Thomas Trone Email & Phone Number

Bethesda, MD, US

Responsible for all National Brand ordering of all wine, spirits, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. Additionally direct a team that manages all aspect of beer and non-alcoholic beverage categories.

Bethesda, MD, US

Work directly with owners, CEO and the executive team on high priority projects and issues. Including analysis of potential markets, store layout, promotional strategy, pricing, gross margin improvement and driving comp sales. Currently focused on creating a more robust pricing strategy with the goal of improving customer price perceptions and gross.

Alcohol Beverage Industry Consultant specializing in big box alcoholic beverage retail, alcohol beverage chain retail, control brand selection and sales development, alcohol beverage merchandising, market analysis, site selection and competitive assessment.

• Founded firm and raised necessary capital.
• Selected target market, developed and opened in MA and CT, 32,000 plus sq/ft alcohol beverage superstores from initial concept to fully stocked stores with a limited support team.
• Researched, selected, sourced, negotiated contracts/purchase prices and oversaw installation of all capital items, including technology infrastructure - hardware and software solutions, at corporate offices and stores.
• Developed selection criteria, methodology for review and approved over 5,000 wine, 1,500 beer, 1,200 spirit, 400 gift/accessory and 1,000 gourmet food items.
• Created process for control brand wine selection – conducted analysis to determine target varietals, price points and places of origin, then made initial winery contacts, obtained samples, participated on tasting.
• Selected and trained both corporate team and store teams.

Bethesda, MD, US

• Key member of senior executive team driving all strategic decisions, market positioning, competitive approach, store format/layout, real estate strategy, merchandise assortment, pricing, corporate planning, team member.
• Team grew start up to industry innovator/leader - 6 year sales growth of almost 300%, EBITDA growth of almost 200%, increased store count to 54 stores including entrance into 5 new states, sales comps of slightly under.
• Created the Store Support, Planning & Analysis, Loss Prevention, and Customer Service Departments, responsible for all related hiring, training & development, departmental mission statements, goals, teams’ processes.
• Successfully invested in training of store level teams product knowledge & sales techniques, merchandising & signing approaches, end consumer contact points and marketing materials allowing chain to build brands by.
• Reevaluated store concept and developed a new big box store prototype as part of Executive Team.
• Created store operating P&L, related budgets, and associated DM/store manager bonus plan. Prototyped and worked with IT to program store operation’s reports including sales, gross margin, payroll, shrink, and human.

Woonsocket, RI, US

• Produced executive level reporting and analysis, - board of director packages, management committee reporting and analysis, – supplied the numerical information to help change the decision making process from largely.
• Developed new store analysis approach, top 10% store analysis package, and loss store action plans.
• Identified and implemented technology based process improvements allowing the Inventory Reconciliation Department to double the number of inventories completed and reconciled per year from 2000 to 4,000 stores, while.
• Changed the reporting and analysis approach for shrink and margin, significantly improving actionability of the information generated.
• Direct reports included the department heads of Corporate Budgeting and Analysis, Store Reporting and Analysis, Store Budgeting, Inventory Reconciliation, Shortage Control and Pharmacy Analysis.
• Member of executive operation’s team, responsible for all financial and operational metrics related to Field Operations working extensively with Executive VP of Operations.

Masters, Business

Bachelor Of Science, Business