Kenneth Ash Email & Phone Number

Shreveport-Bossier City Area

United States

Lavergne, TN

• Oversaw and managed all facets of the Bid and RFP Strategy, and preparation for National Purchasing Cooperatives, as well as local entity contracts. Generated approximately $40M in revenue since 2011.
• Recruited, hired, managed, and mentored a team of up to 10 direct reports, with a focus on sales pipelines and future product sales.
• Collaborated with management and the sales team to generate an annual team business plan, to include marketing, sales budgeting, and forecasting.
• Weekly team sales meetings to review sales pipeline, discuss key opportunities and trends, and schedule customer visits and ride-along with sales team.
• Consistently achieved annual team sales goals, growing revenue over plan.
• Effective interdepartmental communicator-often partnering with Operations, Customer Service, Accounting, and Marketing.

Harahan, Louisiana

• Negotiated and managed Louisiana State Contract, growing sales to over $4M in just over 3 years.
• Managed and mentored multiple direct reports, consistently exceeding annual sales goals, on average 15% increase YOY.
• Created a comprehensive business plan, with P/L accountability, as well as sales budgeting and forecasting.
• Provided Marketing strategy and creation of marketing materials for the sales team, to include an annual 200+page catalog, sales flyers, and standardized quote forms.
• Represented company in regional, state, and national conferences.

Louisiana

• Instrumental in winning the Louisiana State Contract and marketing that contract to many districts within the state.
• Building relationships statewide, growing the smallest territory in the state from $135,000 to $1.25M in a 3-year period.
• Served as a mentor for new hires in the region and worked with struggling sales staff to increase product knowledge, brand awareness and revenue.

Arkansas/Louisiana

• Engaged in territory business planning, customer care, prospect development, sales presentations and closing sales
• Conducted Lead generation in a large geographic area, including Arkansas and North Louisiana..
• Developed marketing strategy and catalog distribution and promotion
• Established relationships with key decision-makers in all school districts across the region
• Grew YOY sales by over 200% in just 9 months, prior to acquisition by School Specialty

Bachelor’S Degree, Business Management, Magna Cum Laude

High School

Activities and Societies: National Beta Club, Symphonic and Marching Band, Louisiana Boys' State