I currently oversee the management of our Operations - the Distribution components, resources, and people of our Wholesale Operations.

DC Optimization.

Responsible for managing all operations of JDRF in Southwest Florida including management of staff, recruitment and management of volunteers, donor development and stewardship, major donor strategies, community outreach, research presentations, volunteer board development, volunteer committee building, strategic planning, event planning and execution – Walks, Gala, Golf, Polo, Special Events.Accomplishments include achievement of financial goals and overall budgets; growth in the Walk program; new major gifts, enrollment of 7 new planned givers in less than one year (more than ½ the Florida Region’s) and development of new fundraising programs (Polo Cup).

Responsible for overall management and oversight of the Florida Region comprised of 6 local Chapters throughout the Region. Development of strategic plans with chapter staff and volunteer leadership, budget and financial planning for regional and chapter revenues and expenses, recruitment and management of new chapter leaders, development of 5 year Regional plan for restructuring and realignment to impact revenues and growth.Accomplishments include exceeding Regional gross and net income budgets/goals for 2 fiscal years in a row (double digit over budget) including 175% of Leadership giving budget, Regional plan development, and employing performance management for bringing in new chapter leadership in chapters requiring new leadership for future growth.

Responsible for planning and executing fundraising events throughout Louisiana including Walks to Cure Diabetes, Galas, Rides to Cure Diabetes, Major gifts, and third party events. Responsible for identifying and recruiting volunteers and donors for fundraising programs. Responsible for identifying, cultivating, stewarding, and recognizing donors and major givers. Responsible for identifying and applying for grants from corporations, foundations, and nonprofit entities. Responsible for building and overseeing branch and Chapter volunteer boards of directors. Responsible for working with volunteer leadership for providing outreach activities to constituents throughout Louisiana. Responsible for managing special events staff and administrative staff in management of Chapter operations. Responsible for developing and managing annual financial budgets. Responsible for development, review, and implementation of strategic plans. Responsible for development and execution of educational programs for constituents. Responsible for articulating research programs and initiatives to donors, constituents, and the public. Responsible for advocacy. Responsible for serving on several regional and national organizational committees.Accomplishments include bringing Chapter back to viable fundraising levels post-Katrina, exceeding pre-Katrina fundraising with 67% fewer staff and 33% fewer office locations; developing statewide outreach programs for volunteer and donor acquisition while building capacity for delivery of services; securing major gifts of at least $100,000 each; achieving the best chapter efficiency margin in Cluster 3; effectively and successfully managing 7 major fundraising events per year in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport, and Ruston; winning the JDRF’s International Staff Person of the Year in 2008.

Responsible for providing guidance and leadership to a 29-member privately-run workforce investment board charged with the responsibility of investing workforce training funds in the marketplace. Responsible for interpreting State and Federal rules, regulations, and programs for educating board members and program staff of program goals and objectives. Responsible for translating, communicating, and initiating the directives, vision, and strategies of the workforce investment board. Responsible for negotiating contracts with providers and contractors in the delivery of workforce training services to employers and job seekers. Responsible for oversight of 6 parish offices in the delivery of services to clients. Responsible for advertising, marketing, and communicating the vision of the workforce investment board to policy makers, elected officials, and the public.Accomplishments include negotiation for and receipt of over $1.8 million of disaster assistance funding for Katrina and Rita evacuees relocated to Central Louisiana; development of a 3-year Unified Strategic Plan for the workforce investment entities; establishment of new strategic partnerships with chambers of commerce, educational institutions, local and State elected officials to rebuild the image of the Louisiana Workforce Investment Area 60; and the recruitment and management of volunteers across various stakeholders for the development and execution of a comprehensive job placement strategy.

Responsible for overseeing the corporate Project Management Office (PMO) and the Information Services department, activities, products, and services. Responsible for defining and organizing the company’s key strategic projects, and securing project priorities and assignment of necessary resources for successful completion. Responsible for defining and implementing the technological vision for Associated Grocers, Inc. and the 230 independent retailers that it serves in a multi-state region. Teaching, mentoring, guiding, and leading employees, staff, associates, and customers in the processes, procedures, and enablers for accomplishment of corporate goals, strategies, and mission. Responsible for developing/overseeing corporate disaster recovery plan, successfully executed during technological and business continuity disruptions.Accomplishments include completion of corporate disaster recovery project, corporate diversification strategies, promotional funding tracking systems, data synchronization with key suppliers, training and education of Information Services and PMO personnel and staff regarding industry best practices, corporate systems and processes, and principles of effective project management.

Responsible for effectively managing the company’s technological resources including the staffs of Retail Systems & Technology, Business Applications Development, Technical Services, ECR Applications management, and Computer Service Operations as well as capital budget for hardware, software applications, third party services, telecommunications, and consulting arrangements. Was responsible for leading our Year 2000 project management team. Working and coordinating with Human Resources for qualifying for and fulfilling the requirements of an incumbent worker training grant.Accomplishments include the coordination and execution of a strategic 3 year technology plan engagement; transforming a traditionally technical department into a viable business unit with priorities better-aligned with the company’s business goals; negotiating cost-neutral maintenance agreements with technology providers; accommodation of the virtual office; managing the development and deployment of a wireless retail ordering solution (Feline™) and B2B e-commerce tools (AG-LINK©); implementation of a wide area network (AG-WAN); outsourcing of remote POS data extraction, data warehousing, retail tracking, promotional marketing funds collections, and category management analytics; development of a corporate Internet strategy; management of the selection and implementation of warehouse management system; payroll and human resources packages (HRMS); on-board truck computer system (OBS); development of a sound and cohesive Year 2000 (Y2K) strategy that ensured 100% compliance on time and well under budget. Authored and marketed the Year 2000 Retail Readiness Kit marketed within the grocery distribution industry and the open market.

Responsible for selecting, developing, marketing, and implementing technologies designed to enable independent retailers to compete effectively in the marketplace; as a member of the Retailer Owned Research Company (RORC) technical steering committee, responsible for leveraging investments from participating wholesalers into the development and launch of retail software and hardware applications.Accomplishments include doubling the number of retail installations of the RORC suite of retail applications; realignment of the Retail Systems & Technology organizational structure; development and implementation of a retail space management technology program; marketing and rollout of AG-LINK© (electronic retail communications tool) to participating independent retailers.

Responsible for identifying areas of improvement or re-engineering of processes and systems supporting the company’s business model and financial tracking and reporting capabilities. Responsible for streamlining the flow of accounting and financial information. Responsible for communicating business needs to MIS. Responsible for managing and supervising financial systems personnel. Accomplishments include evaluation, selection, and implementation of a packaged general ledger system; development of the ELEFANT, a promotional deal tracking system that has, since its inception, contributed several million dollars of previously untapped revenues to the company’s bottom line; as interim controller for a period of five months, oversaw the switch-over to layered FIFO inventory valuation; development of an inventory control program and system; integration of category management system to packaged procurement system; development of a corporate budgeting system for 45 departments.

Responsible for assisting the CFO with special corporate projects. Responsible for documenting business processes, systems, and customer programs. Responsible for the preparation of internal and external user manuals. Responsible for managing the efforts of the Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) team.Accomplishments include the development, authoring, and dissemination of a corporate Customer Reference Manual; the design, editing, and dissemination of Associated Grocers, Inc.’s Annual Reports; development of user manuals for merchandising and advertising personnel, accounting and finance personnel, warehouse logistics personnel, as well as retail services personnel.

Responsible for managing the corporation’s liquid assets. Responsible for accommodating disbursement presentments and investing excess cash in short-term investment vehicles. Responsible for documenting the cash management function. Responsible for negotiating borrowing and investment rates.Accomplishments include the development of a cash management users manual for cross-training purposes; transforming paper-based processes into integrated spreadsheet applications; negotiating borrowed funds at 10% for investing in 14% instruments.

Responsible for preparing the financial statements of corporate and subsidiaries. Responsible for the collection and recording of financial transactions. Responsible for preparing work schedules for audit firms. Responsible for general ledger consolidation of subsidiary books.Accomplishments include establishment of chart of accounts, general ledger structure, and financial statements of new subsidiaries such as HOOKEM-EXPRESS and GROCERS SUPPLY FIXTURES COMPANY; introduced the effective utilization of personal computers into the financial reporting process.