Pam Coleman Email & Phone Number

Texas, United States

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, guide and coach the commission-based Buying team. Established a culture of accountability for the group to ensure that while they work toward their personal income goals, company needs are met. Provide appropriate focus so that quality deals are made while balancing inventory levels. Through ongoing coaching develop the team encouraging their strengths and provide actionable feedback on areas for growth.

Dallas/Fort Worth Area

Created and implemented a new Strategic plan and roadmap for Merchandising success. Added the Category Management function to leverage both customer and company data-based gaps and product opportunities. Enhanced Product Development focus to a more encompassing view of trends and category opportunities along with implementing support software enhancing communication and efficiencies with suppliers that decreased product lead times. Built strong cross-functional partnerships building stronger collaboration internally and with Retail customers. Aggressively negotiated pricing & resourced products to new countries to mitigate impact on company profitability as China tariffs were looming.

The Woodlands, Tx

Established and implemented controls and processes for the Buying teams and implemented a new Planning team structure. Directed sku rationalization concentrating on customer focused assortments and increased slot productivity. Established disciplined product forecasting and OTB management improving company profit to record levels along with furniture inventory reductions of 25% and product availability at historic high levels.

Dallas/Fort Worth Area

Revived a department that was in significant decline from the strategies of the earlier senior leadership at JCPenney. Rapidly implemented new strategies involving re-establishing and nurturing strong vendor relationships, building appropriate product assortments & pricing for the JCPenney customer. Through strong analysis, strategies, leadership, relationships and execution within 1 year significantly impacted sales trends over-delivering to sales and profit plans. Produced the strongest results for the Home Division and one of the top performances for the company in 2015 earning the Founder’s Award for performance.

Created new product, merchandising and promotional strategies to reverse the trend in the Michaels wedding business along with driving the everyday and seasonal ribbon business with 80% private label goods. Rapidly implemented an updated presentation of the Wedding assortment in stores to improve the immediate sales trend and better support store presentation and inventory. Partnered with the Pricing department, re-engineered the promotional cadence for both departments improving both sales and margin.

Drove sales and margin in Bakeware by leveraging a strong domestic supplier, implementing a Celebrity brand line (Duff Goldman) and creating differentiation through exclusive Private Brand product designs. Strong cross functional team management of Operations for in-store classes, Planning and Inventory Management, Design/Sourcing along with Marketing delivered double digit sales and gross margin. The differentiation of the exclusive products and Duff Goldman line enhanced the business as the overall industry trend began to soften.

Created new assortments each year for the Halloween and Christmas (PVC/lighting) departments balancing data driven actions and trends. Formed the overall vision & strategies of the season, influencing the Design and Sourcing team on icons and product designs. Crafted promotional plans and images with Marketing and partnered with Planning to create deliverable financial plans, driving both sales and margin. Redesigned the presentation of the Lemax Village product line moving it from a counter to a full 3-D display rivaling the presentation in specialty stores and turning that business from negative comp sales to double digit positive comp sales for both Halloween and Christmas.

Reinvented the department updating 50% of the products to drive sales and margin while delivering a presentation in the store for an improved shopping experience for the Customer. Created and executed a new private label branding strategy to establish differentiation along with setting the stage to transition from a domestic supplier base to a direct base. Partnered with new Sourcing team helping to establish process that work inside Michaels.

Created and led the team through a new process of detailed steps and deadlines to guide them through creating and delivering products. Transformed teamwork creating a more collaborative effort that delivered better cohesive product offerings. Coached the team through re-evaluating inventory goals and processes to reducing inventory by $15 million and contributing to better cash flow.

Reinvented the General Merchandise Procurement division of HEB moving the company to a new store format to better margin mix the total store. Created and directed a new organizational structure of Product Managers and Planning Managers allowing new work on exclusive products for HEB. Actions were targeted at the specific demographic customer preferences and needs as well as the necessary analysis to best run a differentiated business model. Developed an umbrella branding strategy being used across all GM categories.

Developed and sourced of all Home Décor and Fragrance accessory products for Bath and Body Works and White Barn Candle Company. Developed brand right products from concept through production to the shelf. Managed the import vendor base covering glass, metal, ceramics, faux botanicals, fabrics and other mediums that were strategically important to the store assortments while maximizing margins.

Created the strategies and managed the product launches across multiple product types including cosmetic bags and brushes, personal care accessories, Fashion and logo travel bags along with strategizing, managing and updating the existing accessory lines. Created and led an entirely new segment of business by provided initial product concepting to extend the Victoria’s Secret brand beyond to the clients’ surroundings and overall home atmosphere.

Created strategies and products for the Disney and Themed Housewares departments. Extended the Disney brand concept beyond children’s items to fun, adult concepts for the home. Created multiple new character program concepts, updated existing character programs, redefined and reduced skus for the non-character businesses. Drove the highest sales and margin increases in the hardlines area of the company.

Created the first Disney Gallery store developing the products, strategies and buying of all products. Extended the gallery concept to first company sponsored Disneyana Conventions adding millions of dollars in incremental revenue. Established and nurtured relationships with many of the leading collectible brands world-wide to create artful brand right products.

Concepted and executed product development and procurement of the Disney figurine and housewares departments from both a child and adult perspective on Disney. Included product development in different mediums with domestic and overseas resources increasing sales and driving margins.

Assisted Buyer in procurement and development of Disney basic decorative, figurines, housewares, clocks and Christmas departments. Learned domestic and overseas development and sourcing along with Disney character product issues enabling me to drive product development by creating the appropriate art for each medium.

Assisted Buyer in all phases of the buying operations; including assortment plans, branch store and vendor communication and negotiation, advertising and movement of goods to maximize sales