Ben Conwell Email & Phone Number

Fridley, Mn

TRANSFORMED LOW-RANKING STORE TO #1 PROFITABLE STORE IN REGION OF 120+ STORES.Selected to manage Fridley store ($25M) as Store Manager. Managed all aspects of store operation and profitability, with 15-16 department supervisors and between 125-170 associates. Reported directly to the District Manager. Since 7/2014, traveled extensively, completed home improvement projects and self-development/exploration, and served as caregiver. • Turned around underperforming store (sales versus plan, bottom line gross margin, bottom line net, and turns) to #1 profitable store in North Plains Region (out of 120+ stores), 2011. • Achieved highest sales to plan, highest gross margin to plan, highest profit to plan, and lowest percentage of out-of-stocks in 2011. Store earned 11 of 15 performance-based corporate trophies (regional). • Store earned top recognition as Improved Employer of Choice per customer survey, 2011-2012.• Led staffing and payroll efforts, encompassing customized training and curriculum for every role in store – new hires to tenured staff and management. Completed performance reviews and evaluations. Trimmed underperformers and hired new talent; integrated accountability into metrics and benchmarks. Promoted supervisors into store management and 6 associates into supervisor positions. • Autonomously directed store’s merchandising, working closely with vendors. Transitioned merchandising to Merchandising Execution Team in 2014. • Maintained nearly 1,000 days of non-OSHA recordable incidents, and 500+ of OSHA-recordable incidents.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

OPENED LOW-VOLUME STORE AND MANAGED HIGH-VOLUME STORE; PROMOTED TO STORE MANAGERAs Specialty Assistant Manager, opened Northtown-Blaine store ($15M) in saturated market (3 Home Depots within 6 miles) and Woodbury store ($45M). Northtown surpassed sales-versus-plan two years consecutively.

Blaine, Mn

EARNED HIGH-POTENTIAL GROUP STATUS AS NEW STORE-LEVEL MANAGER. Promoted to Assistant Store ($37M) Manager, with 4 direct reports (department managers) and 40-50 indirect reports (storewide sales associates). Expanded accountability to storewide operations (P&L reporting, merchandising, service, and talent development). Reported to store manager and participated in strategic preplanning and planning initiatives. • Recognized by District Manager (Home Depot Gold Cup Competition) for performance: associate knowledge, operations, merchandising and other components assessing overall business quality. • Trained, coached and mentored 6 associates into department supervisor roles; and 3 department supervisors who moved into store-level assistant management roles.• Selected as Specialty Captain to manage specialty business supporting Specialty Sales Manager. Served as Captain for District (9 stores). Grew business, with corporate recognition as High-Potential Performer.

Forest Lake, Mn

RECRUITED TO MANAGE BUSY, HIGH-END DEPARTMENTS FOR NEW PROTOTYPE STORE.Asked by former store manager to run Kitchen & Bath and Plumbing departments for prototype store. • Conceived of creative merchandising strategies for smaller store (90-952) compared to average 1402) with low ceilings and lack of back room. Devised overstock solutions for receiving storage of bathtubs, water heaters and large items. Created aisle and visually aesthetic displays for $9-$10M in inventory.

Duluth, Minnesota Area

AS FIRST-TIME MANAGER, COORDINATED KITCHEN & BATH AND PLUMBING FOR NEWLY-OPENED STORE. Promoted to Kitchen & Bath Department Manager, with oversight of special orders for kitchen designs and installations. Managed staff, including kitchen designers in outsourced third-party redesign processes for projects of $5,000 to $50,000. • Duluth store was projected to rival #1 store ($55M) in region of 100+ stores. Although store’s first year was $15M short (due to location and logistics with major competitor), Kitchen & Bath achieved first-year sales goals.• In tandem with store’s downsizing (elimination of several department supervisor positions), assumed additional management of Plumbing, with 15-20 direct reports and $2M in inventory ($12M-$15M for store).

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Within 2 years (Fridley store) of hire, promoted 3 times; and asked to manage department for new Duluth store. Hired as part-time Lumber Associate on team of 15, with merchandising and direct sales for lumber and shingles. Promoted in 1999 to full-time Freight Team (3), a newly-created position charged with shelving incoming freight. • Promoted to Sales Associate in Plumbing and Kitchen & Bath (late 2000). Honed skills in customized – solutions selling directly to customers. Concurrently assumed expanded leadership accountability for ordering freight, managing open orders, training new associates, and overall business involvement.