Expert in retail, retail store operations, merchandising, display, marketing, retail advertising, inventory control, purchasing, open to buy, team building, customer relationships, wholesale to retail, point of sale systems, lease negotiations.   Over 32 years experience as a specialty retail store owner and operator.  Three years experience  as general manager of retail  flooring operation.  Ten years’ experience as retail wholesale manufacturer representative.  Owned and operated a speciality retail franchise for 8 years before becoming and independant retail store. 

Currently:

Business Development Manager Star Excavating Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Construction industry June 2012 – Present Bippus, Indiana Responsible for identifying and securing new business opportunities for Star Excavating. Star is currently celebrating 50 years of excavation work. This family owned business provides Site Design and Management along with Earthwork, Mass or Deep Excavation and Demolition services. Star's well coordinated process uses state of the art equipment, advanced technology, highly trained technicians, and years of industry experience to create a seamless well-organized process that prepares each site for construction. Star is not just another sub-contractor, but a working partner who enjoys seeing successful completion of quality projects on time while exceeding our customer’s expectations. SMALL BUSINESS CONSULTANT John Hoffman January 2011 – July 2012 (1 year 7 months) Providing business services to retail and wholesale companies looking to expand their market share and profitability. Provide a strategic look at business plans, budgeting, sales and marketing plans, employee performance, and market factors. Sales plans and metrics are developed and implemented upon completion of review.

Past GENERAL MANAGER Jack Laurie Home Floor Designs May 2008 – January 2011 (2 years 9 months) As General Manager I was charged with creating a retail environment and culture for a residential flooring store that had been recently acquired by Jack Laurie Commercial Floors, a long established commercial flooring contractor in Indiana since 1950. Responsibilities included overall management of the store including merchandising and showroom presentation, managing and motivating the sales staff to provide exceptional customer service while growing sales, promoting the store to the residential community, and developed programs to partner with interior designers and home builders.

Past PRESIDENT Contemporary Accents, Inc. d/b/a The Hoffman Collection January 1976 – January 2008 (32 years 1 month) Owned and operated a retail store in the Fort Wayne area which began as The Shop of John Simmons and evolved to become Cheers, which transitioned to The Hoffman Collection. These transitions occurred in response to the ongoing changes in shopping trends and the economic environment. The businesses were all trend setting and fashion focused stores featuring gift, tabletop, furniture, and home accessories. Selected Accomplishments: As a Shop of John Simmons franchise, for a period of 8 years, our store ranked as the top-producing franchise for both gross dollar revenue and sales dollars per square foot out of a group of 55 stores. Maintained continued sales growth while repositioning the store to adjust to changing market trends and economic conditions by focusing on maintaining current customers and acquiring new ones. Implemented unique in-store "six hour only" customer events that produced excellent sales using targeted marketing programs in a casual party-like sales environment. Developed and implemented creative in store events to attract large numbers of consumers and build brand awareness and loyalty for specific product lines. Developed annual seasonal (6 week) corporate gift program that produced sales exceeding $225,000. Implemented effective marketing strategies to become a premier single-store dealer for a number of our featured product lines. Effectively competed against department stores and mail-order companies.

Skills & Expertise Sales Management, Marketing,  Business Development Operations,Customer Service, Relationship Building, Customer Experience, Customer Satisfaction Team Management Team Leadership, Team Building, Financial Reporting, Project Management, Merchandising, Retail Sales, Retail Design, Inventory Management, Retail Marketing.

Business start up, business plans, financing your buisness, financial projections, cash flow, budgeting, intellectual property, turn-arounds for troubled businesses. Retail, manufacturing, entertainment, the environmental industry and non-profits. I began my business career by starting a retail ski shop, which built to $1 million in sales as the ski industry boomed. When my daughter was born I soldl the ski business and became a stay-at-home mom entrepreneur. I sold custom portraits of children and pets through mail order and specialty shops. Five years later I sold the portrait business and entered the University of Pittsburgh M.B.A. program, majoring in Accounting and Finance. After graduating Magna cum Laude I worked as Assistant Controller and Factory Systems Analyst for a large aluminum foundry and rolling mill in Eastern Ohio. Two very cold winters later I moved to Southern California as Project Financial Analyst for Hughes Aircraft.I moved to Disney to manage the financial affairs for several divisions at the park as well as the construction of Thunder Mountain Railroad. I left Disney to work as a Special Projects Analyst for Shell Oil, then spent 11-1/2 years at Digital Equipment Corporation. At DEC I worked directly with the Western Vice President of Sales, managing the budgeting, reporting, and awards programs for a 300 person sales force. I also served as executive partner to several aerospace and banking companies, wrote the strategic plan for a new $50 million venture, served as national training manager for the Finance and Accounting organization, and as training liaison between Finance and Accounting and the sales group. In 1992 I took early retirement and became a SCORE volunteer. Currently, I work half-time doing marketing, accounting, and financial planning for a small family owned firm. I also work periodically with the Cal State Fullerton School of Business Entrepreneurship program and run three small businesses: consulting for several former employers, art beading and freelance writing

Expert in national retailing management.  31 years with a national retailer.  12 years in Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors' bureau. Specializing in business development workshops, event planning, tourism, convention sales and service. Customer Service, Sales, Performance Reviews, Business Planning, Diversity and Harassement workshops my specialties.