Gary Helm Email & Phone Number

Jacksonville, FL, US

Greater Chicago Area

Industry Advisor and Consultant - Private.Volunteer: (President: Board of Directors - Beachside Community), and Political involvement, Real estate investment and renovation, Consumer Products / Retail Consulting, Law enforcement liaison, et al.

Darien, Connecticut, United States

Norwalk, CT

• Royal Consumer Products, (Geographics) llc, Norwalk, CT 2012 – 2016International Product / Brand Manager and Director; Geographics®Social and Business stationery products: Provided product and art direction, working.
• Gained competitive advantage, earning 70% market share in catalog venues in award categories and double digit profit growth in social stationery.
• Developed and leading cost analysis and assortment negotiations to best provide the customer and company with the most revenue, using effective solutions to maximize profitability for all parties.
• Engaged all available resources (Factories, Liaisons, and Logistics Team) to lower costs, while maintaining or increasing profitability and quality.
• Provided direction to inspire Sales Management, Marketing, and Sourcing, in face to face meetings, collaborating with key team members.
• Customized products and assortments for major accounts, including Staples (US, Canada and Australia), Office Depot / Max, Walmart (US and Canada), SP Richards, (and other catalog and ECOMM venues).

• Borders Group, Inc Ann Arbor, MI 2009 – 2011Gifts, Stationery and Greeting cards Merchant,; Excel in developing current categories for the core customer while reaching out and establishing the right product mix for.
• Negotiate and implement strategic contracts for businesses for multiple years in key categories toward corporate initiatives.
• Manage assortments to effectively maximize sales potential, while minimizing capitol investment in down-trending categories; maximizing turn
• Influenced Senior Executives toward positive results gaining resources needed for the business by presenting ROI analysis and negotiating for limited corporate resources, resolving IT and Logistics issues
• Effectively using Negotiating Skills and Personnel Management to better utilize available resources toward industry leadership

• Furniture Buyer (Sept 2008 – February 2009)
• Buyer of furniture: RTA, Case Goods, Upholstered Furniture, and Occasional Furniture. 45.0M responsibility
• Lead merchant for special projects at Pamida, including a new store concept/ venue targeted for early 2009.Stationery Buyer (April 2007 – Sept 2008)
• Buyer of stationery and crafts for a general merchandise retailer of over 200 stores. 42.0M responsibility
• Buying responsibility for over 4000 SKUs, in stationery and home products, including giftware, greeting cards social stationery and home crafting.
• Effectively managing office staff including assistant buyers, allocation managers, and office associates

• Upscale Home Buyer (Soft and Hard Goods) Product DevelopmentBuyer and development of high-end ready-made window treatments, furniture, domestic goods, home decorative accessories, books, gifts and hand knitting yarns..
• Bought, negotiated for, and managed replenishment and promotion of over 5,000 SKUs for five stores toward increased sales and profit
• Maintained increased sales growth in excess of 10% at 4% increase in gross margin and increased turn of 0.3
• Implemented over-seas importing; effectively sourcing agents, vendors, and managing logistics.

• Effectively bought categories to result in growth in fabric, yarn, sewing notions, soft crafts, and related craft accessories
• Buying responsibility for $32.0 million area with over 3000 SKUs for 479 stores.
• Increased sales, margin and turn resulting in 1.57-point growth in gross margin return on investment.
• Negotiated cost reductions and restructured advertising to result in 19.9% increase in gross margin for fabric department.
• Directed planning and allocation staff to ensure appropriate stock levels in stores including the opening of 150 new stores.
• Recipient of the Chairman’s Award for outstanding performance.

• Buying for a variety of hard lines categories and seasonal categories including health and beauty care, sundries, seasonal goods, and related product.
• Organized and developed seasonal buying systems using Lotus123.
• Trained and developed store management in visual merchandising and merchandise operations.
• Created and reviewed Plan O Grams and implemented profitable product assortments.

Progressively promoted, managed stores from $7,000,000 to $12,000,000 and directed all aspects of store and merchandise operations.