Experience

Gift & Home Trade Association

• United States
• Retail
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Executive Director

  • Apr 2021 - Present

  Connect, Learn, Contribute. Connect, Learn, Contribute.



Burns Consults

• United Kingdom
• Business Consulting and Services

• Owner

  • Jan 2018 - Present

  I am one of the few (the only one?) who has successfully sold product at retail, sourced product at factories across the Asia Pacific Region, placed and sold brands at wholesale into various countries across Asia and the USA, and has produced some of the most successful trade shows in the world by putting the right brands together with the right buyers, and represented tradeshows in the UK and the USA to Asian exporters. Business development professional with clients who include Market Centers & Trade Fairs, Industry Associations, Tableware factories and giftware brands, Off-price product strategy and development both soft and hard goods, and licensing for home industry products. Have successfully transferred my skills developing brands within over 14 countries in the Asia Pacific to the USA placing product both with strategic distributor in North America. When no suitable distributor was found, I placed product at major and independent retail directly solving distribution challenges. Show less



Forty One Madison, Rudin Management

• Senior Vice President and Director

  • Sep 2008 - Dec 2017

  Business development. Strategic sales and marketing culminating in long term leases and industry leader tenant mix at full market value leases. Full understanding of American and worldwide retail, e-tail, interior designer, and HoReCa decision-makers' business. Strategic marketing to each industry segment maximizing visitors for clients and increasing show attendance. Trend analysis of home products, luxury branding, national & international marketing, event and trade fair organizing, digital marketing, digital branding, and show and building operations. Team leader and industry spokesperson. 41MAD in 2017 was 100% leased at market value leases to the industry's leading brands, with buyer attendance across the categories of retail, HoReCa and Interior Designers at optimum levels. Show less



The Asia Pacific Connection Ltd

• Co-Founder

  • 2003 - 2008

  Co-founder and owner of this three-division registered American treaty company working in over 16 countries throughout Asia Pacific. Luxury Brand sales development, sourcing, and trade show marketing and sales Luxury European product Sales and Distribution: Responsible for 14 countries, I sold and placed branded European Tableware, jewelry and home products with the right wholesalers and retailers across the Asia Pacific marketplaces directly increasing export business for my brands to the Asia Pacific region. Brands included Herend, Schiavon, Vietri, Oliver Weber by Swarovski. Home Product Sourcing - specialized in mixed material hard goods for distribution worldwide. It was Li & Fung or me during that time. Sourced mixed materials products for the worldwide market for brands that did not own factories including Ralph Lauren Home, Calvin Klein Home, Kelly Hoppen, Vera Wang, and Jasper Conran. International Trade Fair Agent & Representative office for GLM, TPS, and Global Sources. Marketing of Trade Fairs: sold individual stands, sold and booked country-sponsored pavilions. Hired and managed country agents across Asia Pacific; assisted agents with presentations for development of export funds, made presentations to export groups how to achieve highest results at shows in the USA and the UK. Show less



THOMAS GOODE & CO. LIMITED

• Retail
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sales

  • 1991 - 1993

  Premier Luxury Tableware and Home Products retailer in London. Retail Salesperson. Premier Luxury Tableware and Home Products retailer in London. Retail Salesperson.



The Atlanta Market Center

• Executive Director

  • 1985 - 1990

  Leasing and Marketing team leader for Gifts Industry & Decorative Accessories Industry encompassing of 700,000 sf of the Merchandise Mart. Brought these floors to 100% occupancy. Quarterback of international events team that included PR, Advertising, Show Directories, Operations, Registration, Attendee Marketing. Solely responsible for Revenue Generation. Total of eight shows per year in addition to building open daily. Key member of team to study feasibility of a new building in charge of branding, lease generation, categorization and layout of tenants, and ultimately revenue. Team member that secured funding for building construction. As the leader of team, I hired the perfect person to join me to lease new building of 1.8m sf while maintaining 100% occupancy in original building. Strategy, marketing, and brand leader for short & long-term trends in the Home and Gift industries and achieved growth across the campus for brands represented, revenue, and buyer growth. CGP & retail trends expert. Show less