Darrell Polk Email & Phone Number

Madison, Wisconsin, United States

East Region Distribution ManagerProvides sales support to sales management. Plans and coordinates projects to improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the sales force and /or various sales channels. Develops processes and procedures to support the sales process and participates in the development of requirements for sales support systems. May provide line/product/system specific support to sales staff and may help during the sales process. Maintains information of sales activities that support sales performance metrics and sales process improvement.

Madison, Wisconsin Area

Greater Chicago Area

Founded and leading a consulting business focused on leveraging my strategic planning and management expertise to develop consulting services for K-12 education, small business, and non-profit foundations. Solutions include strategy, vision assessment and vision casting, performance improvement, employee engagement, change management, business transformation models, process improvement, leadership development, and creation of a results-focused culture.

Greater Chicago Area

Provided job transition support to outplaced individuals in one-on-one (and group) settings. Provided ongoing job transition support to outplaced individuals on a regular basis, via phone, email, and virtual technology• Worked in a customized environment with professionals in transition to create a job search action plan that maximizes their potential to land the best possible job. • Analyzed, developed and delivered strategies on career options, target markets, social media optimization and online branding, interviewing skills, body language and etiquette techniques. • Presented company’s proprietary technology tool to clients to support their job search efforts, ensuring comprehension and future utilization• Worked with client on the creation and/or improvement of their online presence by reviewing their social media and LinkedIn content. Advises not only on online content but also on usability and privacy issues.• Managed large client transition projects, organizing and planing delivery, delivering client coaching support to individuals and groups, follow up direction, and hands on counseling.

Greater Chicago Area

Led a start-up inbound telesales organization through 500% increases in sales, revenue and profits as part of the most successful Affordable Care Act Sales organization in the country - finishing 2nd in sales to healthcare.gov. A key player of a leadership team that recruited and trained 700 licensed life and health insurance agents - an increase in more than 200% over the prior year - team leaders and senior sales managers.Selected Achievements:• Led GoHealth’s two most profitable telesales BPO units with 200+ agents through the initial Affordable Care Act Annual Enrollment Period. Revenue and profits increased over 500%.• Initiated a new recruiting model to access licensed experienced agents using on-site and remote job fairs and open houses, email blasts to all IL licensed agents, networking, and government job program partnerships.• Provided professional development to new managers through one-on-one coaching, mentoring and working collaboratively with HR Business Partner.• Led project plan development and project management process for the 2015 ramp up for open enrollment.

Lincolnshire, Il

Led a high growth sales and service center through a very large ramp up, going from 30 agents to more than 350 in five months. A key member of a leadership team that recruited and trained benefits advisors, team leaders and shift managers. Drove the service recovery and delivery on all key performance indicators during the second year of the business model. Refocused the organization on quality and a sustainable, scalable business model. Selected Achievements:• Built a winning culture through hands on involvement and modeling professional, ethical behavior that allowed our site to achieve tremendous growth and implement changes while onboarding hundreds of new staff members.• Managed the AEP project plan, partnering with resources nationally and globally to ensure the center readiness.• Developed and delivered sales leadership workshops focused on Performance Management and a high performance culture.• Developed an innovative performance accountability model that stressed achievement of all KPIs rather than focusing only on sales.• Achieved several major performance targets including revenue (delivering profitability in the second year of the startup), quality (95% quality and script adherence, 97% compliance), hiring targets, and retention of 95% of desired staff, and service (100% of calls made within service window for nearly a full year).

Greater Chicago Area

Program Director for Services/Director of Professional ServicesLed the transformation of a $100 million company from software-only model to balanced software/service model through development of service-related products. Drove non-software revenue growth through introduction of a professional project management, implementation and training services model. Launched destinyexpress.com, Follett Software’s e-commerce site as an additional revenue generating source.Selected Achievements:• Generated $2 million in operating profit in my first fiscal year through the development and launch of a new, innovative training delivery model focused on adult learning theory.• Drove process improvement and efficiencies by restructuring the professional services organization into a strategic tool rather than a back-end service.• Established a cross functional team orientation for more than 150 staff and consultants; generated budget savings of $10 million; produced significant net operating profits during period of otherwise declining sales.

Greater Chicago Area

Chief Operating Officer/Director of OperationsRevitalized a high growth network office in a senior operations/administration role through transformation of network performance and the creation of a culture of accountability and standards.Selected Achievements:• Engaged senior leadership team in development of strategy and results-focused culture.• Built outcomes-based accountability structure across 140+ member sales team resulting in higher retention of veteran agents and reduced acquisition costs for new agents. Focused on achieving minimum annual sales expectations and group performance incentives for achievement of organizational goals.• Formulated comprehensive five-year strategic plan to drive results and profitability.

Schaumburg, Il

Regional Operations Director/Senior ConsultantProvided leadership and direction to a staff of over 100 rating and processing technicians, supervisors and business analysts/ trainers across two regional centers. As a senior consultant, redesigned the commercial lines field operations and led the implementation of the project that led to improved efficiencies and organizational performance. Selected Achievements:• Led process reengineering that generated over $2 million in annual savings and implemented a new service environment through research, development and execution of process redesign and vision for field operations. • Consolidated multiple smaller branch processing units into regional processing centers (Reduced from 22 offices to six and staff reduction of 350 to 250 for a 30% reduction in headcount and costs).

Long Grove, Il And Overland Park, Ks

Various roles including:• Director, Small Business Operations, 1998 - 2001• Director, Long Grove Processing Center, 1996 - 1998• Continuous Improvement Team Manager, 1994-1996• Corporate Planning and Research Specialist, 1992 -1994Highlights include:• Successfully managed several companywide projects, consistently delivering all projects on time and under budget.• Led business process reengineering of both the Specialty Lines organization and Small Business Group.• Designed and implemented company-wide Quality initiative.• Helped build one of the industry’s first licensed agent insurance service centers from scratch to provide start to finish insurance services to selected independent agents and brokers.

B.A, American History And Secondary Education

Activities and Societies: Student Government President, Black Student Union President, Human Rights Council Founder and LeaderA founding.

Diploma, College/University Preparatory And Advanced High School/Secondary Diploma Program