo in several roles. I'm blown away by Ken's ability to command a room. He is always the smartest and most charismatic guy in the room. I learned so much about the nuance of negotiation and how to position yourself in the marketplace from him. He is the best I've ever seen at building relationships. Ken values relationships above all, and I've taken that lesson with me as I continue my career. Ken's a "big thinker" and is always three or four moves ahead everyone else. He is able to see the world from the perspective of all of his stakeholders. Whether he's creating value for investors, solving problems for partners, or getting his team to buy into the next big thing, people trusted his vision, even if they didn't totally understand it yet. Ken is a great CEO, but he's an even better person. His team is always on his mind. He cares about you and your family, and always has a "family-first" mentality. I have a special needs son, and he was so supportive of our situation, and did everything he could to help. I will never forget that. It was my pleasure to serve under Ken Wasnock. Leaving Axzo was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I knew it was time to move to another challenge, but I felt like I was abandoning Ken. I spent many sleepless nights wrestling with that decision. He was very understanding, and never made me feel bad about it (I was doing enough of that on my own). I give Ken my highest level of endorsement, and would look forward to working with him again sometime in the future.
Colleen Elberty
It’s rare to come across a visionary and standout talent like Ken. With a magnetic charisma and on an endless search for knowledge and innovative ideas, he naturally takes the position of leader while upholding respect for every component of a large working company. He is instinctively logical and strategic when making important decisions, but he is also to take risks and constantly strives to break new ground. One of the most driven people I know, he emanates passion for his endeavors, inspiring higher work ethic and excitement for the project at hand. Ken thrives under pressure and possesses the ability to make quick judgments in tough situations with grace and seeming effortlessness. I had the opportunity to be one of Ken's first employees at the company that eventually became Concentrix. He skyrocketed the company from a 3 employees with $175k in sales to 400 employees with $25m+ in sales in a few short years. It was an exciting time during which teamwork and creativity managed the fast growth and Ken was consistently resourceful in finding solutions to obstacles as they arose. He remarkably brought 3 distinctively different companies together to become one fine tuned working machine. As my manager, Ken was a true mentor. He steadily pushed me to improve my skills and expand my knowledge. We have a mutual respect and he appreciates being challenged, loyalty, and high standards. He has an eye for finding highly qualified individuals for key roles, which allows him to explore and plan the future while gleaning quality input and information from his colleagues. I took the opportunity to work with Ken again at Axzo Press and I would promptly grab the chance to work with Ken again in any of his future endeavors.
Chris Lloyd
Few people have the opportunity to report to a CEO who is also a coach and mentor—but I did when I worked for Ken. I had the pleasure of working with Ken Wasnock on a daily basis Axzo in several roles. I'm blown away by Ken's ability to command a room. He is always the smartest and most charismatic guy in the room. I learned so much about the nuance of negotiation and how to position yourself in the marketplace from him. He is the best I've ever seen at building relationships. Ken values relationships above all, and I've taken that lesson with me as I continue my career. Ken's a "big thinker" and is always three or four moves ahead everyone else. He is able to see the world from the perspective of all of his stakeholders. Whether he's creating value for investors, solving problems for partners, or getting his team to buy into the next big thing, people trusted his vision, even if they didn't totally understand it yet. Ken is a great CEO, but he's an even better person. His team is always on his mind. He cares about you and your family, and always has a "family-first" mentality. I have a special needs son, and he was so supportive of our situation, and did everything he could to help. I will never forget that. It was my pleasure to serve under Ken Wasnock. Leaving Axzo was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. I knew it was time to move to another challenge, but I felt like I was abandoning Ken. I spent many sleepless nights wrestling with that decision. He was very understanding, and never made me feel bad about it (I was doing enough of that on my own). I give Ken my highest level of endorsement, and would look forward to working with him again sometime in the future.
Colleen Elberty
It’s rare to come across a visionary and standout talent like Ken. With a magnetic charisma and on an endless search for knowledge and innovative ideas, he naturally takes the position of leader while upholding respect for every component of a large working company. He is instinctively logical and strategic when making important decisions, but he is also to take risks and constantly strives to break new ground. One of the most driven people I know, he emanates passion for his endeavors, inspiring higher work ethic and excitement for the project at hand. Ken thrives under pressure and possesses the ability to make quick judgments in tough situations with grace and seeming effortlessness. I had the opportunity to be one of Ken's first employees at the company that eventually became Concentrix. He skyrocketed the company from a 3 employees with $175k in sales to 400 employees with $25m+ in sales in a few short years. It was an exciting time during which teamwork and creativity managed the fast growth and Ken was consistently resourceful in finding solutions to obstacles as they arose. He remarkably brought 3 distinctively different companies together to become one fine tuned working machine. As my manager, Ken was a true mentor. He steadily pushed me to improve my skills and expand my knowledge. We have a mutual respect and he appreciates being challenged, loyalty, and high standards. He has an eye for finding highly qualified individuals for key roles, which allows him to explore and plan the future while gleaning quality input and information from his colleagues. I took the opportunity to work with Ken again at Axzo Press and I would promptly grab the chance to work with Ken again in any of his future endeavors.
Experience
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Harris Seeds, Garden Trends, Inc.
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United States
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Farming
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1 - 100 Employee
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President and CEO
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Apr 2016 - Present
Garden Trends Inc. is a leading purveyor of horticultural products and services thought-out North America. Through a portfolio of respected companies and brands, such as Harris Seeds and Ken-Bar Manufacturing, Garden Trends markets vegetable and flower seeds as well as plants, greenhouse and growing supplies to both home gardeners and professional growers alike. Combining technological savvy with a customer-centric focus, Garden Trends has earned an outstanding reputation for operational excellence, high-quality products, and unparalleled customer service.Founded in 1879, Garden Trends maintains its headquarters and laboratory in Rochester, New York where it conducts extensive product development, trials, and testing to ensure that the products it sells are of the highest quality.
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CEO
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Nov 2007 - Apr 2016
Identified an opportunity to acquire NetG Press from Skillsoft, who had recently acquired the parent company, NetG, successfully structuring and negotiating a leveraged buyout. In less than nine months, AXZO was purchased by an investment group led by Soros Private Equity. Post-acquisition, was offered and accepted a position of CEO. Objective was to strategically reposition the company to create value and orchestrate a successful exit. I envisioned and spearheaded transition of the company from a traditional book publisher into a multi-modal digital content provider. I recruited and successfully managed a high-performing executive team. Through a comprehensive market analysis of several disparate brands owned by the company, I executed a brand consolidation and realignment initiative that increased brand awareness, while reducing production and marketing communications costs. As Axzo’s global reputation and value as a potential acquisition grew, I provided an exit strategy for the shareholders by spinning out high-value, key technology assets into a new company, Medallion Learning. Then I consummated the sale of Axzo to its largest competitor at significant premium to the market.Selected highlights:* Market Share Growth: Drove 135% increase in sustained profitability and dramatically increased market penetration to over 50% in community college and commercial training channels.* Product Development:- Spearheaded development and launch of SmartCourse, a SaaS-based, custom curriculum-development solution, which enabled training organizations to quickly and easily create tailored learning paths. In first two years, built subscriber base of 1,000+ corporate and academic training organizations.- Envisioned and shepherded creation and introduction of Calibrate, a SaaS-based adaptive-learning solution, which dramatically reduced learning times. Within six months of release, Calibrate was adopted by US DoD, Pearson Publishing, and several Fortune 500 companies.
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SPG Direct
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Advertising Services
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1 - 100 Employee
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CEO & Co-Founder
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Jan 2001 - Nov 2007
I co-invested with a group of angel investors and created a technology-centric business model to provide targeted database marketing services for companies with complex products or services. In my role as CEO, I built the organizational infrastructure, hired the management team and 200+ employees, and had direct oversight of all operations, finance, information technology, marketing, and sales.Envisioned, designed and successfully deployed a proprietary cloud-based database marketing platform that provided a fully integrated, multi-lingual, demand generation solution to the Fortune 1000. Using computational intelligence to mine historical data, while concurrently considering real-time experiential data, the platform dynamically delivered highly relevant and personalized communications through multiple modalities; including inbound and outbound telemarketing, online advertising, affiliate marketing, content marketing, promotional marketing, event marketing, email marketing and targeted direct mail. I facilitated collaborations with several Pan-European partners, gaining significant global business expertise, and achieved profitability through stringent cost accounting procedures.Selected highlights:* Fiscal Leadership: Negotiated economic-development packages with NY State and local municipalities; secured commercial credit facilities.* Revenue Growth: Increased sales to $11M+ within the first three years. Successfully positioned the company as an emerging market leader by securing "agency of record" status with several marquee companies - including Microsoft, Xerox, Corning and Thomson Publishing.* Technology Initiative: Served as a key contributor in the strategic development and implementation of Microsoft’s high profile global “Jump Start” program. Directed technology component with 250+ marketing and technology professionals. Awarded preferred vendor status through extensive daily contact with senior managers and executives within Microsoft.
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Concentrix
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United States
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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700 & Above Employee
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Founder, President & CEO
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1996 - 2000
As I led Matrics to quadruple-digit organic growth, I was able to expand the range of services through acquisitions and corporate re-branding. I took the existing resources of Matrics and founded Concentrix Corporation, a transformative B2B marketing services provider, recognized as a pioneer in the use of data warehousing technology and the Internet as a way of capturing, managing, and dynamically delivering information to and from several communication channels (e.g. telecommunications, direct response mail, digital and broadcast media).I maintained fiscal soundness by negotiating several rounds of private financing to support the rapid growth and strategic acquisitions. Our leadership team grew through recruitment of top-flight executives from major corporations and competitors, nationwide. Built on a highly scalable foundational business model and infrastructure, Concentrix maintained its upward trajectory, and is now a leader in global business services with 45,000+ employees and revenues that exceed $2B US.Selected highlights:* Expansion: Acquired Adams, Colway and Associates to capture telemarketing and broadcast media components critical to a new business model and acquired telemarketing division of Draft Direct Ryder as their major account. Orchestrated successful integration of all three companies to create new business and drive revenues to $28M+ within three years with double-digit profitability.* Account Growth: Captured key nationwide accounts in publishing, business technology, telecommunications, and banking for 100+ client companies.* Physical Evolution: Led several major facility expansion projects, including development of 140,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art automated customer call fulfillment and warehousing facility. Opened regional offices in Atlanta, Charlotte, Tampa, St. Louis, Baltimore, and Austin.
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Matrics Corporation
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IT Services and IT Consulting
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Founder & CEO
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1991 - 1996
In response to the growing popularity of web-based marketing, I launched Matrics Corporation to provide services to “information-dependent” companies migrating from traditional print to electronic communication. Within five years, I had transformed the company into one of the world’s leading database marketing, multimedia, and computer services corporations. Our dramatic growth came from leveraging cutting-edge technologies and services to improve client companies’ abilities to communicate effectively with their clientele.Selected highlights:* Revenue Increase: Grew sales from $175K in 1991 with 3 employees to $26M+ with 400 employees (1,800%+ revenue growth).* Industry Recognition: Ranked #119 on 1996 Inc. 500 list.
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Education
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State University of New York College at Brockport
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Community
