Accountable for creating concepts focused on the customer lifecycle journey and driving value to the organization. I engaged directly with external clients, customers, vendors and prospects to create a presence within strategic industries as well as partnered with internal functional areas including Sales, Operations, Relationship Management, Marketing, and Engineering to discover, introduce, and/or refine products focused on the customer journey.

Created innovative business solutions based on client and industry knowledge and market trends and encouraged new ideas from direct reports. Continually reviewed current business processes and identified short- and long-term strategic direction improvements. Served as the point of escalation for customer service and support. Established and managed a tracking procedure and reporting documentation to gain insights into potential training opportunities and operational issues.

Drove and streamlined processes to mitigate risks, lower costs and reduce service issues. Championed efficiency by identifying the critical functions employed in managing client businesses and optimizing "what's working."

Converted a pilot program with one partner in two sites into a new, growth business channel with multiple partners nationally. Built and maintained Client Relationships to ensure optimum productivity and customer satisfaction.

Hired by the President/CEO, a previous employer, to be part of his startup’s Senior Leadership team [Employee #3]. Assisted in defining the company’s business model. Developed sales and loyalty strategies, created marketing concepts, managed creative teams, and lead print, website and mobile app production supporting eight different prepaid card programs.

Supported select key relationships while I reduced my work presence and focused on family.

Asked to return to Box Tops for Education and develop an affinity credit card extension. Also supported the Marketing EVP with special projects: challenged to build a pipeline of concepts that generated new streams of revenue from existing equities, ie. Betty Crocker Kitchens, The Green Giant, etc. Led the development and rollout of the Box Tops for Education Visa card. Wrote the plan, qualified the bank partner and launched the card in 90-days.

Developed strategies that expedited program penetration and company growth, unfortunately efforts were cut short as a victim of the dot-com bust in 2001.

Proud to be the surrogate mother of Box Tops for Education. (A savvy Big G brand manager had the idea to tear off box tops to use for a school fundraiser; I took it from there.) Developed strategic plans as well as managed multiple creative teams for retainered clients/Brands: 3M Data Storage (diskettes), 3M Consumer Office Supply (Post-it Notes and Scotch Tape), 3M Healthcare (Nexcare bandages), 3M Electrical Products Division (VAR/VAD incentive programs) and 3M Home Care (Scotchbrite pads); Imation Corporation; Target Corporation; General Mills; TCF Bank and GE Capital Fleet Services.

Awarded a REGGIE, a Spire and a CSPA during my tenure. Created, sold-in and executed Target’s award-winning Holiday Toy event, "The Mattel Great Toy Takeover" as well as several other marketing programs. Also supported TCF Bank. Enjoyed working in one of the first “integrated” agencies, the combination of Chuck Ruhr Advertising, Group One Communications, Lee & Riley Direct Marketing, and Yeager Karwoski Public Relations.