Kevin Kotecki Email & Phone Number

Milan, IL, US

• Strategic advisor to a network of specialized higher education institutions with campuses in California, Illinois, and the District of Columbia. Among the fastest growing education institutions in the US, with a.

• Wholesome Tea is the maker of Inko’s, Blue Buddha, and Jade Monk Teas and Energy Drinks.
• Reformulated and repositioned Inko’s Tea as a super-premium player in the “better for you” tea category. Increased gross revenue per case by +84% and gross profit per case by more than +50%. Upgraded packaging and.
• Developed and launched a healthy energy drink with unique competitive advantages. Shed unprofitable customers and expanded distribution in brand appropriate accounts. Reduced costs by improving sourcing, negotiating.
• Created and launched Blue Buddha Tea, a unique to the category functional tea, that contains Ayurvedic herbs. Developed several compelling brand extensions including coffee and two unique Blue Buddha products to.
• Acquired Jade Monk Matcha in 2019. Added new retail accounts including Whole Foods, Gelson’s and Earth Fare. Shifted overall company focus to an on line wholesale and retail selling platform, dramatically increasing.

• Reporting to the Founder and Chairman, built sales and profitability +10% for the two companies which together constituted the 6th largest malt beverage company in the US ($400 million), and included the following.
• Refocused the sales organization on expanding distribution in key channels, by leveraging a new fact based selling approach, resulting in more than +200K new points of distribution. Crafted a new marketing direction.
• Initiated and directed the first ever highly successful national distributor meetings, which led to a +25% increase in distributor investment against Mike’s brand portfolio, and a much greater distributor focus on.

• One of the largest and fastest growing Hispanic owned companies in the US, Group O is a diversified entity, offering optimal customer solutions in marketing services, packaging and supply chain.

San Antonio, Texas, US

• Leader of the 4th largest independent US brewing company, with $650M international sales and 35 brands, including Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR), Old Style, Lone Star, Old Milwaukee and Colt 45.
• Reinvented a business that had declined double digits every year since 1993. Created and implemented a new vision, strategy and marketing approach for PBC. Dramatically improved financial performance, competing against.
• With a new focus on high margin brands, above industry price increases and cost reductions, from 2005 to 2010, net revenue per barrel(/bl) was up +28%, gross margin/bl up +85% and operating profit/bl up +157%.
• Restructured the organization to increase interaction with PBC’s largest distributor and retail customers. In anonymous surveys, 93% of distributors agreed that the new strategic direction increased the likelihood of.
• Seeded and nurtured a new culture centered on passion, teamwork and results. Attracted stronger talent to the organization. Restructured compensation programs to more closely align employee incentives with PBC revenue.
• Eliminated “me too” tactics in favor of unique marketing programs that fit the distinct positioning of each brand. Since 2005, PBR volume increased +69% (+11.2% CAGR). PBR was the fastest growing brand in the category.

• Partnered with a private equity firm to acquire a division of Brach’s Confections. Secured an exclusive to the transaction, but negotiations terminated in due diligence as a result of rapidly deteriorating business.

• Leader of a $3B fully integrated consumer products company with 24 production facilities, 18 brands, and 10,000 employees. Implemented sweeping changes to fundamentally improve this rapidly declining business.
• Crafted an aggressive cost savings plan, which reduced costs by $92MM over two years, increasing the EBIT margin by +3 index points.
• Established new portfolio priorities, as well as new marketing and sales programs, which helped stem the double digit volume and revenue declines. Reduced spending against unsuccessful programs and implemented critical.

• Leader of $400M independent confection company with, 20 brands, 600 SKUs, and 2500 employees. Brach’s had four manufacturing facilities and sales in 20 countries.
• Led a dramatic turnaround at Brach’s after more than ten years of severe decline. Created a radically different vision and strategy, flipping the company from a manufacturing-centric organization to a nimbler sales and.
• Establish Brach’s as the fastest growing company in the industry (+8%) in less than three years. Reduced SG&A by -11% and restored profitability. More than doubled the size of Brach’s fruit snack business.
• Outsourced the bulk of production to strategic partners outside of US and improved operating margin by +15 points. Oversaw construction of a $50MM state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mexico. Successfully.

• Leader of a $400M division consisting of 8 states, 13 brands, and 100 independent distributors. Operated with direct P&L responsibility and directed team of 55 including marketing, finance, retail sales, distributor.

• Leader of a $675M business with 11 brands, 60 SKUs, $55M in marketing support. Supervised 20 professionals and five advertising agencies. Created a revolutionary brand portfolio strategy, which increased profit by.

• Leader of a $360M business with 11 brands, 25 SKUs, $40M marketing. Created innovative strategies and plans for the flagship brand, reversing a 15-year sales decline; the first ever national brand turnaround in brewing.

• Responsible for a $300MM category leader with $30MM in brand support. Led creation of brand vision, strategy, and marketing plans. Initiated and led the JiF business team, which included operations, R&D, sales, and.

• Responsible for a $250MM business with $45MM in brand support. Instant Folgers was the leader in this highly competitive, but declining category. Created a brand vision, strategy, and marketing plans which delivered.

• Leader of $250M business. Increased revenue +4% and share +10%.

• Financial Management Development Program consisted of challenging assignments in four areas of the company, including Manager Finance and Accounting, Accounting Manager, Commercial Paper Sales Manager. Included formal.

Mba, Marketing, Finance, International Business

Bachelors In Business Administration, Finance Major, Computer Science Emphasis