Mark Gehman Email & Phone Number

Denver, Co, Us

Denver, Colorado, United States

Greater Denver Area

We transformed the chocolate covered almond into an amazingly delicious better-for-you snack! We take whole almonds, skinny dip them in a thin layer of fair trade dark chocolate and then finish them in a whisper of cocoa, espresso or raspberry. Our SKINNY DIPPED ALMONDS are Gluten Free, PPO free, Fair Trade, minimally processed. We taste every batch to make sure our nuts are roasted to perfection and finished with just the right amount of chocolate goodness. Wild Things’ Skinny Dipped Almonds. Evolved. Modern. Wildly Delicious.Peace. Love. Nuts.

Greater Denver Area

Recruited to be the first sales leader for this emerging company competing in gourmet pickles, alcohol mixers and salty snack categories. Center store and Deli department expertise. Reported to CEO. • Pioneered Costco without a broker achieving over 1 million in sales across 4 regions. Gained approval for two separate items and managed the demo trade spend to 10%.• Drove Conventional/Grocery class latest 52-week ACV +30% with key gains at Kroger, HEB, Hy-Vee, Raley’s and more.• Won new business with 900 Wal-Mart stores, 180 Target stores. Identified freight consolidators to minimize distribution costs. Mass channel sales worth over 1 million dollars per year• Broker management of Acosta and Presence Marketing. Trained, motivated and collaborated top to top and at account level within the organizations. • Expanded the Natural Class of trade by adding KeHE, Sprouts, and new points of distribution within Whole Foods Regions resulting in 30% growth in the channel.• Leveraged Business Development skills within Food Service Channel to add Sysco/European Imports, Chef’s warehouse, Vistar, Baldor and others growing channel 40%.• Partnered with key distributors by market and category. Tony’s, DPI, Haddon House, Nassau, Carmella Foods, GFI, First Source, BCS Royal, UNFI, KeHE, and others were all grown to an average of plus 31%.• Collaborated internally to help develop customer service best practices, production forecasting, price and promotional planning as well as co-packer management.

Greater Denver Area

Recruited by Dare Foods after they acquired Lesley Stowe Crispbread brand to lead integration of the company’s businesses within Natural and Conventional classes of trade. Center store and Deli Category.• Increased average items sold in largest accounts in conventional and natural class of trade resulting in 1.2 million in incremental revenue• Implemented new trade deal structure savings 33% while increasing velocity 15%• Effectively managed the two businesses of Dare Foods and Lesley Stowe during completion of merger. • Consulted with marketing on new product launch strategy for Conventional and Natural Class of trade. Demonstrated packaging options for versatile merchandising• Led Broker and Distributor networks creating an effective and powerful selling force.

Greater Denver Area

Reporting to CEO and Founder, responsible for direct sales force, national accounts, brokers, and distributors within US and Canada, Natural, Conventional, Mass and Club sales. • Launched ambitious line extension that doubled the number of items being offered. The sweet crisps gained distribution in Natural and Conventional classes of trade. • Managed two product recalls demonstrating to accounts commitment to quality and leveraged my crisis management skills while keeping accounts confidence in the company.• Grew sales from $5 million to $9 million in while improving margin by 8%.• Upgraded 2 out 3 Regional Sales Managers by recruiting and training top talent. Hired best brokers in the category for key accounts creating the company’s first professional sales team.• Secured Costco Rotations in USA and Canada for an incremental $530,000 in revenue.• Achieved major wins in Natural, Conventional and Mass more doubling share of category.• Developed category management approach for the team utilizing syndicated data, fact based selling. Helped retailers to measure profits per inch of shelf space vs competitors leading to increased facings. Managed aggregate trade spend rate to 10% of sales• Implemented first shipper/display program resulting in over 2,000 placements.

Vancouver, Canada Area

Recruited by CEO of Snack Alliance to launch the brand Riceworks, a gluten free snack into the market. Responsible for pioneering the brand and building the Sales Team, Broker Network and Trade Spending Strategy. After growing from launch to 40 million in 4 years, helped present the brand to private equity for its successful sale. Stayed with the acquiring company and helped present the brand Riceworks for sale to a National Snack Company and maintaining the key 8 million in revenue at Costco. • Gained rotations in every Costco region globally and secured yearly MVM events resulting in 8 million in revenue at Costco. Accomplished without the use of a Broker.• Developed and managed broker and distribution network by class of trade and geography. • Led presentations to national accounts in all classes of trade resulting in 37% ACV.• Hired regional and national sales managers to manage accounts and regions.• Designed Trade Marketing Plan by class of trade including pricing and promotion tactics.• Developed pricing policies, including trade discounts, terms, and conditions and negotiated spoils allowances and DSD pricing.• Designed and implemented shipper strategy for incremental placements and driving ACV growth.• Creatively managed to gain acceptance into two separate categories, warehouse snacks and rice snack sections of national grocery chains.• Presented brand with owners for acquisition to private equity and public companies. • Collaborated with cross function teams from marketing, finance, production, procurement, and sales to align with company financial objectives to achieve financial, customer and consumer objectives.• Achieved distribution into all classes of trade leveraging category management and effective trade spending strategy.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Recruited for having breadth and depth in CPG experience, drove efforts in the Grocery class of trade to leverage Time Warner properties to build revenue and strategically consult with retailers on developing impulse and planned purchases driving incremental growth to compete against Mass and other channels.• Oversaw $50M in sales and contract negotiations for the largest publisher in the grocery class of trade. Major publications at Grocery check-out lanes like People magazine, Time and many more.• Collaborated with cross-function departments to ensure execution of agreements. Implemented unique cross promotions with consumer packaged goods companies and key magazine titles. • Effectively negotiated schematics, trade spending and performance attaining #1 share.• Consulted account VP on optimal merchandising principles for front check stand for all categories demonstrating maximum profit opportunities based on space to sale.• Recognized as most strategic Sales Director by customer, and viewed as Category Captain.• Successfully defended share of space at retail vs. competitors and other encroachments. Achieved prime 30% of checkout space for category, and the #1 share for Time Inc at 33%.• Creatively used cross promotions with major CPG marketers to gain incremental display and enhanced consumer value propositions. Promotions created incremental lift of $4M.

Greater Los Angeles Area

Tasked with consultative selling of Warner Bros. DVD titles and managing account managers to assist the Grocery and Drug class of trade in developing an emerging category of DVD to compete with Mass, Club and other channels.• Grew DVD sales 70% to $82M in one year.• Developed new accounts and emerging classes of trade across America with an emphasis in the Grocery class of trade.• Managed account sales team overseeing their HQ activity as well as trade and travel budgets. • Established positive working relationships at senior levels within accounts.• Analyzed post promotion effectiveness measuring lift vs. spending.• Secured dedicated merchandising rack in key accounts, thus shutting out competition.• Created trade marketing plans making DVD an “event” within the retailer. Collaborated with beverage, food companies and the retailer’s deli, to promote meal solutions

• Awarded promotion after going beyond sales and performance expectations.• Reported to Regional VP and worked across all classes of trade as a field customer marketer • Responsible for key strategic initiatives, budgets, new hire training and SAP management• Collaborated with sales and marketing for account specific promotions and category planning• Successfully integrated Haagen Dazs and Nestle brands sales tactics, after joint venture• Conducted budget analysis and trade spending, helping region make volume targets within budget• Cooperated on promotion schedule in Grocery and Convenience class of trade, growing sales 8%

• Promoted to this first and only position at time• Accountable for $85M in annual sales • Established key customer relationships, and closed national sales contracts for the out-of-home market• Developed new business and managed many of our largest national non-grocery accounts • Achieved all new item acceptance in accounts• Prospected new accounts resulting in incremental $18M

• Managed key accounts and DSD distribution network for seven states for the out-of-home ice cream category • Worked the marketplace with indirect sales managers providing training on products and sales strategy• Charged with ensuring return on investment for capital assets • Achieved sales targets every year and stayed under budget for trade spending • Evaluated distribution strategies and performance• Grew sales over 20% per year• Crafted sales incentive contests for route sales team creating a distribution push of new items resulting in an incremental $23M region wide• Recognized as best improved region in our “availability and visibility” campaign that combined the use of point of sale material and product distribution

• Managed sales of all Nestle brands and categories including Pet Food, Confections, Beverage, Nutrition, Baking products, and more• Recruited, trained, and managed personnel • Conducted performance evaluations and promoted Nestle standards• Led team to a record year resulting in promotion of two employees and self

Recruited out of University as member of the "Mangement Training Program" for Nestle. The purpose to cross function train into management positions. • Achieved highest level of sales in region for territory volume

M.B.A.

B.A., Psychology

Activities and Societies: Marketing Club, Employer's Advisory Council, Mountain Biking, Intramural Football.Worked full time and used.