Vicki Knutson Email & Phone Number

Tacoma, Washington, United States

SENIOR NATIONAL SALES MANAGERDevelop, plan and execute Kroger Corporate, Rite Aid Drug, worldwide Military Commissary and Exchange network, US Passenger Service, ROSS, Burlington, TJX Canada. Additionally, regional customers in WA, OR, ID and AK. Broker partners; CA Carlin, Kahler-Senders Group, OSC-WEBco, Pierce Cartwright and AMI. Support organizational marketing department presentation, price lists & product development strategy. Successfully deliver 22% of total Brown & Haley domestic sales revenue, while achieving organizational profit goals.  Doubled Kroger distribution over a 5 year period in Western divisions. Customize profitable & unique business plans to drive revenue growth while staying within promotional budget allocation. Northwest regional customers include; WINCO, Bi-Mart, URM, Bartell Drug, Harbor Wholesale, Coremark, Walgreen DSD, Doyle/Sheehan, Hi-School Pharmacy, Hiron’s and Hudson News Seatac Airport. Many independent WA retailers who buy direct from Brown & Haley.

Tacoma, Washington, United States

Fife, Wa

Lead confectionery market development and sales for the ROCA and MOUNTAIN brands in the global military market, total Kroger national sales, Rite Aid national sales, select West Coast distributors, grocery, drug and discount accounts. Like Winco, BiMart, Harbor Wholesale and URM. Additionally, all U.S. passenger service, ROSS, Burlington and all North American gift packer specialty channels. Designing channel specific programs and customer account plans to drive 14% of total organizational revenue target; by selling, and managing the account and respective broker partners, through the full sales cycle including forecasting, sales analysis and payment processing. For Kroger, gift packer and passenger service accounts; customized product and package development requires a close working relationship with the marketing and product development colleagues.- Deliver merchandising & customer/distributor KPI’s. - Develop and manage key customer, distributor and broker relationships throughout assigned customer & geographic responsibilities.- Achieve mutually beneficial customer agreements through skilled negotiation and an understanding of the retailer or distributors business objectives.- Manage trade budget and promotional planning across key account customers and broker partners.- Estimate and forecast customer needs so production and procurement teams have solid data to build plans against.- Eight consecutive years of exceeding Brown & Haley revenue and profitability goals.- Successfully initiated nationwide, year round supply to Burlington Stores, by partnering with a specialty refrigerated transport distributor. Growing business YTD 725.6% versus entire PY revenue.- 2015 Food Vendor of the Year with Bartell Drugs.

Washington, Oregon And Alaska

Selling & training for the Levolor and Kirsch window decor brands at JC Penney’s and Independent dealers. Driving sales growth & market share penetration in WA, OR & AK via superior account relationships. Coordinating resources of Newell Rubbermaid to ensure positive customers experience. Provided field analysis of key trends, competitive and marketplace activity. Quickly developed strong retail relationships by focusing on follow-up, product training and effective issue resolution.- 2011 dollar sales grew 12%, resulting in NW territory total sales of $2.4 million.- Grew the NW territory ‘Vertical Blind’ category, by 86% vs PY. This was 7th in the nation for vertical category sales growth.- 2011 Independent detailer Kirsch products sales grew 24.8% vs PY.- NW JC Penney stores saw 6% growth in 2011 for Levolor brand.- Cultivated excellent rapport with JC Penney Field Training Manager, resulting in 214 formal training events.

The Nw’S Local Provider Of All Natural Chicken.

Marketed 3 tiers of all natural & organic product, via negotiation & execution of unique promotional strategies for QFC & PCC headquarter accounts. Building & sustaining account relationships, based upon product & category analytics. Growing 2010 annual revenue to $17.4million, with new item sales & improved product placement. Involved in creation of customer & brand specific marketing tools plus the purchase & tracking of point of sale materials. Coordinated all Consumer and Customer Trade Shows: NW Women's Show, PCC Healthy Living Fair & multiple distributor food shows.- Partnered with designated retailers to develop compelling promotional plans, which grew YTD 2010 pound sales 13.02% vs PY.- Maximized ‘advertised’ versus non-advertised product sales to achieve a 5.96% 2010 YTD increase in dollar sales versus PY.- Negotiated 100% acceptance of new ‘locally grown’ organic product line, multiplying points of distribution by 23%.- Successfully negotiated 3 year corporate contract that maximized pricing & rewarded revenue growth in a profitable business model.- Initiated a monthly sell sheet program for small stores that grew 2010 dollars sales of this segment by 2.1%.

Kroger National Customer Team Key Account Manager 2Developed Fred Meyer and QFC headquarter business; serving 194 retail grocery stores and 2 DC’s. Created annual sales plans generating $37.4million in annual revenue, utilizing a $3.8million budget to grow sales across 200 perishable Oscar Mayer meat & Kraft cheese as well as 98 Kraft condiments. Designed compelling category and business reviews, highlighting success & opportunities. ACNielsen data analysis refined pricing, planogram placement & new item authorization. Composed monthly sales rep priorities & sell sheets, directing retail selling team execution.- Developed business plan increasing Oscar Mayer meat revenue 14.6%, which grew market share 1%.- Negotiated 28% ad fee decrease, increasing Kraft condiment revenue by 3.7% YTD 2009.- Negotiated new customer pricing initiative, driving 4.3% increase in dollar consumption.- Discovered and stopped $1.7million product diverting dynamic, protecting organization from future lost sales.- 100% acceptance new items, growing QFC annual sales by $237,000.- Redesigned QFC meat schematics, maximizing space to sales ratio, an integral piece of 12.9% revenue growth.

SuperValu National Customer Team Key Account Manager 2Managed 3 SuperValuNW customer DC’s on Kraft Cheese & Oscar Mayer meat categories. Created & implemented 12 month customer plans, by analyzing historical trends & forecasting future growth. Wrote & negotiated all wholesale ad contracts to meet Sarbanes Oxley guidelines. Controlled cheese planograms. Presented detailed business & customer reviews maximizing product opportunities. Facilitated Kraft products transition as SVNW coordination into Minnesota office. - 100% acceptance of warehouse authorized new items for Kraft 1st ship, growing revenue 1.2%.- Balanced, paid and audited $1.2MM promotional budget generating $9MM in revenue. - Initiated better Kraft dairy procurement process, resulting in a 68% reduction in spoiled product loss.

Account Manager for the SuperValu and Associated Grocers Business Teams Grew the Haggen & Brown and Cole wholesale splinters customers representing Kraft cheese, Oscar Mayer meats, DSD pizza, Kraft meals & dessert divisions. Teamed with Kraft Sales Information team maximizing ACNielsen data for category reviews on distribution, pricing and space management which grew share of shelf 4%. Set up & worked all relevant Food Show events.

Bridge Training RETAIL CUSTOMER MANAGER - on the QFC customer on Fred Meyer team (1999 – 2000)Managed Jell-O dry package desserts, Stove Top, Shake n Bake, Kraft Mac&Cheese, Minute Rice, Handi-Snack, Taco Bell, Calumet, Sure Jell, Baker’s cooking chocolates, Cool Whip, Yuban, General Foods International Coffee. Grew entire assigned category case sales volume by 9.3% by increasing retail display support. 100% new item generating 27,000 pounds of revenue. Expanded Kraft shelf facings by 11%, growing sales 9%.Retail Sales Representative 6 Selling entire Kraft portfolio within retail store route. Maintain & build item distribution on route. Maximize ad opportunities expanding display performance, ultimately growing sales. Aggressively pursued additional display opportunities. 100% placement of authorized new items at QFC within 3 weeks HQ approval.

HEAD QUARTER RESPONSIBILITES - QFC Inc. Larry’s Markets & Lee Grocery Wholesale (1993 – 1999) Presentation & acceptance of all new items. Planning, preparation & execution of a 12-month sales plan. Utilize brand information provided by corporate, to design creative volume opportunities customized to each account. Correct retail pricing based on C.O.G.’s versus competitors. Drove optimal placement of products in retail schematic. Timely payment of invoices & deductions. Disseminate ACNielsen data at headquarters & retail. 100% authorization of new items & acceptance of promotional contracts.SALES REPRESENTATIVE – Puget Sound territory (1991 – 1999)191 retail stores, every customer in an assigned geography; Safeway, Albertson’s, Fred Meyer, QFC, Top Foods/Haggen’s, plus all Associated Grocer’s & SuperValu independent store locations. Selling the entire portfolio of brands. Insuring each had full line distribution, maximum shelf exposure & placement. Systematically achieve sales plan to increase display activity and sales volume on route.