Fred Fox Email & Phone Number

Vail, Arizona, / Dallas, Texas, / Columbus, Ohio / Los Angeles, California

The Tiger Shark Group, LLC is focused upon delivering immediate measurable results for our clients. We provide expert tactical guidance and practical strategy development to retailer organizations and the vendor community.We offer end-to-end 360° cost effective, highly productive, turnkey solution for bringing their products and services to the USA Marketplace for resale.Tiger Shark Group executes all operational, product development, marketing, supply-chain management, and selling tasks for our clients while providing our clients control over costing, suggested retails, and inventory ownership levels. The net result, we offer better service while eliminating the cost of a traditional importer “middleman”.Lead a team of successful former C-level executives to offer extensive wealth of practical experience in Merchandising, Marketing, Operational, Supply Chain, and Licensing disciplines with expertise in driving revenue generation, product/brand development, market positioning, product sourcing, and financial management resulting in increased stakeholder value. Key results:• Working closely with Kathy Ireland, and her co-brand owner John Moretz, have identified, negotiated, and currently manage over $750M in increased global licensing revenues• Provided Lexmark Corporation competitive market research and analysis, developed strategic market positioning guidance and product roadmap, delivered strategic and tactical guidance for increased marketshare at retail.• Clients include: National Stores, Inc., Rentrak Corp, Las Vegas Sands (Venetian) Hotel Group, Synapse Group, Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, AlphaSights, GuidePoint Global, Gerson Lehman Group, Bain Capital, and Boston Consulting GroupPublished author in areas of marketing, branding, entertainment and general management

Gardena, Ca

Recruited to assist the CEO in leading the transformation of NSI stores into a world-class national retail organization.Accountable for conceptualizing, developing, and executing the merchandise strategy, leading the buying organization, defining product assortments and line structures while delivering business strategies to maximize corporate sales and profitability.Hold full P&L management authority and led 10 direct reports with oversight for the buying, planning, and allocation teams; defined product development needs and co-managed the overseas product development team and global sourcing organization.Key results:• Attained a YOY sales increase of 32.8% delivering 36.4% incremental margin dollars; increased GM% rate 200 basis points• The non-apparel segment out performed the Company 11 of the 14 months under my leadership• Chief architect of merchandising, global sourcing, and product development standard operating procedures• Developed and oversaw corporate execution of product attributes including style, color, size, climate-zone, and seasonality at the SKU level affording enhanced allocation, replenishment, and product management. • Rolled out "Cradle-to-Grave" product management resulting in increased inventory turn (5.8) and increased net margin (200 basis points)• Defined Value Proposition Strategy and developed management tools to effectively execute strategy throughout the Corporate Buying Organization resulting in increased GMROI.

Columbus, Ohio Area

Recruited to bring visionary merchandising, marketing, and overseas sourcing leadership to the $800 million Home Division representing 16% of total corporate revenue. Held full P&L management authority and led 11 direct reports with oversight for the buying, planning, and allocation teams; trend and product development team; and Home division global sourcing organization.Transformed the change-resistant organization, providing a clear blueprint that facilitated shift to a new strategic vision that focuses on providing customers with extreme value through an expanded mix of better quality name brands while still delivering a strong value proposition in the marketplace. Positioned Home division for growth into the future and achieved recognition by company's CEO as a "key driver" of sales and the leading performing category at Big Lots for numerous consecutive quarters. Produced multiple year-over-year sales volume increases, comp store growth, and 9-figure dollar profit margin contribution, exceeding plan, and leading the company performance. Increased per-customer sales, improved inventory turns, and exceeded average item goals for past 2 years. Added key, high-profile, branded vendors while significantly increasing import penetration by focusing on extensive product development and overseas sourcing to expand private-label merchandise mix. Promoted 3 assistants/merchandise coordinators to buying roles, a promotion rate higher than any other division.

Austin, Texas Area

Recruited by past colleagues to this multinational, 763-branch, financial services leader. Following change in business plans, promoted to lead the corporation's largest business segment, the EZPawn division. Drove operating results, P&L attainment, sales, and loan portfolio growth. Authored multifaceted data security policy and procedures. Envisioned and achieved improvements for this mature, already market leading firm, spearheading implementation of performance improvement initiative that generated significant increases in revenue and operating income while simultaneously enhancing customer service and improving the overall consumer experience. Grew year-over-year sales and helped raise Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) 27.5% in 2007 vs 2006. Instilled performance-focused culture changes throughout the organization achieving multimillion-dollar increase in service-fee revenue, reduction in COGS, and double-digit increase in operating income. Restructured field organization; deployed a new, cost-neutral, compensation program yielding double-digit increases in loan transactions, 8-dollar-figure gain in loan portfolio growth, and significant increase in service charge revenue while delivering enhanced levels of customer service and an improved overall consumer experience. Conceived, drafted, and delivered the 3-year Strategic Plan to the Board of Directors. Constructed and implemented career development program that included CBT, on-line, and classroom training modules with certification testing for hourly associates and salaried field management.

Albany, New York Area

Chief merchant and marketing officer reporting directly to the CEO of this $1.4 billion, 1150-store entertainment specialty retailer. Provided strategic direction and leadership for buying, marketing, inventory management, supply chain management, planning and allocation, visual/store design, and website. Managed non-financial PR activities and oversaw field operations. Repositioned company from a music retailer to the nation's leading chain of entertainment specialty stores affording a unique, tailored, individual shopping experience through incorporation of state-of-the-art technologies and customer-centric, cross-channel relationship (CRM) programs. Piloted the industry's first-ever DRM-protected, subscription-based digital music downloading service and spearheaded development, deployment, and marketing of patented Listening and Viewing Stations (LVS) chain-wide. Rolled out CRM and customer loyalty program (Backstage Pass) and tied back to LVS system to offer one-to-one, personalized marketing offers and programs tied to the members' individual tastes and preferences.Reversed market share erosion and turned around negative comp sales, delivering 440% increase in shareholder value. Drove, in a down-trending industry, 18.8% increase in 2006 sales and 50% EBITDA growth. Consolidated 15 distinct brands, store identities, and formats into a single, cohesive national brand presence. Supported key strategic initiatives by driving redesign of store layout while refining store-specific 300,000 SKU mix.

Greater Pittsburgh Area

Recruited by former colleague to replace president and assume leadership for several key areas: $240 million Worldwide Sourcing and Procurement Division, $200 million Strategic Procurement Services Division, and $10 million National Service Division. Jointly managed quality assurance and regulatory affairs with general counsel. Provided global strategic vision, tactical execution, and daily management to drive growth momentum and achieve short and long-range goals.Pioneered strategic development/tactical launch of Alchemetrix.com, a $400 million, vendor-neutral eCommerce marketplace that enabled efficient product aggregation, expanded global reach, and reduced supply chain costs. Championed significant year-over-year growth in the Strategic Procurement Services Division through enhanced client services operations for all third-party procurement, supply chain management, system integration, and contract negotiations.Produced 100s of millions in new annual sales by introducing worldwide strategic sourcing initiatives and leading expansion of Fisher's private label portfolio. Overhauled/restructured the ISO 9002 certified, nationwide repair service organization, producing measurable productivity improvements and reduced SG&A.

White Plains, Ny

Charter member of 3-person executive team that developed, started up, and grew this premier on-line, B2C shopping portal and Internet incubator. Formulated strategic vision, business plan, objectives, and first-round funding; hired 120 associates and built management team; created corporate infrastructure, all policies and procedures, operational, merchandising, and marketing strategies, an in-house call center, customer service system, performance benchmarks, and vendor/product fulfillment relations. Grew start-up dot.com from $0 to multimillion-dollars and built registered ISP user base of 350,000 in just 3 months; the very first year of launch, ranked as 17th fastest growing site on the Internet during the Christmas selling season. Responded proactively to industry trends, working closely with venture capitalists and Board of Directors to lead evolution through business models, maintaining competitive advantage from conception to successful sale. Re-engineered and strategically repositioned company as an incubator of eCommerce businesses in the B2B, ASP, and Free ISP marketplaces; grew to national ranking as the 3rd largest free ISP provider.

Shaker Heights, Oh

Corporate officer with executive authority for P&L, daily management of divisional vice presidents and directors, and all operations of the company’s Computer, Electronics, and Core business, producing $1.7 billion annual sales and 31% of total corporate revenue. Directly managed team of 8 senior category managers and buyers, providing visionary leadership for all merchandising and marketing strategies; promoted 3 managers to VP level. Refocused and transformed business to accelerate corporate sales and counteract downward spiral in erosion of margins.

Chicago, Il

Commissioned by CEO to draft a cohesive strategy designed to maximize synergy between Montgomery Ward and the recently acquired Lechmere Stores. Managed P&L, merchandising, marketing, operations, financial planning, and development of strategic vision for the Montgomery Ward Specialty Store Group (Lechmere, HomeImage, and Electric Avenue & More Divisions). Determined vendor base, product assortments, marketing spend, and overall profitability.

Chicago, Il

As field director, held full management authority for attaining sales and profit goals of the $2 billion organization with 371 locations. Guided 10 regional managers, 9 market strategists, and 43 district managers in optimizing sales, gross margin, inventory turnover, customer satisfaction, and associate training results.

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