Advopet specializes in building the brands of the future within the thriving pet industry. As a seasoned pet industry manager, Gary Sheets brings a wealth of experience to the table, offering comprehensive services to up-and-coming brands looking to make a mark in the market.

• • Pioneered distribution in the West and the Southeast, opening new territories beyond the south-central US for the first time in over 90 years. • Expanded export distribution of Muenster-branded kibble and freeze-dried pet food in Canada, Honduras, Panama, The Bahamas, and Trinidad; spurred private-label kibble export in Japan, Guatemala, and Mexico while compiling some of the largest D2C freeze-dried brands in the US Market.• Increased Muenster Branded Domestic retail store count by over 300 in one year; increased Muenster Branded International retail portfolio by over 200 accounts.• Negotiated placement with MudBay, a premier Pacific Northwest pet destination with an extensive vetting process.• Opened discussions with major retailers in the pet mass channel as well as the food/drug mass channel for private label production and for placement of Muenster-branded freeze-dried products.•

• Supervised, led, and directed all operations of a team of six highly qualified and diverse individuals across all operations.• Achieved success in leading the development and expansion of a new territory to optimize distribution operations in the Eastern US, South America, and the Caribbean.• Drove the generation of profitability growth of 25%+ year over year for six consecutive years in the region, as well as instituting an increase in the annual door count by 500 retail accounts.• Fostered and maintained strategic partnerships with 15 regional distributors, distributor representatives, and 3500 retail owners to make Victor Pet Food the #1 choice.• Led the implementation of the Badger Mapping CRM to maximize management and operational efficiency, as well as employing Microsoft Teams to enhance team collaboration and discussion.• Handled the reinforcement of lower-performing TSMs, on the verge of dismissal, to a level of performance surpassing company goals and expectations.• Acted as representative of the company at national trade shows and other major consumer events, championing the organization and promoting its products.

• Certified the meeting and surpassing of objectives in expanding into new territories on limited existing sales in Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana.• Drove a $1.3M sales increase for existing accounts while meeting and exceeding established goals for new accounts.• Served in an integral role by monitoring and tracking sales, client base, and territory efficiency through the utilization of Salesforce CRM.• Established and cultivated close and lasting relationships and rapport with retail owners and employees to achieve maximum success.

• Provided extensive support in the development of new Pet Food from concept to the production of finished goods.• Oversaw structuring and brand awareness across Western Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia markets.• Spearheaded all aspects of the development and implementation of training and development programs with a focus on enhancing staff knowledge of company products.• Engaged in active consultation with professional trainers on equine and pet nutrition concepts to search for and identify the best product for specific needs.• Closely collaborated with and furnished advisory services to barn owners to certify they overcame nutritional deficiencies in their facility.• Operated in a pivotal capacity by administering the sale of large and small animal feeds over the course of my operations.• Instituted a significant increase in business growth by leading the implementation of initiatives for rebranding the company products while supporting programs for market expansion.

• Demonstrated a track record of success by exceeding objectives in achieving a $60M annual sales record while operating as the Sales Manager of the Specialty Brands Division, consisting of 8 Territory Managers and 4 brands.• Administered the affairs of 25 Regional Distributors throughout the country, as well as consulting with relevant stakeholders on new product initiatives and concepts.• Navigated the negotiating and closing of the contract on the placement of a Back to Basics Brand into a Canadian Franchise account comprising of 148 stores, leading to 10% budgeted spend and 5% actual spend as the store surpassing $1M in sales.• Emphasized cost-saving and budget management while carrying out the organization of sales and promotions budgets for the Specialty Brands Division of the company.

Project Manager, Heavy Highway Asphalt Construction. Managing multimillion dollar contracts with Federal, State, Local and Private Party Contract Customers. Managed multiple crews and projects, ensuring quality and profitability.

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