David Withee Email & Phone Number

Retired consultant still voluntarily helping manufacturers, typically headquartered outside of North America, enter/expand into the North American laboratory market. Clients typically have innovative products/features rarely before seen or used in North America, attractive to "first-mover" laboratory designers and owners. These products are typically at the leading edge of where science is going and help to ensure laboratory facility infrastructure can keep up with the science for years into the future.Past companies helped include:* Nuova Far (Italy): North American representative for this manufacturer of high-quality plumbing fixtures [various kinds and purities of gasses and waters]. Especially known for innovative, customer-driven new product development and leadership in performance design [e.g. leak avoidance, increasing purity life of pure waters, etc.].* Erlab (USA office of France manufacturer): Marketing agent, helped communicate to lab owners and the A&E community the benefits of using GFH laboratory filter technology. Lowers first cost [construction], lowers operating cost, helps achieve zero net energy, and arguably makes for a safer lab environment.* SCAT-Europe (Germany): North American distributor for Symline Built-In Solutions product, unique plumbing products for safe collection of solvent waste from lab instrumentation.* Green Gobbler Safety: North American manufacturer of innovative emergency shower and eyewash testing equipment. Tremendous labor savings. Advised on the marketing of unique customer-focused solutions and features.* Nederman (Sweden): Helped expand sales through focused sales channels for different customer groups.

Assens, Funen, Dk

Although a rep, I function as a direct Broen employee, responsible for all sales and marketing activities for Broen in North and Central America. This includes relations with distributors, architects and lab planners, casework and fume hood manufacturers and their dealers, and with the owner community. Broen, based in Denmark, is the largest manufacturer of water and gas fittings for use in laboratories and other science facilities. Great product, great service, customer focus. I have returned to Broen after a 12-year absence. As much as I loved working with Diversified Woodcrafts and have faith in the direction in which they are headed, I could not turn down the opportunity to return to Broen.

Suring, Wi, Us

Responsible for profitable sales growth in the construction project portion of our industry. We are a value-added supplier focused on customer-valued services and customer-defined quality product. We have expanded into multiple sales channels to reach niche markets underserved by existing vendor options.As a member of the senior management team I have been instrumental in proposing and integrating cost-saving and productivity-enhancing initiatives throughout the entire company.

Responsible for all sales and marketing for this laminate casework manufacturer. Instituted several value-added programs to help dealers negotiate profitable business in growing niche markets, outside the traditional bidding process. Family concerns required a return to Wisconsin, leading to my current employer and position.

Managed development of 30-year long range plan, still being used today. Continued the strong growth of the organization.

Assens, Funen, Dk

Management responsibility for the first North American sales office for this Danish manufacturer of laboratory fittings. Identified and solved product design issues for use in North America. Instituted profitable marketing and sales programs to succeed with this high-quality, value-added product. Success here led to my being actively recruited by the owner of my next employer.

Us

Various positions in marketing including Product Manager, Product Director and Director of Marketing. Three years successful marketing of wood laboratory casework, including sales volume and profitability records each year. Successfully repositioned the product for acceptance by high-end laboratory designers. Initiated training programs for both dealers and staff of laboratory designers, enhancing the market position, bid success and profitability of the product line. Success here and leadership provided within our trade association led to recruitment for my next position.

Responsible for marketing of gas fireplace line, part of an industry-wide new product segment. "Explosive" profitable growth each year. Initiated a new product platform resulting in vastly improved manufacturing productivity combined with ability of dealers to display many options and features within showrooms and provide fast delivery of all models without having to add costly inventory. Provided sales and technical training to dealers and to building inspectors, positioning the company as the only company to care about the needs of a key influence group within the market. Instituted first-ever and successful forecasting model to help manufacturing plan for future sales requirements. Recommended by former VP Marketing for my next position.

One of four Product Group Managers (only non-family mgr.), with full profit/loss responsibility. Took over failing product group with three years of declining sales. Success fully launched new customer-need-focused marketing and sales initiatives to increase sales and profitability in the first year. Increased profitable sales volume resulted in first-ever company second shift. Identified and fixed production, engineering and IT problems inhibiting profitability and sales growth.Previously served as Direct Sales group manager within the Product Group (independent profit/loss responsibility), taking over three-month old failing department. (No one else wanted it.) Successfully repositioned product line and profitably increased sales for three years, leading to promotion to next position. (Also responsible for successful of other new products not fitting into existing Product Groups.)First position as Sales Training Director. Created and grew sales training programs for rep sales staff, increasing both sales and sales staff length of service.

Sole Marketing Rep for software start-up (church and private school). Inability of company to finish and provide completed software led to departure to next position.

Various positions in local, regional and national offices. Wanted to spend my first years out of college "giving back" to the community in honor of the many people who helped me in my youth. Helped create three new successful national programs. Local programs gained repeated awards and recognition for both program quality and growth. Successful local fund raising programs to achieve the rarely-achieved not-for-profit organizational objective to have all operating funds in the bank before the start of the fiscal year. Left for the challenge of private industry.

Bs, Management (Sloan School Of Management)

Mba, Marketing

Education record