INTRODUCTION Extensive background in retail marketing and the book industry with over 23 years experience in building sales and brand identity for companies – large and small… Expert in retail advertising, marketing, loyalty and membership programs, vendor relationships and merchandising …High-level liaison between companies within a strategic relationship…Pioneering strength in database marketing, email marketing and CRM… Personal mission: that the work is the product of passion, the professional relationships are life-enhancing, the goals are met to profitable results, and the outcome is the best I can make it.
SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
FOUNDER and SOLE PROPRIETOR marketing101, LLC (consulting practice) July 2004 to Present A network consortium of marketing freelancers and independent contractors from various disciplines. Company is aggregator, bringing together a team for specific projects. Company serves small businesses and start-ups. marketing101’s positioning is: “the outsourced marketing department for small business and start-ups.” Principal and manager. Serving several clients on an ongoing basis in central New Jersey and Philadelphia. Key clients: Blue Tulip (gifts and stationery retailing; pre-launch to early stages of this chain); Denney Electric Supply ($50M electrical supply and lighting retailer); Xlibris (web-based personal publishing services provider); Fix-It-Now (start-up home repair and home improvement contractor); WellnessOne of New Jersey (multi-specialty health practice); GlobalTEK Holdings, LLC (educational technology company). Practices in: retail strategies, direct marketing planning and execution, visual merchandising, naming, branding, corporate communications, database marketing, customer relationship management strategies and tactics, email marketing, media selection and buying, graphic design, advertising, printing sourcing and supervision, consumer research, market segmentation
VICE-PRESIDENT – STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS (FULL-TIME CONSULTANT) Xlibris Corporation January 2003 to July 2004 Recruited back by Xlibris CEO to resume full-time responsibilities to manage Borders relationship. Xlibris is a print-on-demand publishing endeavor marketed to individual writers, photographers, graphic designers, and illustrators. Xlibris services are sold primarily through direct marketing contacts, web contacts, and over the telephone. Xlibris also partners with Borders Books and Music to offer similar services through a new brand, personal publishing (in test markets). Executive responsible for test marketing through Borders and Waldenbooks stores. Managed migration from direct mail to web-based and email broadcast customer acquisition. Key advisor to CEO and key member of overall business management team.
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Lechters, Inc. June 2000 to November 2001 Recruited by CEO into this kitchen housewares specialty retailer with 315 stores in malls, strips, outlet centers, and urban business districts. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy liquidation in October 2001. Responsible for $7MM budget for advertising and marketing efforts for 315-store retail chain. Managed staff of 8 including advertising, circulars, public relations, P-O-P signage and displays, storefront merchandising, email marketing. Strategized, assembled team and established broadcast email program, starting with email address collection, promotion, database essentials, maintenance, and communications strategy. Upgraded front-of-store in-store merchandising, visual merchandising playbook and planogram, and merchandising promotion book publication. Developed and maintained a formalized co-op advertising system that insured the capture of all manufacturer co-op and market development funds.
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING Xlibris Corporation 1998 to 2000 Internet pure-play selling self-publishing services directly to writer, as described above. Managed all online and off-line marketing for Xlibris.com with budget under $2MM. Directed content development and site architecture. Worked with IT, Sales management, and operations to brainstorm, conceptualize, document, build and launch proprietary web-based CRM system. Directed public relations, direct marketing, advertising, email marketing, and online partner and affiliate programs.
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & ADVERTISING Barnes & Noble, Inc. 1995 to 1997 The largest book selling organization in the world, with over 475 “superstores” and sales exceeding $3 billion. Responsible for full P&L of $27MM budget and overseeing all advertising and marketing efforts for 475 store retail chain. Managed staff of 27 including heads of CRM development (the Reader’s Advantage Card), co-op advertising, media, market research, direct mail, graphic design, event marketing and promotions. Established a market research function, customer database, and integrated CRM policies and procedures within the company that identified consumer trends and solidified the company’s leadership position in the “superstore” market. This activity built customer loyalty and brought brand equity to the Barnes & Noble name and paved the way for the founding of BarnesandNoble.com. Directed the grand opening of over 200 stores in a two-year period; bringing them all in on time and on budget. Created Barnes & Noble publisher marketing programs in 1996, 1997 and 1998; introduced placement/slotting charges into Barnes & Noble stores; generating over $2.3MM in the first year and $11MM in the second year. Conceptualized and implemented the company’s community relations effort; an in-store position that connects each superstore to the local community through outreach programs, in-store events, book fairs, author signings, music events and children’s story time. Integrated this events system and its management into brand-wide CRM communications. Developed a formalized co-op advertising department which insured the capture of all publisher co-op and market development funds.
VICE PRESIDENT, SALES & MARKETING Brilliance Corporation 1992 to 1995 A $10MM publisher of audio books sold through bookstores, libraries and direct mail. Oversaw the entire sales and marketing efforts of the company and the spearheaded the increase of sales from $5MM to over $10MM in a two-year period.
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & ADVERTISING Bookstop/Bookstar Division, Barnes & Noble 1984 to 1992 A $100MM book retailer with over 40 retail stores throughout four states. Recruited by Gary Hoover to help with information systems management and membership database marketing and Directed the opening and promotion of Bookstop stores. Wrote and produced comprehensive report for senior Barnes & Noble management on CRM loyalty card program, membership flowchart and architecture documentation, direct mail, advertising, event marketing and sales promotion; trained Barnes and Noble executives after acquisition on the successful marketing and execution of superstore grand openings. Presented the concept of superstores to publishers as part of Barnes & Noble consolidated marketing division in 1991-1992. Managed the advertising function and planned co-op income and expense for the division. Created, marketed and introduced paid membership program in just four months to infuse urgently needed capital into the company. Program sold over 700,000 memberships and successfully raised over $5MM. The Readers Choice Card was very early and influential CRM system and process. Introduced the “category killer” book selling superstore category and established brand and store identity through retail marketing, CRM loyalty card program, visual merchandising concepts and plans, and advertising venues.
EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, English and Linguistics, University of Texas (Cum Laude)
