Group Product Manager
Posted on: 2010-04-06
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
KEY SKILLS:
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n |
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
|
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n |
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Group Product Manager, December 2003 – present
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Company Confidential, Clearwater, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Global brand management for the company’s main category, representing approximately 70% of worldwide sales, for over 50,000 distributors.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Set strategic direction and lead global new product development process working with local Trade Marketing teams in seven main markets, as well as Supply Chain/Operations, Legal and Manufacturing. Annually, this has resulted in over 50 new items in over 30 different countries. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Previous experience in sourcing and direct OEM negotiation resulted in waived prototype development charges and reduced costs. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Drove sales in specific market channels through the development of unique assortments and collateral which resulted in over $8M in incremental annual sales value. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Launched over 100 new products and achieved accolades such as “Easiest to Sell” and “Best New Product Design” from the Advertising Specialty Institute. Notable launches include: \\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Company’s first-ever line of eco-friendly products to all B2B and B2C global divisions which resulted in over $10M in annual sales. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Company’s first full line of imported or “private label” products to global divisions, distributors and sales force which has grown to $7M. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Implemented a global SKU rationalization initiative resulting in the elimination of over 50 products with multiple SKU’s impacting the total category profit by less than 2%. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Developed/facilitated at International & Domestic Sales Meetings with 200+ attendees. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Marketing & Communications Manager, June 2002 – December 2003
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Chris-Craft Corporation, Sarasota, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Laid foundation and initiatives for a newly developed marketing department. Managed dealer marketing relationships for over 50 dealers worldwide.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Print production and co-development of company’s first international high-end catalog and direct mail campaign with double digital response rates. Received a Certificate of Merit from the Printing Industries of America, Inc. and Top Honors for Collateral Material from StoraEnso Paper Company. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Conducted and implemented an international CSI and dealer relationship survey program, along with steering an ongoing lead management system. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Instituted a media buying and placement process using RFP’s and negotiation skills. Achieved better placement, a highly targeted audience and increased advertising space while reducing costs compared to the previous year. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Increased editorial coverage in trade publications through strengthened PR contacts. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Created an online direct marketing program and a New Dealer Marketing Kit including global templates for dealer network as well as negotiated discounts from outside vendors. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Developed the 2004 International Dealer Conference and facilitated the marketing portion. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Engineered the redesign of the company Web site which decreased the workload for the customer service department. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Corporate Communications Associate, 7/01 – 5/02
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Gainesville Regional Utilities, Gainesville, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Prepared and planned marketing campaigns and special events. Created copy and design for corporate communication pieces, including Web site, annual report, brochures and newsletters.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Managed a grassroots marketing effort to alert neighborhoods of area redevelopment plans. Increased attendance and press coverage of the redevelopment meetings. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Rewrote over 90% of newly designed Web site, based on data collected from interview and other research. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Coordinated a special event for a “Healthy Community” festival. Designed booth on green energy which received “Best Booth – 3rd place” in terms of visual and information appeal. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Account Coordinator, 8/00 - 7/01
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
WestWayne, Inc., Tampa, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Coordinated all aspects of an advertising campaign, including TV, print, radio and other promotional items, for the agency and client, The Sports Authority. Managed trafficking of radio, outdoor and collateral materials. Researched industry trends and promotions for our clients, including Denny\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s, Toyota and Publix. Prepared proposals, analyses and reports.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Acted as Account Executive on consumer relationship marketing and design projects. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Co-created a competitive retail and brand integration analysis. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Coordinated an award-wining billboard project. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
EDUCATION
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Master of Arts in International Business, May 2002
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Grade Point Average: 3.79/4.0
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Bachelor of Science in International Advertising and Advertising, August 2000
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Grade Point Average: 3.41/4.0
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Minor in Business Administration
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Study Abroad Program, Fall 2000
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Universeteit de Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
COMPUTER SKILLS
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Quark Xpress, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe PageMaker, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes, PowerPoint,
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Internet and proficient in various word processing and spreadsheet programs.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
AWARDS/ACTIVITIES/SERVICE
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Art Director, US Ad Review’s 2003 Top Print Advertisement
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Project Management Training
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Attendant, Ford Motor Company Leadership Conference
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Member, Promotional Products Association of Florida
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Volunteer, Junior Achievement
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
MELISSA S. RALSTON\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
2800 Swan Circle
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Dunedin, FL 34698 (727) 734-7630
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
SUMMARY:
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Dedicated, proven performer in international B2B and B2C marketing and communications management for multiple industries. Product development, strategic partnerships and/or brand management for small and Fortune 500 companies. A talented communicator with experience in speaking to international audiences of over 200+ attendees. Committed to establishing a strong work ethic, motivating teams and cultivating business relationships.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
KEY SKILLS:
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n |
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
|
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n |
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Group Product Manager, December 2003 – present
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Company Confidential, Clearwater, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Global brand management for the company’s main category, representing approximately 70% of worldwide sales, for over 50,000 distributors.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Set strategic direction and lead global new product development process working with local Trade Marketing teams in seven main markets, as well as Supply Chain/Operations, Legal and Manufacturing. Annually, this has resulted in over 50 new items in over 30 different countries. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Previous experience in sourcing and direct OEM negotiation resulted in waived prototype development charges and reduced costs. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Drove sales in specific market channels through the development of unique assortments and collateral which resulted in over $8M in incremental annual sales value. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Launched over 100 new products and achieved accolades such as “Easiest to Sell” and “Best New Product Design” from the Advertising Specialty Institute. Notable launches include: \\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Company’s first-ever line of eco-friendly products to all B2B and B2C global divisions which resulted in over $10M in annual sales. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Company’s first full line of imported or “private label” products to global divisions, distributors and sales force which has grown to $7M. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Implemented a global SKU rationalization initiative resulting in the elimination of over 50 products with multiple SKU’s impacting the total category profit by less than 2%. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Developed/facilitated at International & Domestic Sales Meetings with 200+ attendees. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Marketing & Communications Manager, June 2002 – December 2003
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Chris-Craft Corporation, Sarasota, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Laid foundation and initiatives for a newly developed marketing department. Managed dealer marketing relationships for over 50 dealers worldwide.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Print production and co-development of company’s first international high-end catalog and direct mail campaign with double digital response rates. Received a Certificate of Merit from the Printing Industries of America, Inc. and Top Honors for Collateral Material from StoraEnso Paper Company. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Conducted and implemented an international CSI and dealer relationship survey program, along with steering an ongoing lead management system. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Instituted a media buying and placement process using RFP’s and negotiation skills. Achieved better placement, a highly targeted audience and increased advertising space while reducing costs compared to the previous year. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Increased editorial coverage in trade publications through strengthened PR contacts. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Created an online direct marketing program and a New Dealer Marketing Kit including global templates for dealer network as well as negotiated discounts from outside vendors. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Developed the 2004 International Dealer Conference and facilitated the marketing portion. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Engineered the redesign of the company Web site which decreased the workload for the customer service department. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Corporate Communications Associate, 7/01 – 5/02
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Gainesville Regional Utilities, Gainesville, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Prepared and planned marketing campaigns and special events. Created copy and design for corporate communication pieces, including Web site, annual report, brochures and newsletters.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Managed a grassroots marketing effort to alert neighborhoods of area redevelopment plans. Increased attendance and press coverage of the redevelopment meetings. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Rewrote over 90% of newly designed Web site, based on data collected from interview and other research. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Coordinated a special event for a “Healthy Community” festival. Designed booth on green energy which received “Best Booth – 3rd place” in terms of visual and information appeal. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Account Coordinator, 8/00 - 7/01
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
WestWayne, Inc., Tampa, FL
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Coordinated all aspects of an advertising campaign, including TV, print, radio and other promotional items, for the agency and client, The Sports Authority. Managed trafficking of radio, outdoor and collateral materials. Researched industry trends and promotions for our clients, including Denny\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s, Toyota and Publix. Prepared proposals, analyses and reports.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
-
\\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Acted as Account Executive on consumer relationship marketing and design projects. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Co-created a competitive retail and brand integration analysis. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
- Coordinated an award-wining billboard project. \\r\\n\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
EDUCATION
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Master of Arts in International Business, May 2002
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Grade Point Average: 3.79/4.0
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Bachelor of Science in International Advertising and Advertising, August 2000
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Grade Point Average: 3.41/4.0
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Minor in Business Administration
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Study Abroad Program, Fall 2000
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Universeteit de Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
COMPUTER SKILLS
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Quark Xpress, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe PageMaker, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes, PowerPoint,
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Internet and proficient in various word processing and spreadsheet programs.
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
AWARDS/ACTIVITIES/SERVICE
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Art Director, US Ad Review’s 2003 Top Print Advertisement
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Project Management Training
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Attendant, Ford Motor Company Leadership Conference
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Member, Promotional Products Association of Florida
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
Volunteer, Junior Achievements
\\r\\n
\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n
\\r\\n
s