Expert Details
Consumer Goods, Exporting, International Outsourcing, and Big Box Retail
ID: 731410
Illinois, USA
With over 28 years of experience, Expert has held executive positions at Martha Stewart, Clipper Products, Hartmann Luggage, and Totes-Isotoner. He has also served as Director and Chairman on the boards of TGA and NHMA. He has deep knowledge of business trends, major branded companies, and leveraged buyouts, making him a valuable resource for his clients.
Expert's consulting services include real-time market and channel checks, providing timely feedback on business challenges, market demand, sales trends, customer outlook, and management trends. His expertise helps businesses with strategic planning, compliance, new product introductions, competitive analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and merchandising.
Throughout his career, he's worked with prominent clients such as Amazon, Nike, Macy's, Dillard's, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Sears, JC Penney, Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and many others. His firm's efforts have expanded clients' reach to over 4,000 new retailers, distributors, or market channels, increasing sales by up to 430%.
In his work, Expert has conducted detailed studies and SWOT analyses for various companies. He evaluated a major supplier to a discount retail chain, providing insights on tracking, servicing, and replacement programs. Additionally, he performed a SWOT analysis for an apparel firm with an international supplier base, highlighting their strengths in brand recognition, customer service, and market positioning.
His consultancy specializes in:
- Real-time market information and problem-solving
- Sales, distribution, and market share consulting
- New distribution and market expansion
- Management development
- Strategic planning
- New product launches
- Profit and loss analysis
- Distribution/manufacturing alliances
- Business outsourcing (international and domestic)
- Forecasting, budgeting, and cost controls
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1969 | Degree: BBA | Subject: Busniess Mangement and Ecomomics | Institution: University of Wisconsin |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2000 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: President | Department: |
Responsibilities:Consultant to Investment companies, Manufacturers/Retailers for the USA and International markets on problem resolution, distribution expansion, sales, marketing, and new product development, introductions, placement and programs.Accomplishments: Developed/implemented new product programs with Target, National Distributors, QVC, HSN,Sears, Ace True Serv, Federated, Catalogers, Martha Stewart, Penney’s, Totes, V/F Corp,Macys, Specialty Stores, Sharper Image, Brookstone, K-Mart,Wal-Mart, Wilson, Monet, Lenox, Department Stores, Private Label, Mass Market and Premium Incentive market. Expanded client’s distribution to 4200 new retailers/Distributors and increased sales 38% to 175%. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1998 to 2000 | Employer: Hi-Performance Industries | Title: Executive Vice President | Department: Marketing and Sales |
Responsibilities:Responsible for all USA sales, branding, budgeting, account development, and new product introductions. Strategic development and leadership of this luggage, bags and consumer goods manufacturer with facilities in Guangzhou, New York, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, Italy, and Michigan.Accomplishments: Developed new customer base with Do It Best, Ace, K-Mart, Eddie Bauer, Dillards, Distributors, Martha Stewart, Columbia, Sears, London Fog, Totes/Isotoner, Swiss Army, Coleman, and Timberland. Developed and launched 28 new products and opened up 7 new trade channels. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1996 to 1998 | Employer: Arden and Martha Stewart Companies | Title: Vice President | Department: Marketing and Sales |
Responsibilities:Responsible for the management, sales, branding, marketing, budgeting, strategic development, and leadership of Arden’s Consumer goods products division.Accomplishments: Developed six new private label brands for mass market, distributors, specialty stores, and upscale retailers. Eliminated down trending and turned around largest major account (56% of total business. Added new trade channels of e-commerce, catalogs, premium, and O.E.M. Expanded Arden and Martha Stewart brand business by 20%. Developed one / three /five year strategic business plan.: Implemented K-Mart inventory reduction program reducing excess inventory 50% in 6 months while increasing brand awareness and sales 37%. Opened 3000+ new retail/distribution locations in one year. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1986 to 1996 | Employer: Clipper Products | Title: President | Department: Principal |
Responsibilities:Responsible for the management, growth, and leadership of this consumer goods, and travel accessory Company.Accomplishments: Achieved +35% sales growths for seven consecutive years; Established new distribution in Canada, Europe, Far East, and South America. Developed and implemented branded/private label business with Sears, Totes, Target, Samsonite, Distributors, L.L. Bean, Halliburton, Coach, Oakley, Chivas Regal, Seagram’s, V/F Corp- Jan Sport, Easton, Kmart, Macy's, Sharper Image, Nike, Wilson, Spaulding, and Orvis. Opened Sears, Target, QVC, Host Marriott, Meijer, the Sharper Image, AAFES, Zero Halliburton, Hartmann, Lands End, L.L. Bean, Premium Incentive, e-commerce, and catalogers. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1984 to 1986 | Employer: Totes-Isotoner Inc. | Title: National Sales Manager | Department: Mens and Ladies Apparel and Accessories |
Responsibilities:$300 +million apparel, luggage, bag, accessories, rainwear, patio, and umbrella company.Accomplishments: Increased accessories division sales $4 million in first year. Developed and implemented brand/private label programs with Neiman Marcus, Saks, Totes Apparel, Totes Rainwear, Penny’s, Sears, Mass Market/Chromatics label and Totes Footwear. Built sales and management team responsible for 47% sales increase in 2 years; Opened Saks, Neiman Marcus, Sears, Penny’s, Macys, Nordstrom’s, K-mart, Federated, Dillard’s. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1969 to 1984 | Employer: Hartmann Luggage | Title: Vice President & Principal | Department: Marketing and Sales |
Responsibilities:$60 million company; Division of Brown-Forman, a $5.7 billion corporation. Managed ten direct sales personnel; Responsible for twenty-five states and Canada.Accomplishments: Increased sales over 45% per year for four years. Manager of the Year Award for 4 consecutive years; Introduced brand programs for Halston, Gloria Vanderbilt, Brooks Brothers, and Dansk; Promoted four times; Implemented program that delivered largest single year sales increase (72%) in company's 135-year history. |
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Government Experience
| Years | Agency | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2000 to 2004 | Agency: AAFAS | Role: Market Development | Description: Set up Planograms, Budgets, Forecasts, Compliance for travel-ware and accessory area. |
International Experience
| Years | Country / Region | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Years: 2000 to 2010 | Country / Region: China | Summary: Outsourcing new factories and vendors for houseware products, travel ware, and consumer goods. Working with vendor of record on compliance, factory inspection, VAT, import export, QA, pricing, duties, and production scheduling. |
| Years: 1991 to 1997 | Country / Region: Vietnam | Summary: Outsourcing new factories and vendors for House ware products, travel ware, consumer goods. Working with vendor of record on compliance, factory inspection, VAT, import export QA, pricing, duties, production scheduling. |
| Years: 1985 to 2012 | Country / Region: Canada | Summary: Outsourcing new factories and vendors for House ware products, travel ware, consumer goods. Working with vendor of record on compliance, factory inspection, VAT, import export QA, pricing, duties, production scheduling. |
| Years: 2000 to 2013 | Country / Region: India | Summary: Outsourcing new factories and vendors for House ware products, travel ware, consumer goods. Working with vendor of record on compliance, factory inspection, VAT, import export QA, pricing, duties, production scheduling. |
| Years: 2000 to 2013 | Country / Region: Mexico | Summary: Outsourcing new factories and vendors for House ware products, travel ware, consumer goods. Working with vendor of record on compliance, factory inspection, VAT, import export QA, pricing, duties, production scheduling. |
Career Accomplishments
| Associations / Societies |
|---|
| Director, TGA Association Director, CORE Association |
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Xerox Senior Management Courses 1, 2, 3, and 4 |
| Professional Appointments |
|---|
| Board Chairman, LLGMA Association |
Additional Experience
| Expert Witness Experience |
|---|
| 25+ years of experience working as a consultant and expert witness on topics such as: quality assurance, in-store inspections, current trends, competitive landscape, real-time in-store intercepts, in-field geographic intercepts, overruns, and numerous other fields. |
| Vendor Selection |
|---|
| Expert has outsourced products in the following countries: China Hong Kong, USA Mexico Canada Vietnam Malaysia EU UK |
Fields of Expertise
advertising, branding, brick and mortar, business management, business operations, consumer choice prediction, consumer demographics, consumer focus group, consumer marketing, consumer product, consumer product design, consumer product ergonomics, consumer product label, consumer product labeling, consumer product marketing, consumer product packaging, consumer product safety, consumer purchasing behavior, consumer survey, conventional licensing, cost, cross marketing, customer satisfaction, customer segmentation, design for manufacturability, design for manufacture and assembly, direct store delivery receiving system, dispensing device, distribution channel, e-tailing, efficient consumer response, electronic data interchange, franchise marketing, high volume, low cost product assembly, high volume, low cost product design, household appliance, household appliance liability, household appliance new product development, household product, household product packaging process, in-store system development, international marketing, Internet marketing, market, market assessment, market development, market forecasting, market positioning, market potential, market research, market segmentation, market trend, marketing, marketing brand management, marketing communications, marketing database, marketing mix, marketing software, mass customization, mentoring, new consumer product development, new product assessment, new product launch, new product market survey, niche marketing, package consumer testing, packaging material selection, point-of-sale equipment, point-of-sale hardware selection, point-of-sale scanning system, primary packaging, product, product cost reduction, product evaluation, product launch, product liability, production cost, promotion, public relations, research and development, retail information system, retailing, management consulting, questionnaire, mobile marketing, over-the-counter drug packaging, post consumer recycling, retail expense reduction, retail operations improvement, retail system planning, retail system development, retail automation