• Constructed “go to market” strategy and case management process, for firm’s life settlement practice, reducing case life cycle time by over 50%.

• Improved operational efficiencies by reengineering new business processing, implementing improved standards, realigning staff responsibilities and elimination of redundant task work.• Implemented new business key metrics tracking and reporting.• Initiated monthly P&L reporting and review process.• Implement several targeted cost-reductions reduced overall annual operating expenses by more than 10%.• Established formal employee job decsriptions and implemented formal, annual performance review process.

Recruited by the President/CEO to fill new role to lead and develop the national broker distribution sales & service team for this industry leading, policy origination provider in the emerging life settlements market.Led and developed a team of Marketing Account/Relationship Managers and sales support staff to maximize business/sales development opportunites, improve close rate performance and building solid customer relationships.• Led sales and sales support staff of 18 comprised of marketing account/relationship managers, case managers and case processing specialists effectively managing and facilitating account growth of over 135% and policy application growth of over 20%.• Designed and implemented improved sales tracking and sales support tools resulting in accurate and timely flow of critical business information and improved customer service.• Collaborated on development, implementation and management of a regional sales distribution model generating a 13% increase in policy application growth representing $2.9B in policy face amount and nearly $2M in fee revenue, in the first ten months.• Partnered with human resources and reorganized the company’s case processing function reducing processing turnaround time from four weeks to two days.• Elevated quality of relationships with broker community and improved response time through frequent proactive, partnership-oriented communication, increased personal contact and implementation of a team alignment structure.

Recruited by CEO to lead the marketing, merchandising and market development functions for start-up retail furniture business with a new, unique consumer offering and service model. • Led the industry research and strategic market planning processes, which resulted in a clear, unique positioning for the brand, identification of prime development markets and a five-year market development plan, market penetration/optimization analysis, store development plans for priority markets, site selection criteria and, the opening of four successful stores, in the first year. • Led the development and managed implementation of retail brand positioning, retail pricing, advertising creative and individual market media strategies and negotiated & purchased all advertising media and outsourced marketing services.• Developed effective brand introduction strategies and new store Grand Opening program.• Partnered with operations leaders to develop and implement differentiating in-store shopping and in-home delivery experiences in support of brand positioning.

A $110 million, 125 store chain of Rent-To-Own stores located in 33 Eastern US markets.Recruited by CEO/Founder to fill new position and lead the development and implementation of a long-range strategic growth plan and direct all marketing functions including: site selection, advertising, promotion, direct & interactive marketing, visual merchandising and store design. • Co-led development of the company’s first strategic planning process resulting in a three-year strategic growth plan and, ultimately, the strategic sale of the Company at an industry-record high multiple of revenue.• Directed the development and implementation of a short-term promotional strategy that resulted in an all-time high number of deliveries (new transactions) in what is historically the softest month of the year, an increase of 15.5% vs. prior year and, an increase in customer retention rate of 5%, which resulted in incremental revenue of over $400,000.• Decreased unprofitable deliveries (new transactions) while increasing average monthly customer count growth by 3.5% and average revenue collected on delivery of 33.9% and improved year on year profitability by over 1,700% in the first month.• Developed and directed implementation of a new pricing strategy and matrix, that resulted in an increase of average customer transaction of 2.0%.• Led the development and rollout design of an affinity/club program projected to generate incremental annual revenue of $7.7 million and added profit of over $4.8 million• Directed the development of Visual Merchandising strategy and plan• Directed the evaluation and sourcing of potential market development and site selection resources.

Appointed to lead the marketing function through a company turnaround initiative.• Led the developed and implementation of annual marketing plans that resulted in consistent sales increases, in a flat growth industry. During this time, marketing played a key role in achieving sales growth that consistently out-performed key competitors and the industry as a whole. This growth resulted in Pearle Vision becoming profitable in 2002, for the first time in over ten years. • Directed the development and implementation of media strategies that resulted in improved efficiency and accelerated sales growth and profitability. One such strategy drove incremental, comp store sales growth of six percent in markets representing nearly 50% of system-wide sales.• Increased franchisee participation in national and local marketing initiatives, resulting in two year, comp store sales increase of 2%.• Directed development of business-to-consumer, business-to-business and associate-to-family, Local Store Marketing programs that drove incremental annual sales of $4 million.• Spearheaded the testing and rollout of a private label, retail-financing program that has resulted in incremental sales of over $1 million, in the first three months and projected to drive annual incremental system-wide sales of over $30 million.• Developed and implemented consumer research designed to improve results of our sales promotions.• Increased annual vendor co-op fund by over 100%, in less than two years, resulting in an increase in “consumer-facing” media.

$500+ million division of Cole National with 800+ owned and franchised retail optical stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada. Promoted to lead the development and implementation of national-level, brand positioning & general marketing initiatives.• Directed development of interactive, direct marketing, media, creative, sales promotion and PR strategies.• Assembled new staff of marketing professionals, following company’s acquisition and relocation.• Controlled $45million national budget.• Launched two, successful brand-building campaigns.• Championed the development and launch of www.pearlevision.com – which became the most visited website in the Retail Optical category with nearly 2 million hits per month in less than one year.• Blueprinted PR strategies resulting in 90+ million free, annual media impressions.• Initiated a comprehensive, relational database-marketing program, which increased customer retention by over 10% and achieved 8:1 ROI in less than 6 months.• Designed two category & company first, national sales events, resulting in record sales and the company’s highest comp sales performance for the year.• Pioneered implementation of a toll free, consumer 800# locator featuring direct-connect technology, which resulted in a 22% increase in store call volume.• Implemented a downloadable “On-hold” messaging system reducing store labor hours and related costs.• Directed the development and implementation of new frame merchandising strategy resulting in consistent product presentation across all stores and improved customer service.• Managed five outside agency partners including; general market advertising, direct marketing, interactive marketing, print placement and Yellow Pages advertising agencies.• Created a charitable event program, which married the efforts of independent Optometrists, store operations staff and two separate charities and resulted in valuable community-service exposure.

Managed marketing disciplines for Specialty (licensed) Business Group (Ward’s Optical, BJ’s Optical, Target Optical and others) and served as lead member of a cross-functional business team accountable for all business decisions and P&L. • Championed marketing programs and general business solutions resulting in increased customer traffic and sales, in a declining Host-store (Montgomery Ward) sales environment.• Implemented company’s most successful sales promotion resulting in record customer traffic increase of 13% comp sales increases of over 15% and profit increases of nearly 22%.• Improved Host-store relations, resulting in increased business support, 30% decrease in host advertising media costs and increased exposure to Host-store customers.• Spearheaded successful employee sales contests.• Pioneered a breakthrough media strategy improving ROI by nearly 100%.• Employed merchandising and promotional strategies, for BJ’s Optical, that continue to drive record sales volumes.

Start-up agency providing targeted, database local store marketing program development and implementation to the national restaurant and retail industries.Led new business development efforts and managed clients services team to deliver exceptional local store marketing services and grow sales to nationally-recognized chainstore brands.Director, Client ServicesRecruited to direct account services group in development, implementation and manage targeted, “neighborhood” marketing programs. Clients included: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Host Marriott, Taco Bell, Wendy’s International, Coca Cola, Ruby Tuesday, Cracker Barrel Red Robin International, California Pizza Kitchen, Chevys Fresh Mex, Longhorn Steakhouse and others.• Key member of strategic management team developing and implementing growth strategies, which resulted in year on year revenue increases of more than 200%.• Developed and implemented Goodyear’s national Neighborhood Sales Building Network, which achieved an ROI of 69% in four months.• Spearheaded targeted neighborhood marketing program for Red Robin resulting in a 16%+ net sales gain.• Developed a New Store Opening program for Red Robin International in a market with no brand awareness, resulting in record traffic & sales and a sustained weekly sales increase of more than 16%.• Developed and directed various programs achieving redemption rates of 15 – 25%.• Signed over $400,000 in new business, in 6 months, representing $2million in expansion potential.• Utilized sales prospecting & contact management database system, improving productivity by over 20%. • Built solid working relationships with all levels of client management.

Directed staff of 20 in sales promotion, advertising production, media planning & buying and collateral/in-unit marketing & menu presentation.

Advertising Manager (5/84 – 9/87)Planned, developed and managed advertising and sales promotion strategies for 60 store traditional grocery (Fazio’s) and 5 store superstore (Carl’s) chains.• Developed & implemented promotional, sponsorships and community relations events.• Directed the development of advertising campaign that successfully launched the first food superstore chain in the market – Carl’s Superstore.• Hired, trained and managed internal agency staff of 16.• Planned and directed all print and electronic advertising media.• Directed creative development and production of all advertising & instore signage.• Hired and directed outside advertising agency and other necessary outside resources.Advertising Coordinator (2/83 – 5/84)Planned, scheduled and coordinated production of print and broadcast advertising.Production Coordinator (6/81 – 2/83)Planned, scheduled and coordinated production of print advertising.Paste-up Artist (3/80 – 6/81)Performed pre-press production for print advertising.Silk Screen Operator (9/78 – 3/80)Printed in-store seasonal, location and promotional signage.