Erik Foltz Email & Phone Number

Albertville, Mn, Us

Golden Valley, Minnesota, United States

Lead new product development and refine project pipeline across core and new markets. Implement development processes to improve innovation throughput and success.Drive definition of product strategy, screen and directional priorities for internally produced products and purchased private label products.Create and manage product development processes across Custom and Quarrix Building Product categories.Lead new product specification processes, automation and content to assure compliant quality production of products at plant.Lead new product development team and development.Launched multiple Building Products (Attic Defense roof ridge vent, Quarrix tile roof line extension and Quarrix furring strips). Doubled revenues in each of the product lines.Lead technical lab testing to validate product performance and to support compliance and registration with Florida Building Codes.Manage technical designer direct report, who estimates and designs products.Manage life cycle of building products portfolio to maximize efficiency, sales and profitability while rationalizing lines.

Brooklyn Park, Mn

Manage Carlson AirFlo entire $21M fresh food merchandising display portfolio as part of diversified private company. Lead new product development and refine project pipeline. Implement development processes as the company recently shifted from a customer on demand structure to a Stage Gate development process for products with broader market appeal.Introduced and implemented the company’s global intellectual property strategy for patents and trademarks.Drove definition of company strategy and directional prioritiesCreated annual and 3-year roadmaps that balanced resources with project types.Built new financial product portfolios out of thousands of parts to effectively analyze and manage product lines through their life cycles to improve performance and retire non-performing products.Launched multiple new products and line extensions with multiple product improvement releases. Led NSF certification process and product redesign to demonstrate food safety.Led integration of company acquistion within 9 months.

Apple Valley, Minnesota

Questar is a subsidiary of Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA)--a leading non-profit educational assessment company. My role was to manage the Nextera digital assessment platform used to manage and deliver K-12 end of course assessments to millions of children across several states. Planned and scoped key roadmap initiatives to enhance capabilities of the Nextera test delivery and administrative platform.Supported committed RFP work involving state computer based testing system modifications and preparing configurations for new customers.Managed changes to operating system support to assure effective system functionality and security.Updated language specifications and gaps analysis for multiple state level Requests for Proposal bids.Collaborated closely with teams to prioritize and balance competing priorities to deliver quality functionality in a dynamic environment.

Bloomington, Minnesota

Pearson is a publicly traded, global leader in creating psychological assessments for use in a wide range of clinical and educational settings. My role is focused on global management of a $14M portfolio of early childhood developmental and cognitive ability psychological clinical assessment products. Managed relationships and contracts with thought leaders and authors of products.Launched new Spanish language assessment that incorporated innovative best practices.Launched three digital web based assessment products on proprietary software platforms.Launched an adult nonverbal cognitive assessment.Created long-term portfolio strategy for future product development from a global perspective.Led product development efforts for multiple assessments—advocating for new opportunities and new products in a phased development process.Manage assessment portfolio throughout product life cycle, including discontinuing mature products and sale of assessments to other companies.Led product marketing efforts, including advertising, direct marketing and trade shows.Led annual product planning, forecasting, pricing and promotional material development for the assessment portfolio.

Otto Bock is a privately held global leader in the manufacturing of prosthetic and orthotic medical devices.Manage the flagship US portfolio of advanced microprocessor controlled lower limb prosthetic knees, which represent over half of North American revenues and generated double-digit percentage growth in 2011.The C-Leg prosthetic knee is the highest revenue generating product in the portfolio, but it also includes the Compact, X2 and Genium microprocessor controlled knees.Launched the products into the US Market, which included the latest generation of the C-Leg and the newest innovative new platforms, which included the Genium and X2 knees.Created competitive campaign, including sales reference materials and customer promotional materials demonstrating the C-Leg advantage.Led initiatives to improve product service and maintenance operations for customers.Led event planning to promote microprocessor knees to healthcare practitioners and allow patients to trial them.Developed Marketing materials, web sites and clinical summaries to support core products.Engaged in annual planning process, product forecasts and supporting industry trade shows.http://www.oandp.com/articles/news_2011-02-25_03.asp

Nonin is a privately held manufacturer of non-invasive monitoring devices with global distribution.Global product management of durable medical equipment by managing portable handheld and wrist worn Pulse Oximeter lines representing approximately 20% of company revenues. Additional responsibility for nVISION analysis software designed for data collection use with oximeters. Generated high double-digit revenue growth in 2010.New product development and continuation projects for existing product lines. Launched four products, including line extensions and new products. Led development of major WristOx 3150 device intiative from specification to global launch. Launched 2500A Vet handheld monitoring device for the veterinary market.Let market intelligence efforts with international sales force to regain market share in competitive bidding contracts for devices. Obtained key wins, including winning a contract to equip handheld oximeters for all EMS vehicles in Brazil.Developed strategic analysis and long-term product road maps for handheld and tabletop monitoring devices.Promotional programs, Trade shows and Advertising for product lines.Pricing and forecasting responsibility.

Product Manager: November 2000 - February 2004Marketing Analyst: December 1998 - November 2000 Sleep Number Corporation is a publicly traded firm that is the largest vertically integrated manufacturer and retailer of the Sleep Number Bed.Launched and developed a national relationship program with medical professionals generating $9.3 million annual sales, which included advertising, direct mail, trade shows and continuing education programs. Created a new unique coding system to manage promotions and reduce fraud. This system was adopted across the company in other promotions. Identify and support new BtoB channel initiatives. Led the evaluation and launch of several new channels, including furniture retail (Gabberts), QVC, OEM to the RV Industry (Winnebago) and inside sales group working with smaller contract opportunities, such as sales to sleep labs or durable medical equipment suppliers handling Workers Compensation claims. Collectively, these channels achieved in excess of $30 million annual revenues.Led company Direct Mail and Loyalty marketing programs and managed $8 million budget.Competitive intelligence: Led a cross-functional team including legal counsel to develop strategic options to respond to competitive threats, including competitor advertising claims and patent issues. Created competitive education programs and reference materials for effectively selling against competitors, such as a secured intranet site.Created new owner’s manual designs and improved product literature and labeling while saving over $120,000 in the first year. Launched custom frame design to work with foundations.Coordinated Sleep Number® bed and product market research, product testing and survey creation. Key contact with the industry association (ISPA) and member of the Statistics Committee.Led Six Sigma Green Belt pilot project.

Schneider was a global leader in the production of stents, balloon catheters and guiding catheters. Formerly a division of Pfizer and sold to Boston Scientific Sept 1998Created and led worldwide forecasting system for medical device production throughout product life cycle. Worked closely with Marketing, Operations, R&D, Purchasing, foreign plants and international organizations to generate demand plan. Part of integration team after sale to Boston Scientific to coordinate the wind down of Schneider functions.

Marketing Assistant: April 1995 - December 1997Novartis Nutrition was the clinical nutrition products and devices division of the parent Swiss based pharmaceutical company. The division was sold to Nestle.Direct management of 3 oral nutrition lines and a durable medical device line (enteral feeding pumps), launched line extensions (irrigation kits and ReSource Bar), supported Group Manager for devices, transitioned all Marketing collateral to consistent Novartis brand image, ISO Division Manager/internal auditor, managed forecasting and annual planning/budgeting process.

Gold'n Plump is a privately held regional poultry manufacturer. Began as a Marketing Intern in 1992, and then they created a permanent role for me in the Spring of 1993.New product development, competitive analysis, department policy manual development, promotional planning, trade show coordination and Marketing creative development for 3 distribution channels (retail, food service and industrial).

Mba, Business

Activities and Societies: Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society, Graduate Assistant Area of Emphasis: Marketing

Bs Stc, Scientific & Technical Communication

Activities and Societies: Sigma Pi Fraternity, Inter-Fraternity Council, Glitch Video Production Areas of Emphasis: Business & Computer.