Claude Ricks Email & Phone Number

Cultivate valued relationships with retailers and vendors to solve and address distribution challenges, trends, and opportunities from analysis through execution.

Transformed the account management structure enterprise-wide from conceptualization through implementation enhancing efficiency and communication, increasing client retention, and generating consistent revenue growth.Led an account management and sales team of 14 serving 4 retail segments by defining roles and strategy, establishing KPIs, and developing team members, becoming the fastest growing and top performing company channel. Built and maintained a client portfolio through collaborative relationships and consistent quality service, adding new regional retailers, securing multiple 6-year contracts with strategic clients with a 100% client retention rates. Grew existing channel business with clients such as Dollar General, Family Dollar, and other value retailers from space and location optimization to product expansion, strategic marketing, and targeted promotions with successes including:- Delivering 50% sales growth and a double-digit profitability rate increase.- Increasing the largest account’s annual sales revenue from $MM to $B+. - Managing 23K+ locations with 5 new store openings daily. - Winning Vendor of the Year several times. Expanded product and services offerings by strengthening relationships with strategic partners and vendors through value perception evolution with strategic launches including: -Content partner expansion with Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Sony, contributing to over 50% of annual revenue. -Implementing Medicare/Medicaid Advantage Program with SKU level POS adjudication at 20K+ locations. -Being the first retail partner with over 1,000 locations for The Texas Lottery’s new scratch-off technology.

Led and managed the account management team of 20+ supporting 80% of all corporate channels ensuring cross-functional collaboration with sales and providing consistent and open communication with retailers. Spearheaded an organizational sales restructure to align account managers and sales team members with retail channels to better meet unique client needs, gaining senior leadership buy-in for implementation.

Managed the account management department across all retail channels including pharmacy, big box, value, convenience, grocery, and specialty, successfully renewing contracts with the top 10 retail clients in a 12-month period.

Created a prepaid product company from defining the business model and company infrastructure to building a team of 30 to support rapid business growth, successfully selling to PRE Solutions in 2004 (3rd largest national prepaid aggregator).Developed and launched proprietary software that allowed for prepaid transacting on a traditional credit card terminal, implementing with national retailers in first 2 years and becoming the 5th largest prepaid product provider nationally.

Built a company acquiring electronic credit card transactions by establishing solid, reputable bank relationships and winning business with diverse retailers through profitable, risk-averse sale to Bancard Systems in 1999.