Tom Connell Email & Phone Number

United States

Corona, California, US

• Privately held $40 million food distributor specializing in small retailers and Amazon third-party sellers.
• Within 45 days restructured buying procedures so that all top selling products are reviewed weekly so they always in-stock. All other SKUs are reviewed every two weeks.
• Developed process to ensure that buys are within payment terms, and to prevent overstocking products with slow turns.
• Within the first 90-days: increased payment terms with six suppliers; negotiated rebates with four suppliers; and increased marketing funds with five vendors.
• Added six new suppliers to increase the catalogue SKUs, and in the process of vetting 50 new potential suppliers.
• Started the process to set up and procure a private label program offering coffee syrups, kosher salt, spices, minoxidil, and supplements.

Santa Ana, California, US

• Gear Coop, Costa Mesa, CA 04/2019 – PresentPresidentGear Coop, Santa Ana, CA 04/2019 – 8/2023PresidentPrivately held $30 million specialty outdoor retailer known for high-end brands in climbing footwear, technical.
• Within the first year grew sales 23% from prior year (PY), increased gross margin 5% from PY and EBITDA $1.5M from PY. Increased double-digit profits yearly since 2019, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Paid off the bank loan by year end, and yearly since 2019. It was the first time the company made a profit since its founding.
• Expanded retail presence, increased warehouse and office space, and enlarged buying staff to capitalize on increased consumer demand during the pandemic. Personally created the merchandising layout for the new larger.
• Increased industry leading manufacturing brands and product assortment as well provide comprehensive brand management, registry, marketing, and price reporting functions for them on Amazon, making Gear Coop one of the.
• Led the implementation of pricing strategies to ensure Gear Coop’s compliance for MAP pricing.

Los Angeles, CA, US

• The inventors of the Spin bike had expanded to be one of the world’s largest equipment-based education companies with over $50 million in sales to retail and private gyms as well as to fitness enthusiasts.
• Originally joined as the Director of Retail Sales, and within six months was promoted to Vice President of Sales. Led sales for retail, commercial, web, and international while overseeing customer service and tech.
• Two years in a row increased retail sales by double-digits.
• Responsible for product selection (doubling the SKU count), marketing, trade show planning and overall operations of the company.

La Canada-Flintridge, CA, US

• Full-service sports specialty retailer with 48 stores in four Western states, with over $362.5 million in revenue.
• Managed the West Coast buying office overseeing over 40 employees, including buyers, assistant buyers, planners, and replenishers.
• Responsible for buying over 25,000 SKUs for athletic equipment, outdoor equipment, bikes, fitness, golf, tennis, baseball, general athletics (team sports), cycling, cycling apparel, hard-goods snow, skateboards.
• Exceeded sales and gross margin plan five years in a row in bikes, fitness, car racks, cycling apparel, sunglasses, gift center, and food.
• Surpassed sales plan for two years in baseball and general athletics.
• Took initiative to lower aged inventory in bikes, racks and cycling apparel from 8% to 3.6%; and in fitness from 5% to 1.3% of total inventory.

Foothill Ranch, CA, US

• Privately held $15 million high-end commercial audio manufacturer of professional sound systems for large venues around the globe, including concert halls, music venues, sports venues, auditoriums, transit centers, etc.
• Responsible for all purchasing decisions and inventory control of imported and factory stock.
• Administered a diverse SKU count of 4,000 RoHS compliant materials with an average inventory of $4 million.
• Responsible for purchasing equipment to manufacture products.
• Immediately improved in-stock to meet or exceed customer orders and 10-day turn around.
• Restructured import duties and freight costs into product pricing for the first time in the company’s history.

• Managed inventory purchasing decisions and inventory control for five-distribution center flooring distributor with sales of more than $44 million at a 22% margin. SKU count was 3,500 with an average inventory of $7.5.
• Spearheaded the creation of the company’s Purchasing Department for Orange County operations, as well as fine-tuned and implemented purchasing standards, replenishment, and inventory programs.
• Extensively reduced out of stocks, and virtually eliminated dead inventory.
• Launched a new laminate flooring program with moldings through Armstrong World Industries.
• Supervised receiving and ran operations during the Orange County restructuring and management shift.
• Analyzed cycle counts and purchase orders for regular inventory and special orders.

• Responsible for purchasing at a local pet supply retailer with nine stores and distribution centers. Oversaw inventory in a 120,000 square foot warehouse with a value of over $1 million.
• Increased SKU count 30%, and increased line fill-rate from 87% to average of 96% including vendor out of stocks. Accomplished by increased inventory dollars by only 15% (including new items).
• Reduced inventory from aging at 91–360 days to 0–90 days.
• Created and implemented all monthly advertising for both retail and distribution and negotiated specials buys.
• Took initiative to oversee capital purchasing and negotiations, and created additional revenue through installation of a cardboard baler and sales of recycled materials.
• Designed the company’s first trade show booth. Attended and staffed trade show exhibitions.

Irving, Texas, US

• Oversaw inventory with a value of over $5 million for one of the nation’s largest wholesale distributors of building supply products. Solely responsible for inventory turn, GMROI and all supplier negotiations for.
• Increased inventory turns from 4 turns to 5.8 turns by increased sales and reduced inventory by $1 million dollars while maintained a 100% fill rate.
• Solely responsible for the launch of several new categories.
• Analyzed commodities pricing daily; implemented weekly pricing promotions to drive sales.
• Created new procedures for receiving, warehouse management, supplier, and customer relations.

• IIn the early days of Internet online sales, helped launch an online retail start up with over 300 vendors. One of the original employees.
• Spearheaded and launched nine categories with over 75,000 SKU’s that included home improvement, garden and outdoor living, pet and farm, consumer electronics, cameras, sporting goods, housewares, fragrances, and.
• Lead the development and execution of the Supplier Agreement Package and Introduction Brochure.
• Developed and implemented merchandising programs and procedures for nine categories.
• Handled negotiations for contracts and agreements with over 150 suppliers.
• Successfully recruited and hired within nine months the entire staff of 20 merchants and assistant merchants.

• Regional hardware and household goods retailer with $1.2 billion in revenue, 84 stores and 10,000 team members.
• As the Hardware Buyer solely responsible for over 8,000 SKU’s. As the Lumber Buyer handled 1,000 SKUs. Facilitated over 3,500 SKUs as Garden Buyer.
• Responsible for negotiating product selection, co-operative advertising participation, advertisement layouts, rebates, pricing, inventory levels, buyback programs, and service levels.
• Worked with replenishment to communicate forecasted sales projections.
• Facilitated annual line reviews, new planograms, and product placements.
• Spearheaded Hardware’s turnaround to a positive sales and margin growth rate within two years.

• Southern California-based home improvement retailer with over $159 million in revenue and 20 locations.
• As the Paint and Décor Buyer coordinated over 2,500 SKUs. Coordinated 1,200 SKUs as the Automotive Buyer. While Hardware, Tools, and Sporting Goods Buyer, executed over 5,000 SKUs.
• Responsible for negotiating product selection, pricing, cooperative advertising participation, advertisement layouts, rebates, inventory levels, buyback programs, and service levels.

Business Administration And Management, General

High School Diploma, General