Mark Abbott Email & Phone Number

Toronto, Canada Area

Responsible for stewarding the Associate Supplier Program process for Petro Canada's network of conveniences stores. I work closely with cross functional stakeholders in category management, communications, wholesale distribution and field operations to validate and analyze the promotions, their impact to the business and help facilitate a flawless execution in store. Project work is also a component within improvements of signage, pricing opportunities, and overall process improvements within current processes.

• Lead the Space Planning and Analytics department for the Canadian office. Eight direct reports. additional contractors.• Implement corporate strategy of reduced deficiencies at store level leveraging auditing tools in place through Access databases and streamlined process work.• Increased overall corporate goal to maintain days of supply no lower than 7 days and an optimal goal of 28 days of supply for every product.• Streamlined business practices with more structured meetings, 1 on 1’s and clear expectations of standards within the department expectations.• Lead business analyst with Cantactix consulting team to review opportunities within process and implement synergies.• Created process checklist, job aids and Product Line Review Roadmap documents to aid in new hires and level set expectations within entire team.

• Lead the store conceptual team, and pog department for the Canadian office. Two direct reports.• Oversee all aspects of line reviews planning calendar, labour hours, and project meetings.• Lead and implemented a category release process and task list for all merchandising solution teams at the Canadian office (cross functional teams included -Pricing, Replenishment and Buying teams)• Formulate template for store layouts focusing on new builds -approx. 15 per year.• Corporate Liaison with cross functional managers at head office in Phoenix for Assortment Optimization, Merchandising, Floor planning, Monthly Promo team , Fixtures, and Labour/Store support.• Team lead for Canadian office on Space software upgrades and implementations – Mostly JDA Suite software which includes Space planning, Floor planning, Intactix Knowledge Base and Data manager.• Developed resource data base for all information related to Canadian pog execution. Material includes planograms, sku performance grids, and screen shots for visual reference.• Built and planned a Merchandising Development Centre in Guelph Ontario. (Mock Store)• Lead project manager for the implementation of Live Auto Replenishment in all Canadian Stores.

• Execute line reviews within all businesses run out of the Canadian office leveraging the JDA space planning software.• Project lead, and manage the Category release process meetings working with all the cross functional stakeholder teams – Buying team, pricing, supply chain and marketing.• Physically build and test the planograms at the Merchandising Development Centre.• Analyze all categories leveraging sales metrics to ensure pogs are optimized from a facings and inventory standpoint.• Work with the Consumer Packaged Goods Key Account Representatives throughout line review process leveraging future marketing plans, and input surrounding demographics and trends.• Organize, receive and work through samples new and current with the buying team and vendors.• Execute and own all monthly promotional planner end-cap processes within stores leveraging JDA software.• Support stores through all inquiries e-mail and phone surrounding Planograms for supported categories in Canada.

• Responsible to maintain and review the merchandising side of line reviews within Canadian Tire starting with the home (Faucets, Bathroom, Décor) and moving to the Leisure (Hand tools, Planters, Backyard living) area of the store.• Using Prospace Software, maintain all planograms within designated lines• Monitor and analyze all planograms including, Minimum order quantity (MOQ), Top end Sales, Dealer Gross Margin, and amount of product that would be pushed into the warehouse of a Canadian Tire store maintaining a balance between the Art and the Science of a Planogram.• Develop, implement and communicate Promotional Marketing materials and displays for departments under review working with the marketing teams, and Promo teams to strategize and ensure follow through at store level.• Work with fixture team department to develop new fixtures, and improve current models.• Communicate with Field merchandising team to utilize store set-up input and quality control.• Present merchandising strategy, and concept renewal to cross functional teams, senior management and Canadian Tire dealers.• Present merchandising strategy, gaining approval and feedback of planograms, Promotional Signage, fixtures and store concepts through presentations to Canadian Tire Dealers and senior management.• Gain knowledge of competitors’ offerings on all levels of merchandising through competitive shopping, and store visits with all cross functional teams sourcing new ideas, and insight into future line reviews.

• Manage Planograms using Prospace Planning Software for Household, Confection, Food, and Convenience Sections for over 900 stores across Canada.• Maintain a clear channel of communication, and products with the Category Managers and there assistants making sure that direction of each category is understood and seen through including sales projections, and new product adaptation.• Responsible for integrity of all planograms in my groups including discontinued products, phase outs and New Listings. • Physically set up, and work off of Planograms at Corporate Lab store.• Involved in monthly sign-off and meetings off all Planograms. Responsibilities include ensuring set-up, and statistics for a given category.• Leverage relationships with Consumer Packaged Goods Key Account Representatives to understand, and implement there product properly into the pertaining category’s.

• Train staff on merchandising Planograms and procedures up to a corporate level.• Educate store management and staff on computer program and usage of that program in everyday store functions such as labeling, sourcing product, ordering, low stock reports and price events.• Set up interior merchandising of New Large Format Initiative stores from ground up on a deadline making sure it meets with corporate specifications by the soft opening date.• Responsible for fixture set-up of store to be proper and in correct area for merchandising• Liaison with head office departments and construction team to make project is meeting milestones timelines aiming towards soft opening.• Ensure that Planograms, floor plans, and all other paperwork associated with the store are proper and up to date, and followed through.• Set up, order and ensure proper application of Promotional Signage, and Marketing material.