Mark Ishmael Email & Phone Number

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area

Columbus, Ohio Area

New Albany, Ohio

Analyzed and developed supply chain and operations strategies to improve supply chain forecasting, reporting, tracking, and inventories for consumer packaged goods. Managed P&L for entire organization and individual client projects. Met with clients to gather project scope and pull available product component samples from vendors. Worked with packaging designer to brainstorm ideas for packaging, labels, component deco ideas, and attachment options. Teamed with fragrance and formulation houses to develop unique scents, lotions, soaps, and creams. Worked with mock-up house partners in New York City to mock up product ideas for presentation to clients for approval. Reviewed and approved vendor contracts/compliance documentation. * Created and maintained MRP system in MS Access. Received BME (begin / middle / end) samples and approved prior to shipment. Negotiated manufacturing labor cost with suppliers of seasonal work staff providers. Coordinated with team members to download project needs, due dates, component delivery dates, packaging specs, shipping requirements, and project SOPs. * Worked with overseas suppliers to investigate potential new sourcing stream of unique components.* Performed research and attended trade shows for product ideas, new component options, identify packaging vendors, stay current on trends, perform competitive analysis, and research manufacturers. * Served high profile clients that included Justice, American Eagle, The Limited, Little Miss Matched, Soma, Sunrise Beauty Studios, Charlie’s, and Five Below.

Provided strategic direction for Sales, Service, Inventory, Customer Service, and Accounting departments. Managed 5,000-sku parts inventory, which included setting minimum order point parameters. Conducted parts lookup and fulfilled parts requests. Provided “how-to” advice to customers and set up service work. Investigated department needs and developed IT and other solutions to meet them to increase efficiency. Placed weekly parts orders with multiple distributors, conducted inventory cycle counts annually, and returned erroneously ordered parts. Performed in-store and on-site product demonstrations. Educated customers on equipment maintenance and warranty information. Participated in trade shows to promote brand, while supporting distributor’s products.* Leveraged larger parts orders during supplier promotional buying periods to take advantage of better payment terms, reducing part costs by up to 20% and extending pay terms from 30 days to 120 days, with strategy allowing for parts return allowance no more than 25%-50% of 1-time order.* Reduced warehousing expenses by eliminating dead inventory and exclusively warehousing products with turn rate of 3x or greater. Researched, purchased, implemented business software package for retailer that improved customer service speed by reducing wait times and increasing transaction rates.* Slashed instances of special orders by 20%.* Improved billing process of A/R Department, as well as visibility of completed service work orders.

* Managed inventory / supply chain consisting of 592 skus, 2,100 component skus, and $650 million in sales, representing 53% of total sales.* Identified and converted $1.4 million in component liabilities into $2.8 million in sellable finished goods revenues.* Achieved 98.4% in-store serviceability through effective supplier and supply chain management.

* Controlled inventory and production volumes accounting for $212 million in sales, which included over 2,500 skus as part of Christmas card line (largest of Hallmark’s seasonal offerings) and control of all assigned lines in Shoebox Seasonal caption Card Business Unit.* Maintained budgets for Alternative Card Department. Forecasted and managed product cost for individual card lines, assisted creative personnel in determining effective ways to reduce cost without effecting creative integrity. Active member in monthly cost and budget reporting.