Karen Blake

Karen Blake Email and Phone Number

Vice President | Merchandise Planning and Allocation | Strategy and Analytics | Demand and Replenishment Planning | Supply Chain @ The Container Store
Karen Blake's Location
Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, United States, United States
About Karen Blake

Dynamic, transformational Senior Executive with 20+ years of diverse retail leadership experience. Proven track record of driving profitable growth and improving operational efficiency. Expertise in strategic planning, business analytics, merchandise financial planning, inventory management, supply chain, process improvement, and vendor relationship management. Strong leadership and communication skills, with a proven ability to empower and develop high performing teams, drive change, and foster a positive culture. An innovative problem solver and strategic business partner who drives business results through deep analytics and insights, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on continuous improvement.Areas of Expertise:- Merchandise Financial Planning - Seasonal Planning | Open to Buy Management- Business Strategy, Insights and Analytics- Enterprise Inventory Management- Demand Forecasting, Replenishment and Allocation- Space Productivity Planning & Analytics- Assortment Planning- Supply Chain Strategy, Flow and Analysis- Integrated Business Planning- Strategic Project Management - Lean Management for Business Process Improvement - Vendor Relationship Management- Developing High Performing teams- Change Management & Organization Development

Karen Blake's Current Company Details
The Container Store

The Container Store

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Vice President | Merchandise Planning and Allocation | Strategy and Analytics | Demand and Replenishment Planning | Supply Chain
Karen Blake Work Experience Details
  • The Container Store
    Vice President Of Merchandise Planning And Allocation
    The Container Store Aug 2024 - Present
    Coppell, Texas, Us
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Vice President Of Category Management Strategy And Analytics
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2022 - 2023
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led centralized analytics organization for a $5B specialty retailer, providing financial thought leadership, actionable insights, tools and process optimization to improve decision making and business results. Oversaw growth and development of data science, category business analytics, and merchandise data team. Managed end-to-end category analysis roadmap, worth $2.7B, focused on uncovering sources of value to improve customer experience and category performance through assortment optimization.• Led lean initiative to streamline merchant process, improving framework, cross-functional collaboration, and team efficiency.• Led development of new processes and business tools to centralize key performance metrics and customer insights, improving category analysis and assortment decisions. • Launched self-service business tool centralizing data insights across category, pricing, inventory, space, and customer.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Vice President Of Inventory Management
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2021 - 2022
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led enterprise Inventory Management and Demand Planning function for $1B in inventory across 40,000 SKUs, 1250 stores and a network of 8 Distribution Centers. Managed demand planning, replenishment, and seasonal allocation team of 40; optimized integrated business planning processes and prioritized inventory investment to maximize results and ROI. • Leveraged Blue Yonder - JDA demand/fulfill for Basic and Seasonal business, optimizing inventory flow and improving turn. • Served as strategic leader providing cross-functional inventory visibility, risk, and recommendations to executive team.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Vice President Of Merchandise Planning
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2018 - 2021
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led enterprise development of robust category financial plans and strategies to meet sales, gross margin, and inventory goals for four divisions and 25 departments. Oversaw growth and development of merchandise planning team of 33. Provided strategic support for company forecasting, promotional planning, markdown optimization, inventory management, and supply chain volume planning. Corporate oversight for seasonal event planning, discount strategy and in season management.• Managed total company volume of $4.8B in sales and $1B inventory, including basic and seasonal business.• Led key planning functions to shape and drive business strategy, including annual planning, monthly forecast / open-to-buy process, seasonal event purchase planning, inventory flow / volume planning, and planogram reset financial process.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Director Of Omnichannel Inventory And Customer Experience
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. Apr 2018 - Aug 2018
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Drove overall customer service, fulfillment, inventory planning, and execution for digital and omnichannel operations. Led fulfillment and inventory team responsible for day-to-day execution of fulfillment operations from multiple nodes, including ship from DC, ship from store, buy online / pick up in store, and vendor drop ship. Served as business project lead responsible for bringing eCommerce fulfillment and order management in house while managing direct relationship and transition with third-party eCommerce outsourcer.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Director Of Merchandise Planning And Inventory Management At Aaron Brothers
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2016 - 2018
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Reporting directly to the President, provided merchandise planning and supply chain leadership to Aaron Brothers executive team with responsibility for growth, development, and leadership of planning and allocation team. Accountable for all aspects of merchandise financial planning, allocation, replenishment, markdown management, space productivity, advertising forecasting, and product flow strategy.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Director Of Supply Chain Optimization
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2015 - 2016
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led supply chain team to drive efficient and cost-effective product flow from source to store shelf. Oversaw growth, development, and leadership of supply chain optimization and analysis, vendor compliance, vendor relations, and database control teams. Managed supply chain optimization initiatives of $7M and vendor compliance budget of $5M annually. Led lean initiatives and cross-functional projects including supply chain fuel for growth initiatives, IT roadmap, peak season planning, aisle-ready initiative, and other special projects for EVP of supply chain.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Director Of Merchandise Planning And Inventory Management
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2010 - 2015
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led merchandise planning team for multiple divisions across a five-year period. Drove sales and margin objectives, ensuring in-stocks and inventory levels supported financial and service goals. Guided business decisions through analysis of basic, seasonal, and trend merchandising programs. Led strategic and tactical approaches by analyzing space, productivity, and profitability (POG, feature space, class / subclass, and SKU level). Oversaw bottoms-up merchandise plans, seasonal purchase planning, and monthly reforecasting. Established best practices around assortment plan finalization, feature space planning, POG reset performance, and receipt forecasting, implemented at company level.
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Manager, Supply Chain
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2007 - 2010
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led seven supply chain analysts to ensure efficient and cost-effective product flow from source to store, with goal of optimizing supply chain cost and total profitability. Managed scope of 30,000 SKUs through network of 11 distribution centers. Led cross-functional process improvement initiatives, including planogram reset, global sourcing conversions, store-ready product flow, DC flow, SKU setup, and vendor compliance. Led development and implementation of key company initiatives, including “POG in a Box” solution, “Make it Fit” initiative, high-value inner pack reduction, DC future hold, and break pack solution. Drove benefits of $6M. Developed business processes and analytical tools and supported system development to drive global sourcing initiative
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  • The Michaels Companies, Inc.
    Senior Supply Chain Analyst
    The Michaels Companies, Inc. 2004 - 2007
    Irving, Texas, Us
    Led project implementation of new hybrid distribution method over three-year period, resulting in $14.1M COGS reduction. Negotiated with 200 vendors to ensure successful conversion of 20,000 SKUs. Negotiated and implemented optimal configurations and packaging for 20,000 SKUs, realizing lowest supply chain costs. Facilitated 20 vendor compliance meetings to address supply chain inefficiencies and plan for improvement. Developed monthly reporting to articulate vendor supply chain performance at executive level and monitor trends.
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  • Electronic Data Systems, An Hp Company
    Logistics Procurement Specialist
    Electronic Data Systems, An Hp Company Jan 2001 - Feb 2004
    Held strategic transportation management responsibilities for IT services firm with unique logistics requirements. Defined and supported corporate logistics strategy to increase efficiency, streamline logistics processes, and leverage transportation volume and supplier spend. Strategically sourced transportation categories and managed small package supplier relationships and requirements. Developed logistics supplier scorecard to measure performance and cost savings of $10M annually. Performed contract and pricing negotiations and industry benchmarking and identified cost savings strategies through usage of preferred transportation services and suppliers.
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Karen Blake Education Details

  • University Of North Texas
    University Of North Texas
    Logistics Management

Frequently Asked Questions about Karen Blake

What company does Karen Blake work for?

Karen Blake works for The Container Store

What is Karen Blake's role at the current company?

Karen Blake's current role is Vice President | Merchandise Planning and Allocation | Strategy and Analytics | Demand and Replenishment Planning | Supply Chain.

What schools did Karen Blake attend?

Karen Blake attended University Of North Texas.

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