Allison Westbrook Email & Phone Number

Deerfield, Illinois, United States

Brand Champion for ACCO Brands (Swingline, Five Star, Mead, GBC)As an Assistant Product Manager at Essendant, a wholesale distribution company, I work with the vendorACCO Brands, a national company that encompasses the brands Swingline, Five Star, Mead, and GBC.Essendant is a nationwide wholesale distribution company that focuses on distribution and fulfillmentservices.In this role, I am responsible for item life cycle review, market analysis, contract negotiations, marketing spend for my assigned vendor, promotional campaigns, product selection and review, analysis of sales data and working closely with the vendor to discover opportunities to work with adjacent vendors and categories to help sales ‘build the basket’ for their wholesale customers.

St Charles, Illinois, United States

At Midwest, I managed a portfolio of strategic accounts, ensuring they receive a high level of service, from sales to order fulfillment. I also focused on new business development and manage key programs, including contract grows and seasonal programs. I also served as product and program manager for specialty programs grown for specific market segments. I was involved in forecasting; pricing; product selection; training and coordinating with Inside and Outside Sales on securing and entering orders within timelines; and marketing, including creating and leading product presentations.In addition, I have also scripted and created concepts for marketing videos, conducted key customer tours and sales calls, represented the company at trade shows, written business and customer-facing newsletters, conducted extensive training on the ROSS ERP system, and served as an Interim Inside Sales Manager for a period, as well as providing leadership and guidance to the sales and production teams.

West Chicago, Il

Served as project manager and editor of the 19th edition of the Ball RedBook, a technical reference manual on plant propagation, used by growers, educators, and others in the horticulture industry.As a horticulturist and staff editor at GrowerTalks/Green Profit magazine, I conducted industry research and interviews to compile and present information in a clear and concise way to a variety of audiences. I wrote features for GrowerTalks/Green Profit, edited the work of contributing freelance writers, research and compiled information relevant to the horticulture industry and contributed to the editorial strategy of the magazine. In addition, I was the editor of HortCalendar Highlights newsletter, a twice-monthly e-newsletter that focused on tradeshows and events in the horticulture industry. I managed the circulation of 27K subscribers of GrowerTalks/Green Profit, an industry-wide publication reporting on both grower and retailer issues, as well as technical and product innovations. I managed yearly circulation audits and analyzed circulation information to ensure goals were met. I compiled and analyzed a yearly wage and benefit survey for the industry that is published in the magazine.Additional duties included utilizing media services software and CMS publishing software to manage circulation and content, creating and coordinating circulation efforts through various channels, and promoting and increasing outreach of the magazine at industry trade shows. I also coordinated and scheduled digital advertisements in Ball Publishing e-newsletters and websites. In addition, I was a project manager on the overhaul of the GrowerTalks/Green Profit website and managed the upgrades of the media service system.

West Chicago, Il

This position involved managing Ball’s retail accounts, mainly The Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Walmart. I worked with the retail business manager of each to coordinate sales and marketing materials, POP, cultural information, and event materials to each retailer. I worked directly with the Marketing Communications team to create signage, tags, and presentations for the retail teams, as the design and tone for each retailer must be different, but all must be recognizable as the Ball brand. I also worked with the marketing managers to develop marketing plans for new varieties. I assisted in developing marketing strategies and implementing these throughout the year with the retailers. In addition, I ran and used BI reports to aggregate and analyze sales and booking information, using my advanced Excel skills. I planned and executed events, coordinating among multiple teams, and prepared power point presentations and booklets for these events.

Lisle, Il

This position involved managing a team of four people, who were in the role of vendor program management. I had this role as well, in addition to my management duties. The vendor management role involved being the conduit from the vendors to the broker customers, also servicing our internal customers, such as the sales force, customer service, and business support team. I also provided sales and marketing tools to our sales force, utilizing horticultural product knowledge and marketing skills. My team was responsible for managing vendors of brokered plant material. I was responsible for the Proven Winners line, as well as several key perennial vendors such as Pacific Plug and Liner, Raker, and Walter’s Gardens. In addition, I have planned presentations for SHSG at trade shows, events, and industry meetings, representing the organization and interacting with growers and brokers from across the country. Accomplishments:• Successfully managed my team through the acquisition of Syngenta Horticultural Services by Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, and the merge to the new SHS Griffin organization.• Facilitated the addition of quoting assistance temps to my team, helping to distribute the workload, which decreased stress and reduced after hours work, increasing productivity.• Quickly acquired and recovered PW business from departing team member and ensured a continued high level of service with no drop in sales.

Lisle, Il

• Provided customer care to seed customers and sales reps for the East Coast region, as well as key accounts such as Costa, Knox Nursery, Speedling, and Jolly Farmer. • Directed and supported a seed consignment process for Color Spot, one of SHSG’s largest accounts. This involved coordinating with contacts at Color Spot, the seed buyers, and the shipping department at SHS.• Lead customer care rep of the Costa seed account, which assists in the exclusive partnership of Total Growth Solutions (TGS).

Valparaiso, Indi

I returned to Reed's Nursery the summer after my Junior year at Purdue University. I was promoted to Yard Manager, which involved overseeing five employees, maintaining the greenhouses, plant sales, transplanting and maintaining plugs, ordering plants, and scouting and controlling plant diseases. I also was involved as a landscape design intern, which involved meeting with clients, developing bids, and using computer design programs, such as Landscape Pro, to create landscape plans.

Valparaiso, Indiana

My first year at Reed's Nursery, I was focused on plant care and plant sales, to both homeowners and contractors. I learned a lot about plant uses in the landscape and greenhouse practices. In the period of my employment, plant sales tripled from the previous year. I also assisted in a new mum growing program at Reed's. I assisted in organization and renovations of the yard and greenhouses as well.

Masters Of Science In Agriculture, Plant Health Management

Bachelor Of Science (Bs), Landscape Horticulture And Design

Classes included those pertaining to horticulture, management, economics, horticultural production, and agribusiness.