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.
• 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.
• Autonomously directed store’s merchandising, working closely with vendors. Transitioned merchandising to Merchandising Execution Team in 2014.

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.
• 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.

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.