Mike Gruber

Mike Gruber Email and Phone Number

Director, Consumer Analytics and Strategy @ Kimberly-Clark
Chicago, IL, US
Mike Gruber's Location
Greater Chicago Area, United States, United States
About Mike Gruber

Several years back, Meta’s Sheryl Sandberg said in a speech at Harvard Business School “Careers aren’t a ladder anymore, they’re a jungle gym. Build your skills, not your resume.” I couldn’t agree more. From the beginning of my career I’ve known that the rapidly changing business environment meant I needed to learn to be nimble and embrace change. My curious nature pushes me to constantly learn something new and I’ve always been obsessed with understanding the “why” behind the “what”. These two things have led me on a career path of seeking out new experiences, continually adding to my business knowledge and propelling me forward.Now, many years later, I’ve worked directly with 8 of the top 10 retailers in the country and a dozen of its largest brands. I’ve gained expertise in Strategy, Marketing, Consumer Analytics, Sales, Product Development, Global Supply Chain Management and more through time at several multi-billion dollar entities. I’ve persuaded CEOs in boardrooms and inspired dozens in conference halls. However, the accomplishments I’m most proud of have come from motivating and developing teams to drive outstanding results.

Mike Gruber's Current Company Details
Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark

View
Director, Consumer Analytics and Strategy
Chicago, IL, US
Website:
careersatkc.com
Employees:
34424
Mike Gruber Work Experience Details
  • Kimberly-Clark
    Director, Consumer Analytics And Strategy
    Kimberly-Clark
    Chicago, Il, Us
  • Walgreens
    Director, Enterprise Customer & Operations Insights
    Walgreens 2024 - Present
    Deerfield, Il, Us
    After a long stint focusing on retail and financial services, I've been lucky enough to expand my scope at Walgreens to a "total box" (both Retail Products & Rx/Healthcare) customer view as well as doing more to help support our store personnel.
  • Walgreens
    Director, Us Commercial Insights
    Walgreens 2017 - 2024
    Deerfield, Il, Us
    I’ll admit it, I love data. Joining the Walgreens team gave me the ability to leverage data from 100 million customers and over a billion transactions per year, including the ability to delve into customer behavior from retail’s largest loyalty program.I provide competitive intelligence and customer insights in order to drive strategy, prioritize investments, and execute changes to assortment, price, & promotion. My ultimate goal is to ensure that customer understanding is embedded in all of Walgreen’s plans.
  • American Greetings (Papyrus-Recycled Greetings)
    Director, Sales & Channel Strategy
    American Greetings (Papyrus-Recycled Greetings) 2015 - 2017
    Cleveland, Oh, Us
  • American Greetings (Papyrus-Recycled Greetings)
    Director Of Category Management & Account Marketing
    American Greetings (Papyrus-Recycled Greetings) 2012 - 2015
    Cleveland, Oh, Us
    American Greetings’ mission statement is “We create happiness, laughter and love”. How can you not get behind that?! I worked specifically with the subsidiary Papyrus Recycled Greetings, a small and rebellious company feel with big company resources.Outside of loving PRG’s product, I joined the company for three things: to close the circle and complete my understanding of business from the manufacturer's point of view, to hone my sales skills, and to continue my education on why humans do what they do (in this case through learning of ways people strive to create meaningful connections).I was able to continue to develop my consumer insights, sales, category management and product development skills while adding new loyalty data (dunnhumby, etc.) experience that has helped me create more effective sales pitches, merchandising strategies and promotional plans.
  • Nielseniq
    Assoc. Client Director - Shopper Insights
    Nielseniq 2010 - 2012
    Chicago, Illinois, Us
    As a buyer at Target, I only had time to scratch the surface of consumer data but was fascinated with all that was available. I knew I wanted to learn more, and what better place to do that than the largest Market Research company in the world? My time at Nielsen helped me understand why humans do what they do, with a focus on what drives them to purchase. As a consultant for Kraft (now Kraft Heinz / Mondelez), I worked directly with Sales and Category Management teams of Walmart, Safeway, Costco, & more and learned how data could be leveraged to derive insights, tell a story and motivate others to action. In addition to strategic pricing and promotion work, I spent my time immersed in POS and Household Panel data as well as multiple forms of primary research.
  • Target
    Sr. Merchandise Buyer / Category Manager
    Target 2006 - 2010
    Minneapolis, Mn, Us
    Of any job I’ve been in, I think I learned the most during my tenure as a buyer at Target. It truly taught me how to run my own business as I had control and responsibility over almost all aspects of P&L. In addition to enhancing my business acumen, this job is what started my understanding of consumer led decision-making. From idea generation to integrated marketing strategies, I was able to lead cross-functional teams through the entire product development process. And while partnering with manufacturers for both private label and national brands, I learned the extensive benefits of collaborative negotiation and joint business planning. Just a few examples of the brands I was able to work with are 3M, Rubbermaid, and Clorox.
  • Target
    Global Sourcing & Supply Chain Manager
    Target 2004 - 2006
    Minneapolis, Mn, Us
    This was my education on the global economy and my first foray into people management. I worked with offices and manufacturers around the world, constantly problem-solving against the extensive challenges a global supply chain can provide. Often playing mediator between Target merchants and suppliers to keep the business moving forward.From a people perspective I learned the importance of understanding your audience’s learning style and tailoring your teachings and communications around this. This particular skill helped me develop my team as a manager and was also key to managing positive relationships with my clients, both internally and externally.
  • Target
    (Sr.) Business Analyst
    Target 2000 - 2004
    Minneapolis, Mn, Us
    When I joined Target, they had clearly positioned themselves as innovators that understood emerging trends and how to capitalize on them. The fast-paced, feedback-heavy culture was the perfect place to learn business basics; the most important of these being how to work as part of a team, planning & forecasting, and the ability to become passionate about any product.

Mike Gruber Skills

Merchandising Product Development Competitive Analysis Customer Insight Strategic Planning Marketing Sourcing Category Management Management Negotiation Development Of Teams Global Sourcing Supply Chain Management Forecasting Sales Operations Marketing Strategy Cross Functional Team Leadership Retail

Mike Gruber Education Details

  • Indiana University - Kelley School Of Business
    Indiana University - Kelley School Of Business
    Marketing

Frequently Asked Questions about Mike Gruber

What company does Mike Gruber work for?

Mike Gruber works for Kimberly-Clark

What is Mike Gruber's role at the current company?

Mike Gruber's current role is Director, Consumer Analytics and Strategy.

What is Mike Gruber's email address?

Mike Gruber's email address is mi****@****get.com

What is Mike Gruber's direct phone number?

Mike Gruber's direct phone number is +177368*****

What schools did Mike Gruber attend?

Mike Gruber attended Indiana University - Kelley School Of Business.

What skills is Mike Gruber known for?

Mike Gruber has skills like Merchandising, Product Development, Competitive Analysis, Customer Insight, Strategic Planning, Marketing, Sourcing, Category Management, Management, Negotiation, Development Of Teams, Global Sourcing.

Who are Mike Gruber's colleagues?

Mike Gruber's colleagues are Francisco Roa, Joseph Patiño, Pr André, Kristine Gasman, Michelle Fischler, Curtis Adams, Brice Freeman.

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