I own a small local business with my wife. My role is supportive in nature, focused on bookkeeping and general consultancy.

As the Director of Quality and Customer Support, I spearheaded the establishment and leadership of a dynamic team, comprising 4 managers and a workforce of 50-65, to deliver exceptional global customer support and uphold product quality standards from 80 international suppliers. My strategic organization of the team into four key departments, Customer Support, Customer Support Operations, Quality Assurance, and Quality Engineering, enabled us to provide comprehensive support in multiple languages and maintain rigorous quality oversight across various global locations.My role was pivotal in fostering robust internal and external relationships, ensuring the seamless integration of customer feedback and support insights into product management and development processes. This collaboration was instrumental in developing a tailored product quality program for Startech.com. I was committed to offering unparalleled technical support and pre-sale assistance, enhancing product quality through vendor influence, and upholding our ISO 9001 certification.Under my leadership, the customer support team delivered round-the-clock assistance in five languages, with a remote management structure spanning Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Mexico, and Japan. I was responsible for the performance management of direct reports, setting and achieving KPIs, and driving cross-functional collaboration to streamline product installation, develop troubleshooting guides, and align product recommendations with strategic goals.Among my major achievements were the transformation of the customer support team to boost employee retention and satisfaction, the successful migration to Microsoft Dynamics ERP and Customer Service platform, the introduction of a tiered support system, and the delivery of cost-effective, best-in-class customer support. Additionally, I developed and implemented a pre-sales technical support process for channel partners, significantly contributing to sales growth.

As Senior Manager of Product Management at Startech.com, I led a team of six product managers and three operations staff, overseeing product strategy and execution. This included the entire new product launch cycle, from technical specifications to pricing, ordering, and marketing. Product managers were responsible for the profitability of product lines ranging from $10M to $80M.I conducted performance reviews, managed direct reports, and set KPIs for individual and team targets. Our product categories included laptop docking stations, adapters, cables, networking solutions, server racks/accessories, monitor mounts, ergonomics, hard drive accessories, and peripherals.We developed product roadmaps to drive revenue growth, requiring regular communication with the executive team. I introduced a quarterly business review process, allowing managers to report on revenue, growth, and margin, improving executive visibility and drive team autonomy.Working with Product Development, we created strategies that increased new product revenue, improved margins, and achieved a 20% year-over-year growth. Our engagement with vendors and manufacturers ensured Startech.com’s market leadership, securing our position as the first to market with new connectivity technologies like Thunderbolt, DisplayLink, and HDMI.I implemented a new executive approval process for product launches, reducing time to market and improving marketing. With the supply chain team, we created a tool to calculate order quantities for new products, reducing stock outs and overstock.I also represented product management in strategic marketing initiatives, aligning product selection and marketing with our overall strategy. My dedication to vendor engagement and innovation drove Startech.com’s success in the tech industry.

As a Manager of Product Marketing, I led a transformative initiative, crafting and disseminating information for 300+ new products annually. My team ensured over 3,000 products were accurately represented with full technical specs and content optimized for search engines across global online platforms. We localized content into Spanish, French, German, and Japanese, expanding our global footprint.I directed a team of Product Information, Localization and Information Delivery Specialists, collaborating with product management to produce engaging narratives and accurate translations for diverse markets. Partnering with with CNET and Etilize to ensure optimal content display and distribution.I revitalized our Product Information Management system, aligning with product managers and developers to refine product attributes. This led to new product launch criteria, enhancing our go-to-market strategy.Working with the marketing team, we developed a keyword optimization process for search engines and platforms, including Google and Amazon, creating custom product descriptions for each partner’s search indexed fields.We innovated an automated translation process with IT and external providers, targeting IT professionals in five languages. We also developed a scraping tool to monitor content distribution and search strategy effectiveness on partner websites.Building relationships with CNET and Etilize was crucial, ensuring our content appeared as intended globally. These strategies significantly contributed to the company’s growth. Our content was recognized as best in class by partners, aiding customers in making informed decisions, spurring growth, and reducing returns.This role demanded strategic vision and tactical execution, driving content excellence across global markets and establishing a legacy of innovation in product marketing.

As a Product Marketing Manager, I spearheaded an initiative to enhance our product launch process. The goal of the project was twofold: reduce time-to-market and boost operational efficiency by delineating clear-cut roles and responsibilities. Collaborating intimately with all stakeholders; product management, product development, supply chain, and marketing teams, we executed a comprehensive overhaul of the new product launch process.We designed and implemented a streamlined process, integrating a project management tool that established explicit accountabilities and task dependencies. This strategic move yielded substantial improvements, shortening the development cycle by 30-60 days across various product lines. The new, sign-off procedure and clarified task dependencies not only introduced significant efficiencies but also highlighted a critical gap in the process: the absence of dedicated Content Developers. This role, pivotal for crafting compelling copy and product documentation, would ensure our products’ key selling points and SEO keywords were expertly highlighted.Upon successful completion of this project, I was entrusted with the responsibility to build a team of Product Information Specialists, aimed at creating best in class optimized product information and to ensure that the product information was distributed to all key online resellers and distributors.

Responsible for introduction of all new products (45-60 product releases per year)Responsible for creating marketing material and web content for new productsManaging Qualitest after sales technical support teamResponsible for developing the North American market for European and Asian manufacturing partnersTechnical sales support for large projects

Responsible for increasing the sales of metal testing equipment in North AmericaMaintain key customer accountsRespond to incoming leads Responsible for developing the Canadian market for European manufacturing partnersManage large sales projects for key customers

Project manager for the development of a internal quantum efficiency measurement system used for testing of solar cellsProject planning using Microsoft project, focusing on cost analysis and on time delivery Worked with manufacturing manager to incorporate lean manufacturing concepts, which dramatically improved on time delivery of customer ordersProject manager for the implementation of new document control routines for mechanical drawings.

Responsible for sales in South East Asia, South Africa and parts of South America Responsible for all communications between Höganäs and the customerBudget and market follow up, strategies for specific marketsAdministration of technical support

Responsible for holding technical seminars for customers in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil, Turkey and SwedenProject Manager for the innovation of an internet based Trouble Shooting Guide aimed at Höganäs Customer Managers and key customers Offered advanced technical support to Höganäs' customers in troubleshooting efforts related to the introduction of new products and production methodsWrote technical reports for Customers in order to explain various production problems related to the use of Höganäs products

Acted as a material science / metallography resource in Research and Development projectsSupported the Technical Market Support department with metallographic trouble shooting