Rick Barton Email & Phone Number

Short term assignment with craft supplier to primarily Walmart. Caught between total collapse of overseas supply chain and key customer both refusing price increases and fining at every opportunity.

New Berlin, Wi, Us

Internet specialty retailer competing in Party and Seasonal verticals. Major DSV vendor to big box stores such as Walmart and Target. Key Amazon supplier via FBA, Marketplace, and MFN. Focus on speed to market and product diversification supported by best in class direct to consumer fulfillmento. Restructured and changed strategic model resulting in loss of unprofitable sales of $20M but increase in cash of $14M plus. Identified acquirer and engineer sale of the business.

Publisher and distributor of craft and cooking instructional materials to both retail outlets (Walmart and Michaels) and ecommerce direct to consumer. Second stint at Leisure Arts in turnaround mode and successfully engineered sale from Liberty Media to Comcast.

Identify platform acquisition candidates in the consumer space, meet and evaluate existing management, determine potential for EBITDA growth, identify add on candidates, develop proformas through the LOI process/due diligence process, develop integration plans, and either run the business as CEO as participate as active board member.

A Time Warner CompanyPublisherFunctioning as President and CEO $100 million Time Warner publisher, distributor, and category manager of branded lifestyle books into mass market, home and garden, craft, and book trade retail channels worldwide. Major customers include Wal-Mart, Lowes, Costco, Barnes & Noble, and Michaels. Key imprints include Cooking Light, Martha Stewart, Southern Living, Leisure Arts, and Sunset. Recruited and developed senior management team to strategically address product diversification by internal product launches, customized product development for key retailers, and alliances.Implemented a $7 million cost reduction plan with the implementation of an automated warehouse management system, establishment of an in-house prepress function, re-negotiation of printing contracts and moving some printing overseas, and targeted headcount reductions. Implemented Leisure Arts website and transition from driving consumers to retail, to marketing to consumers direct. Developed partnerships with Amazon, Meredith, and Creative Keepsakes along with a 3rd party distributor. Drove over $12 million incremental volume sold to major trade classes with branded partnerships with Martha Stewart, Disney, Lowes Stores, Williams Sonoma, Creative Keepsakes, and Weber Grilling

Leading $185 million domestic manufacturer, marketer, and importer of seasonal product generally sold as custom product to discount chains, chain food and drug, warehouse clubs, and educational channels. Categories include boxed Christmas cards and gift tags, Easter egg dyes and decorations, full line Halloween offering, classroom exchange Valentines, and teacher support materials); Profit and loss responsibility for four businesses, eleven locations, and up to 1,800 employees at seasonal peak. Doubled sales and revenues to $185 million and pretax to $20 million by successful acquisitions and integration, partnership with big box retailers, and development of key Asian sources. Recruited new management team, restructured by season to improve measurement/accountabilities, and exploded every business segment through acquisition and organic growth. Grew Paper Magic Halloween business from $12 to $35 million through internal product innovation and acquisition, tripling pre-acquisition revenue at improved margins. Reversed declining revenues and profits in Paper Magic Spring Easter products to 12% pretax and 20% revenue growth. Drove incremental volume of heavily licensed (e.g., Disney, Warner Brothers and Lucas) Valentine Classroom Exchange Cards with improved profitability through both successful acquisition and internal product innovation at higher price points.

Us

Leading brand of home sewing pattern under the Simplicity Pattern brand. Responsible for domestic sales and full P&L responsibility for wholly owned subsidiaries in South Africa, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Equity participant in 4 LBO's in 8 years funded by Wesray Capital, Fuqua Enterprises, Intermark, and Pacific Holdings

$350 million supplier of branded health and beauty aids to food, drug, and discount stores. Positions ranged from Region Manager to Director of Sales Merchandising, to Director of National Accounts

Sales Director for test market rollout of high quality children's books sold at mass market pricing and delivered store door through the LEggs distribution system

Leading manufacturer of heavily promoted health and beauty aids to wholesale and chain food, drug, and discount stores.Three territories, 2 District Manager Positions, and headquarter based Manager of Sales Promotion