Experience

• 

  The Trend Curve

  • Editorial Director

    • Apr 1987 - Present

    Created The Trend Curve™ industry newsletter. As the publication's Editorial Director, provide actionable and insightful color-and-design trend forecasting, strategy and analysis for the home furnishings industry. Develop The Trend Curve Colors™ annual color-and-trend forecasts for Christmas, Spring, Halloween/Fall and Kids. Author the Trend Album™ series of European trend reports. Color and trend consulting, seminars and trend strategies for clients world-wide.

• 

  Marketing Directions, Inc.

  • Owner

    • Apr 1987 - Present

    •Gobally recognized color-and-design trend-forecasting expert. Proven ability to translate lifestyle shifts into actionable recommendations for clients worldwide. Through trend-strategy development, color specification, assortment recommendations and trend analysis, helping clients answer the question, "If this is the trend, what is the product?"•Superior written and verbal communication skills, honed through years of creative-team direction, individual consulting, published trend reports and color-and-design forecast packages used by clients worldwide. •In-depth knowledge of soft home and hard home trends. Experience in seasonal categories (outdoor, Christmas/Holiday, Halloween/fall, spring), stationery, back-to-school, back-to-college and other kids' categories.•Seasoned traveler, attending national and international trade fairs, presenting seminars and/or trend spotting in locales such as Berlin, Dublin, Frankfurt, London, Manila, Melbourne, Montreal, Paris, Tokyo and more. •Inspirational keynote speaker for companies, conferences and trade fairs worldwide.

• 

  Furniture, Lighting & Décor Magazine

  • Arlington Heights, IL

  • Furniture, Lighting & Décor Editorial Advisory Board

    • Jan 2017 - Sep 2019
    • Arlington Heights, IL

    Advise on key magazine strategies. Contribute articles and blog posts.

• 

  CMG

  • Chairholder, member of Board of Directors

    • 1988 - 2015

    Co-chaired Consumer Colors committee to lead the membership's color-forecasting efforts. Co-chaired Consumer Color Plus Design. Elected to CMG's Board of Directors.

• 

  Rubbermaid Home Products

  • National Accounts Manager

    • Jan 1987 - Jan 1988

    Selling home office products to national retail accounts in the mid-western US. Based in Chicago, IL.Established retail-buyer relationships in a new division of Rubbermaid stationery-and-office retail products.Introduced new product category into 90% of target accounts within 1 year while achieving or exceeding sales quotas.Drawing on an extensive retail background, developed sales and space-maximization plans for national-accounts buyers. Led annual retailer line reviews, analyzing sales and productivity data to recommend future assortments.

• 

  Target

  • Hardlines Trend Merchandiser, Buyer, Inventory Specialist

    • Sep 1982 - Jan 1987

    As Target’s first Hardlines trend merchandiser, initiated a successful framework for trend/buyer communication. Attended major trade shows and visited retail stores across the country to identify emerging trends. Presented demographic trends, color, pattern and key-item recommendations to Senior Management and Buyers. Developed actionable color/trend direction, targeted palettes, key items, fabric recommendations and print/pattern forecasts for Hardlines departments and categories ranging from domestics and housewares to stationery to automotive.As Buyer, Small Audio Electronics, increased sales in $60 million small-audio business by 30.9% while adding to gross margin dollars and percent in one year. Controlled and directed product mix, negotiated favorable pricing/terms/delivery, designed exclusive products and developed merchandising displays that increased sales and profit margins over prior seasons. Implemented packaging innovations for personal audio players, exploding sales by 59.6%.As Merchandiser/Inventory Specialist, Cameras and Film, maintained chain-wide in-stock position and improved inventory turnover for all department products.

• 

  Room & Board

  • Merchandise & Operations Manager

    • Mar 1980 - Sep 1982

    Managed both the buying team and store managers, reporting to the President. Implement the company's first open-to-buy systems. Developed policy and procedure to standardize store operations.