Provide strategic direction and develop capable sources of supply for products that contribute to growth and profitability. Initiate and lead projects to improve the performance/quality of materials and components purchased while minimizing total costs required to achieve financial objectives (EDITDA & Cash Flow). Provide commercial and technical market information for operational, marketing, sales, and technical colleagues. Develop and implement global material strategies, commercial agreements and relationships with a supply base of $26 million that supports specific business units.Achievements:- Cutting $700,000 out of costs by moving several thermoformed items out of PVC and into PET.- Slashed $40,000 in cartoon sealing tape and stretch wrap through training, cost negotiation and equipment tune-ups.- Produced a database for over 21 different commodities, allowing others to access numerous types of commodity data.- Created Key Performance Indicator graphs (KPI’s) which track historical and current pricing, as well as forecasting future pricing. Also tracks hedge amounts and revisions to quarterly forecasts and plans.

Responsible for purchasing men’s outerwear, work wear, furnishings, hunting, denim and boys’ 8-20. In charge of all private label programs in men’s and boys’. Accountable for over $29 million in sales for given categories. Collect and analyze price comparisons; entering and analyzing inventory control data and trends; analyzing sales trends; developing sales forecasts; obtaining and testing samples and products; determining size distributions; attending vendor meetings. Determines daily status by balancing open-to-buy; entering mark-downs and reorders; entering, tracking, and expediting orders; conferring with Warehousing and Transportation. Improves product offering by negotiating terms with vendors, including service, price, product quality, markdown allowances, exclusivity, packaging, lead times, and returns; developing new sources; coordinating information, analyses, and actions with Quality Assurance.Achievements:- Brought in several new vendors which include Under Armour, Dickies and Wolverine.- Increased category sales by over $1.2 million from 2006 to 2007.- Helped implement new buying strategy set fourth by floor spacing allotment.- Chosen to appear in recruiting video for colleges nationwide.