Principal, Strategy/Marketing/Merchandising
Responsible for developing effective client marketing/store profit and positioning plans.  Areas of expertise include advertising and promotions, market research, marketing plans, merchandising, new store/new product development, long range strategic planning.

ROUNDTREE CAPITAL CORPORATION, INC., Santa Barbara, California
Roundtree Capital Inc. is an investment capital corporation that owns/operates a variety of businesses nationwide with revenues of over $700 million in 1998.  The company specializes in asset development, financial revitalization, turnarounds, acquisitions and sales of medium to large United States based corporations.

Convenience Retail Associates, Lake Forest, Illinois
Full service consulting company for retailers and suppliers to retail firms.  b2b Solutions predecessor company.

AMOCO OIL CORPORATION, Chicago, Illinois
A $9.2 billion division of Amoco Corporation that operates 9,600 retail units in 30 states

Marketing Director, Convenience Retail Strategies, Planning and Programs
Directed all aspects of marketing programs, annual profit responsibility for corporate stores of $55 million.  Total responsibilities included long-term planning, corporate positioning, special project management, national promotions, negotiations and advertising.

•  Positioned/implemented short-term strategy to develop "store of the future" Split Second.  Realized 150% increase in sales and 200% in gross margin in two years.

• Successfully departmentalized existing Amoco Food Shops, Omega Oil, Sing Oil and Split Second locations.

• Exceeded net margin plans for five business units by $8.5 million.

• Increased retail display allowances/equipment allowances by 200%. Repositioned three business units, reduced carrying cost of inventory, and increased profitability three points.

Group Product Manager, Core Commodities (I987 to 1990)

Directed all aspects of marketing programs for $5.1 billion sales.  Total responsibilities included creative approval/positioning direction, negotiations with major suppliers, program development  and implementation, promotions and planning relative to long-term strategic direction.

• Managed/negotiated $100 million plus worth of contracts for equipment, fixturing/retail display allowances and POS in three years.
• Researched and orchestrated new positioning to combat industry "sameness” which established positioning statements for five core business categories.
• Created a new beverage selling philosophy, which resulted in 70% increase in unit sales of soft drinks and an overall 19 million case increase in soft drinks/beer in three years.
• Established new retail display allowance goals/merchandising programs that reduced clutter and increased RDA's by over 150% in three years.
• Researched and identified changes in promotion cycles that resulted in increased inventory turns and increased cash flow.

Senior Product Manager, Cigarettes, Beer and Soft Drinks (I986 to I987)
Managed and developed the marketing/merchandising activities for the three largest categories.

• Developed/implemented a management information system which captured/utilized vendor sales information relative to 50 plus ADIs and 17 geographically dispersed divisions.
• Designed and developed the original Target Marketing Proposal that captured demographic data/daytime population by store and which established sales potential based on market category and local brand preferences.
• Directed research to identify consumer perceptions relative to price, convenience, brand preference that led to development of programs that increased sales 10 to 15% over trend.

Promotion Manager (1985 to 1986)
Managed promotions for proprietary 7-Eleven products.  Responsibilities included property negotiation, fees, agency management, legal, incentive development and public relations.

• Developed/tested an “Everybody Wins" fountain soft drink promotion that increased cup sales 300% and total store sales by over 5% for a six-week period.
• Delivered a national Superman Slurpee promotion and secured exclusivity for cups by introducing a large 32 oz. cup, which increased gross profits over 200%

Product Manager, Electronic Services (1985)
Responsible for negotiation/placement of Automatic Teller Machines (ATM's) including all related marketing activities.

• Increased transactions 300% by developing, testing and negotiating with financial institutions the "Sure Thing Game" promotion, which secured ATM placement in 1,500 7-Eleven stores nationwide.  First game of its kind, which established an industry standard.

Group Product Director (1982 to I984)
Administered advertising/promotion/marketing budgets for three products groups with profit/loss responsibility for $65 million in gross sales.  Served as Marketing Director for Hospital Products.

Product, Marketing, and Advertising Manager (1980 to 1982)
Profit and loss responsibility for seven diverse foot care product lines including new products totaling $60 million.  Developed and administered $8 million advertising/promotion budget.

EDUCATION

Master of Journalism, Advertising/Marketing management, 1978
Northwestern University, Evanson, Illinois

Bachelor of Science, Marketing, 1976
De Paul University - Chicago, Illinois

PROFESSIONAL

Loyaota University, Chicago, Il - Current
Faculty, Communication