Expert Details
Marketing Strategies and Promotional Plans for Food and Agricultural Products
ID: 736338
North Carolina, USA
Specializing in US agricultural industry in successfully planning, implementing and evaluating comprehensive marketing strategies and promotional plans for their food and agricultural products in the worldwide marketplace.
Education
| Year | Degree | Subject | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year: 1981 | Degree: Masters of Agricultural Education | Subject: Minor Concentration; Agronomy | Institution: Clemson University |
| Year: 1979 | Degree: BS - Graduated with Honors | Subject: Agriculture Education with a minor in Poultry Science | Institution: Clemson University |
Work History
| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Years: 2015 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Trade Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:Developed successful business and marketing plans and performed market research for various agricultural and food related entities in the SE US. Assisted companies in making strategic decisions as to go/no go product development and worked with companies on expansion and merger opportunities. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2013 to 2015 | Employer: Carolina Innovateive Food Ingredients | Title: VP | Department: Sales and Marketing |
Responsibilities:Managed successful initial brand building and marketing of the CIFI brand and products from green field to plant start up. Accomplished through contracting with a B2B ad agency and through management of a coordinated marketing plan and budget. Activities included major trade show exhibitions, ad placements in food industry publications, press releases, product sell sheets and brochures, and development of an interactive website. Metrics including number of trade leads and awareness of the CIFI brand among the food industry trade were used to evaluate the program as initial sales were just starting. Worked as part of a sales team, including the COO and CEO.Established a broker network for CIFI ingredient sales in North America. Had P&L responsibility and gained initial sales of some product lines. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2010 to 2011 | Employer: North Carolina Department of Agriculture | Title: Assistant Director | Department: Fruit and Vegetable Marketing |
Responsibilities:Administered successful multimillion dollar marketing campaigns on behalf of North Carolina seafood, fruit and vegetable and green industries. Evaluation metrics included surveying industry members as to their continuing viability and the effectiveness of promotional campaigns implemented with a staff of eight specialists. Participated in domestic and international trade shows.Managed the yearly USDA Specialty Crop Producer Grant million dollar bid and allocation process for North Carolina with another marketing specialist in the amount of $1million per year. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2007 to 2010 | Employer: North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture | Title: International Trade Specialist | Department: Trade |
Responsibilities:Recruited and promoted North Carolina based food companies and their products in various targeted markets around the world through SUSTA based promotions. These included trade shows, research activities, participating in trade missions, including CBATO in bound trade missions in Miami, outbound missions to Cuba, the DR, Puerto Rico and other markets. Assisted in obtaining export market sales for some participating companies.Regularly prepared presentations for staff at the departmental and agency level. Applied for and obtained listing for sweet potatoes on US Food for Peace. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2002 to Present | Employer: Undisclosed | Title: Consultant | Department: |
Responsibilities:Conducted a market research study of the Russian market on behalf of the US sweet potato industry through the EMP program. Planned, hired a co-investigator and undertook a market evaluation research project on behalf of the US sweet potato industry. This involved two weeks of travel in country, interviews with major importers, retailers, consumers, food service establishments, etc., and the generation and presentation of a final report that well received by the industry. Met with US trade officials at ATO offices in St. Petersburg and Moscow in order to better understand the market and potential trade issues/restrictions.Assisted in the formation of ASPMI: wrote initial MAP generic activity application on behalf of the US sweet potato industry. Conducted a market assessment of the Armenian market on behalf of ACDI/VOCA for turkey products potential. Surveys indicated there was potential, and small flocks are produced in Armenia today and turkey products and highly prized, in particular around holidays. Prepared a final report and presented it to ACDI/VOCA officials Prepared presentations for clients on a regular basis. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 2000 to 2002 | Employer: National Honey Board | Title: CEO | Department: Management |
Responsibilities:Successfully managed a multi-million dollar national research and promotion board on behalf of the US honey industry through a contentious industry mandatory five year renewal vote while retaining staff.Increased domestic awareness of the healthful attributes of honey among target consumers and industry members. Verified through the use U&A surveys. Maintained per capita consumption of honey in the face of cheap alternatives. Expanded export opportunities for US honey packers through increased presence and generic MAP promotional campaigns in targeted export markets (Japan, Saudi Arabia). Worked to resolve trade issues in the EU and with inbound contamination issues with Chinese honey. Conducted health research with the assistance of a food scientist with the goal of gaining scientific evidence for potential health claims regarding honey. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1995 to 2000 | Employer: California Walnut Commission | Title: Marketing Director | Department: Marketing |
Responsibilities:Increased domestic awareness of California walnuts by at least 10% a year over a 5 year period through the use of health research and positioning.Increased industrial usage of walnuts by 25 – 35% in targeted export markets (Israel, Japan and Germany) during 5 year period while maintaining in-shell market volumes to traditional in-shell export markets. Conducted FAS related marketing activities in 11 targeted export markets, and used yearly U&A studies to measure effectiveness. Worked to resolve phytosanitary issues with Korean governmental officials regarding methyl bromide fumigation and residue issues (successfully resolved through tours of US facilities). Worked with a scientific advisory board in reviewing proposals and funding health related research studies at major universities around the world (US, Spain, Japan) for the purpose of establishing sound scientific evidence for California walnut health claims on behalf of the US industry and their partners. |
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| Years | Employer | Title | Department |
| Years: 1990 to 1995 | Employer: USA Poultry and Egg Export Council | Title: Director of Foreign Market Development and Country Director | Department: US |
Responsibilities:Expanded funding by 25% for international generic promotional programs by writing successful FAS MAP funding applications and managing successful marketing campaigns in targeted markets, as confirmed by yearly sales numbers and U and A consumer surveys.Opened and successfully managed an international trade office on behalf of the US poultry and egg industry in Mexico City, Mexico. While stationed there I conducted a number of successful promotional campaigns featuring further processed US poultry products and increased overall sales to Mexico by 50% over a 2 year period across all categories of products (fresh, processed, frozen, etc., and including egg products) Established contact with our Mexican poultry industry counterparts, the Union Nacional de Avicultures, in order to gain their support and allay their fears regarding US exports and objectives during the implementation of NAFTA tariff rate quotas. Worked with US and Mexican trade officials on resolving TRQ issues involving NAFTA (deliberate misidentification of product, improper labelling of frozen smoked turkey, etc.). Issues were satisfactorily resolved through providing samples of products involved to responsible government officials and educational efforts with the US trade. |
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Career Accomplishments
| Licenses / Certifications |
|---|
| Myers Briggs Type Watching: Otto Kroeger and Associates Export Management: Export Institute of the United States Additional on-line courses in Marketing: UCal Berkeley Distance Learning Program |
Language Skills
| Language | Proficiency |
|---|---|
| Spanish | Intermediate |