Ben Vanderleest Email & Phone Number

Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

In 2017, the company's expansion facilitated the creation of a new senior role that aligned with my skill set, presenting me with the position of business and product development manager due to my in-depth knowledge of the company and previous contributions to its growth.ACHIEVEMENTSSuccessfully training and educating 5 new branches and over 50 new sales staff in under 5 years on the business' practices, operations, and values, streamlining tight-knit teams to understand the company's goals and assist in its growth.Building and maintaining valuable relationships with over 20 major global vendors, ensuring the company's continued international expansion.Sourcing multiple new products annually through conducting valuable market research and strengthening vendor relations, while making purchasing decisions that align with the company's goals and growth margins.Overseeing the development of 5 unique and/or exclusive new products annually, ensuring the company's competitive edge within the larger supply market.Monitoring over 200 pieces of commodity-based inventory to ensure the business is partnering with the best brands to incite growth and a promote a meaningful advantage over the competition.Assisting with sales and technical support to over 20 company teams across North America, and liaising with project managers to ensure the company's smooth operation and success.Providing supplementary marketing content and consistently reworking exit programs to ensure they are best serving the needs of the company's employees.

Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

In 2014, Hi-Tech Glazing Supplies became a division of Richelieu Hardware Canada. Through the transition, I was retained as Operations Manager due to my business and customer focused mindset and my ability to adapt, which nurtured the company's previous growth and success.ACHIEVEMENTSFacilitated a smooth operations transition from family venture to corporate business, while achieving maximum customer retention.Consistently returned between a 10-20% annual profit increase for 3 years at a business scale 3x larger than I had previously operated under.Successfully assembled and managed an effective team of over 20 personnel throughout all divisions of the company.Processed and acted on data from multiple daily reports in order to make purchasing, hiring, and operational decisions, which ultimately increased the company's bottom line by an average of 15% per year.

Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

In 2001 I, in partnership with the Vanderleest family, purchased a small glazing supply company comprising of 2 employees, a minimal operations base, and lots of potential. With my help as joint owner and operations manager, that company became Hi-Tech Glazing supplies - a successful, modern, and competitive business. Throughout the duration of my role as operations manager, my duties extended beyond the scope of the position, as heartfelt involvement in every facet of the company ensured its continued growth, even when long hours and laborious work was required.ACHIEVEMENTSIncreased sales growth of the company by 500% in the first year of purchase, expanding the team from 2 employees to 10, and enhancing production to become a viable competitor amongst some of the largest glazing and construction material suppliers in the province.Implemented a successful business plan to establish a digital sales presence based on our newly established business model within 2 years, collaborating with a web developer to design a professional e-Commerce extension of the company. Articled product inventory into the newly introduced digital interface, facilitating stock growth to the point of data entry becoming a full-time independent role.Personally hired and managed a team of 8 key personnel members, professionally equipping them and the company to navigate the rapid growth and well-established competition that comes with entering a larger market.Increased inventory by 300% and profit margins by 20% by implementing a new business strategy which shifted the company's focus to a more global perspective, presenting the company successfully at trade shows and acquiring overseas supply partners in almost every country worldwide in the process.

White Rock, British Columbia, Canada

Acted as the first point of contact for 10-20 prospective clients daily, offering expert knowledge and advice regarding the process of purchasing a vehicle.Closed over 150 deals through successfully utilizing my negotiation and problem-solving skills in order to find solutions which met the needs of both the client and the company.Laid the foundation for the rest of my career by learning to adapt, negotiate, and network. Developed the philosophy that sales is first and foremost about relationship building.

Business/Commerce, General

Business/Commerce, General