Eric Johnson Email & Phone Number

Greater Atlanta Area

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, Georgia

Responsible for managing the daily strategic operation of a complex food & beverage program to increase imports into the USA, and to attract investment capital for global expansion of New Zealand companies.• Directly responsible for designing & resolving problems across the project management life cycle of a sales promotion with McCormick & Schmick’s during Jan-Feb 2010 in 86 stores, valued at US$1.7M gross sales. • Designed & managed a multi-channel culinary program showcasing NZ brands to maximize margins with a pipeline of 30+ chain operators & chef/owner concepts with unique menu growth drivers. Valued at US$10M net sales. • Managed project teams of up to 15 people to deliver outcomes on culinary programs, in matrix structures. • Created 3 new B2B channels to promote global product exploration. The created channels also addressed team building for chain operators, and created combined menu sales valued at $6M for NZ suppliers. • Managed annual $100k budget to bring food & wine executives to NZ to assess supply chain & products. • Managed launch & scaling of new brands ($2-25M rev.’s) in USA through market & statistical analysis. • Evaluated trends & data to establish and manage vendors & partnerships, & to direct strategic planning. • Enhanced NZ market awareness by designing marketing collateral, advertising copy, & web content. • Directly responsible for managing site selection & investment attraction of an advanced food manufacturing facility into NZ for 2011, valued at NZ$15M net economic benefit.• Managed feasibility & site selection process for 5 US companies considering expansion into the NZ market. • Trained NZ companies on financial operations toward successfully pitching for venture & equity capital. • Achieved a robust pipeline of business development & investment capital opportunities by creating & managing a lead generation program.

Responsible for matrix managing the day-to-day business development, marketing, & public relations activities aimed at increasing & strengthening Australian wine imports into the USA. • Directly responsible for 9% increase in export sales & 25% increase in consulting fees of client base by developing three client servicing options based on analytics to yield these outcomes. • Managed a staff of 9 without formal authority to achieve metrics. Oversaw team training, development, & contributed to performance appraisals.• Overcame sales conversion difficulties & market reach spread in the USA through use of trend analysis. • Grew & maintained sustainable wine sales via channel marketing & aggressive pipeline development. • Provided strategic counsel to the Australian Wine & Brandy Council on how to improve brand image of the Australian category in the US market to address quality & oversupply. • Secured & managed annual marketing & training budget of US$1.25M.

Responsible for managing the total responsibility of 40 fee-for-service clients ($1-50M rev’s) annually in creative, fashion, furniture, & sports/marine industries. • Directly responsible for 15% increase in regional export sales with 55+ companies achieving export sales valued at US$155M. • Created service proposals & presented to clients to secure contracts. Project managed the research deliverables on time, on budget & within scope. • Developed & managed marketing strategies for client base, including partner identifications, focus groups, scaling and site selections for expanding companies in the USA. • Generated new business development opportunities by analysing trends & emerging markets through tradeshow attendance, journal reviews, and conducting primary research. • Assumed management of 8 member office in absence of Managing Director (3 months each year).

• Developed markets for SME Canadian food, fashion & consumer product companies in USA & Puerto Rico.• Recruited & coordinated exhibitors at tradeshows to promote export capability & to secure investment capital.• Conducted market surveys to analyse market trends and economic impact on Canadian suppliers. • Established & recruited IT & Biotech clients for a venture capital matching forum in a 3 person team.

• Conducted business retention & expansion surveys with 62 local companies leading to a published report. • Identified companies planning to reduce, relocate, or expand, & managed their community needs. • Conducted research to support industry attraction to region, including the showing of property in business parks.

Franchise Management

Master Of Public Administration, International Business; Economic Development; Organizational Development

B.S. In Business Management & Industrial Psychology, Business Management; Organizational Development; Human Resources

Activities and Societies: Mortar Board; Phi Eta Sigma; Gamma Beta Phi; Student Union; Student GovernmentMagna Cum Laude Graduate

Executive Education

Executive Education, Wine Executive Education

Global Brand Management

E-Commerce Marketing

Phr - Human Resources Certification, Human Resources Development