Jon Wiersum Email & Phone Number

Saint Paul, Mn, Us

Shakopee, Mn, Us

Lead marketing function, brand positioning and growth strategy, innovation, and quality efforts directed at driving significant brand expansion and growth.

Strategy consulting, specializing in creating breakthrough brand positioning and growth strategies and plans. Worked with clients in consumer packaged goods, food manufacturing, outdoor products and other industries.

Marshall, Minnesota, Us

Business team and functional marketing leader with P&L responsibility for $1.1B Schwan Consumer Brands. Managed category and brand teams and all innovation effort across pizza, desserts, and snacks: Red Baron, Freschetta, Tony’s, Bon Appétit, Edwards, Mrs. Smith’s, and Pagoda, plus private label. Directed team of 30 marketers plus cross-functional leadership team.BUSINESS TURNAROUND• Tripled profits and drove sales and share growth across all categories after several years of decline, growing sales 86% in Asian, 15% in desserts (Edwards 70%) and 6% in pizza during my tenure• Drove growth through simplification (eliminated 51% of SKUs), improved quality and differentiation, new brand positioning strategies, high-ROI advertising, increased marketing support, and distribution expansionREPOSITIONED ALL BRANDS FOR GROWTH• Led consumer research that identified insights leading to new brand positioning strategies and business-building TV and digital campaigns across 6 core brands and new Bon Appétit pizza• Launched Mrs. Smith’s Original Flaky Crust pies, new Pagoda Asian snacks and digital campaign, new Bon Appetit pizza, and new “Luscious Wonders of the World” advertising campaign for Edwards, all leading to impressive growth

Wayzata, Minnesota, Us

Created and implemented new go-to-market strategy to drive collaboration across Cargill food businesses to better meet customer needs for product and cost innovation. Managed team of 13 marketers and product developers and $3 million budget.CROSS-BUSINESS COLLABORATION• Developed and led three new category marketing and R&D teams across snacks & cereal, confectionery, and convenience foods to expand capabilities and collaboration across Cargill businesses for meeting customer needs• Created cross-functional teams for Cargill’s top 30 food and beverage customers, and developed new cross-business unit planning process to identify largest growth opportunities and prioritiesBUSINESS DEVELOPMENT• Spearheaded extensive engagement with customer leaders to identify and pursue co-innovation opportunities, utilizing Cargill products and capabilities to enable breakthrough new products•Helped customers launch numerous new food products using Cargill products and capabilities

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Business unit leader and lead marketer with P&L responsibility for $750 million portfolio of 12 brands, including Wheaties, Total, Chex, Fiber One, Golden Grahams, and Oatmeal Crisp. Managed team of 40 employees across all functions.BREAKTHROUGH CAMPAIGNS• Initiated and led industry-leading conversion of all General Mills cereals to whole grain and developed company’s largest-ever PR effort and national advertising campaign• Revitalized Total and Chex franchises through improved advertising, and repositioned numerous smaller brands resulting in targeted, low-budget digital campaigns, increasing number of advertised brands from one to sixFUNCTIONAL EXCELLENCE• Facilitated Diageo Way of Brand Building and General Mills Brand Champions programs taught to all marketing employees and senior leaders• Led Marketing Staffing Integration task force that revamped the way General Mills manages and promotes marketing talent; selected president of resulting “Staffing Senate”

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Business unit director and lead marketer with P&L responsibility for $850 million portfolio. Charged with turning around struggling businesses. Managed team of 56 members across all functions.BUSINESS TURNAROUND• Reversed 3-years of revenue and profit declines on Progresso, growing revenue 80% and profits 580% over four years• Reversed years of declines on Old El Paso, growing revenue 9% and profits 56% over two yearsSTRATEGIC REPOSITIONING• Initiated and engineered strategic repositioning of Progresso brand. Shifted focus from meals and ingredients to soup, launched highly successful “better adult choice” marketing campaign, and funded GMI’s largest media budget ($45 million) through growth and reduced trade spending.• Repositioned Old El Paso brand with successful “Taco Night” campaign and shifted focus from salsa and ingredients to profitable meal kits, which grew 52% over two years

Minneapolis, Minnesota, Us

Accountable for managing the global Pillsbury brand equity, identifying US and international markets and product categories for extending Pillsbury brand, and leading launch plan development with local market business teams.GLOBAL STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT• Led cross-business team to develop the Pillsbury Brand Vision used to position the brand globally, and recommended creation of new frozen baked goods business unit resulting in successful launch of $150+ million business.• Co-developed business plans and advertising in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Germany, India, Israel, Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the UK leading to brand launch and significant global growth

Greater Chicago Area, Il, Us

Managed $500 million P&L across Oscar Mayer and Louis Rich brands. Increased bacon profits 400%, and hot dog sales 6% after several years of stagnation.BREAKTHROUGH CAMPAIGNS• Launched Talent Search, Oscar Mayer’s search for the next child to star in an Oscar Mayer commercial. Summer-long programs (1995 and 1996) included 900 retail events nationally that generated double-digit volume growth in multiple Kraft categories, including 12% growth across Oscar Mayer.• Developed Oscar Mayer’s first Super Bowl commercials as part of two half-time sponsorships (1996 and 1997) featuring Talent Search winners. Awarded Kraft Superior Achievement Award, Oscar Mayer President’s Award, and “Best Promotion” Brammy for Talent Search.• Introduced several new products including Oscar Mayer Jumbo and Fat Free hot dogs.

Cincinnati, Ohio, Us

Brand Manager Pringles, Brand Manager Fisher nuts, Brand Manager new snacks, Associate Brand Manager Fisher nuts, Brand Assistant Crush

Mba, Marketing, Strategy

B.A., Economics, English

Digital Marketing Certificate