Robert Norris Email & Phone Number

Kansas City, Missouri Area

Minneapolis, Mn

Lead RBP Consultant providing direct interaction with Retail client Provide guidance and insights at the Leadership level in the areas of Department Strategy and Category Business Planning Coach and Develop Category Managers, focusing on all aspects of Retail Category Management Facilitate Vendor relationships, providing category analytics and assisting with matching Vendor objectives to Retailer objectives; providing measurement tools to gauge success of objectives

Henderson, Co

Responsible for Account Management, Sales and Purchasing. Accountable for 8 million pounds annualized sales. Manage established accounts to maximize sales penetration Develop new accounts to increase sales and increase route efficiencies Forecast and purchase Pork, Lamb, Veal, and Ground Beef categories, utilizing market trends to increase operating margin

Denver, Co

Responsible for all aspects of Meat and Seafood Merchandising and Operations. Accountable for $12 million annualized sales. Develop a retail Meat and Seafood operation from the ground up Hire and staff for five retail locations Identify itemization and secure distribution Manage opening of five retail locations

Broomfield, Co

Direct a team of five Regional Business Managers. Primary areas of responsibility include National Account management, creation and execution of promotional strategies by brand, best-in-class new item launches, broker management, training and management successor planning, creating and managing to budgets, and sales and margin performance. Act as team liaison between Corporate Brand Teams and Natural Channel Sales Team to ensure successful implementation of merchandising programs. Accountable for annual sales of $120 million. Manage relationships at key retailers including Whole Foods Markets, NCGA, PCC, Henry’s Markets, Sunflower, Sprouts, Vitamin Cottage, as well as various smaller independent retailers Broker responsibility includes management at a National and Regional level, interacting with all levels from President to Regional Sales Managers Manage Distributor Network, with primary focus on UNFI (East and West), Nature’s Best and Tree of Life, as well as smaller regional/specialty distributors Responsible for managing internal relationships with Business Teams and Brands, driving Natural Channel interests within WhiteWave through promotional support, co-marketing strategies and new product development Exceeded sales targets and increased key share metrics in 2007 and 2008

Boulder, Co

Direct a team of seven Regional Merchandising Supervisors. Primary areas of responsibility include merchandising execution, new product and program launches, operational supervision, new store openings and remodels, training and management successor planning, creating and managing to budgets, and sales and margin performance. Act as direct liaison between Home Office merchandising team and stores to ensure successful implementation of merchandising programs. Accountable for annual sales of $180 million. Achieved sales comp and margin rate improvements for all Regions. Implemented numerous new programs designed to grow market share and improve department penetration.

Boulder, Co

Direct a team of four Category Managers in the management of Dairy, Frozen, Bulk Foods and Beer & Wine categories (representing combined annual sales of $250 million).  Exceeded sales and margin expectations in all categories. Maintained double-digit comp growth in dairy category, and grew all categories at a comp rate greater than total Company. Implemented Category Management processes in the Grocery Department, including development of processes and tools and introduction of annual category reviews.

Melrose Park, Il

Manage marketing strategies for the Natural-Organic category (representing $180 million in annual sales) and the Diet category (representing $96 million in annual sales).  Increased Natural-Organic Category sales 12.2% in 2003. Increased Diet Category sales 280% in 2003. Improved Diet Category market share to 22.2%, well above fair share of 18.2%. Implemented an integrated/segregated merchandising program for Natural-Organic Category in 745 stores across ten divisions that resulted in $20 million in incremental sales. Refined the Natural-Organic Program including expansion of brand assortment across all divisions and initiation of a National Advertising Campaign that generated over $3 million in incremental promotional funds.

Greater Denver Area

Developed marketing strategies and implemented Category Business Planning model for non-food pantry categories, such as paper and detergent, to combat the impact of mass purchasing and club stores. Managed implementation of marketing initiatives in 70 fuel centers, coffee bars and liquor stores. Accountable for $88 million annual sales. Exceeded sales and earnings projections for each fiscal quarter. Reversed negative trend for all affected categories and increased sales in detergent 2.1% for 13 weeks ending 11/28/02.

Greater Denver Area

Greater Denver Area

Greater Seattle Area

Food Executive Program

Business Administration