Mary W.

Ayers
Louisville, Kentucky Home phone: 502 429 3415 Mobile phone: 415 531 0279 Email address: mary.ayers1@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/mary-ayers/1/759/683

Consumer Products Sales / Sales Management Professional Professional Summary

Extensive and diverse experience in sales to retail. Successful in sales both direct and through distribution. Business development and channel marketing/sales strategies are strengths. Significant product launch experience with successful results, especially in non-traditional retail channels. Managed sales managers and sales support staff, both interoffice and remote office locations, as well as independent sales representatives.

Professional Experience
The Coleman Company, Inc. Wichita, Kansas 2008 2011 Director of Sales Marine Channel Louisville, Kentucky 2009 2011 Responsible for all sales, marketing, forecasting and administrative aspects of the channel. Improved Industrys perception of company by being a pro-active communicator with customers/sales representatives and by addressing long ignored internal problems. Promoted this sales channel internally to Product Managers, elevating awareness of the channels potential and obtaining commitments on non-traditional products and pricing. Sales Instrumental in strategy development and presentation to all key customers. Increased SKU count at all Distributors (12) displaced the competition in core categories marine coolers, childrens Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs). Evaluated, trained and managed 5 Manufacturers Representative Agencies (26 individuals). Increased sales on core marine products and gained distribution of marine related core camping items. Personally participated in and facilitated professional product displays at national industry (2), distributor/dealer (8) and consumer trade shows (1). Developed sales materials used by representatives and distributor sales people. Marketing Established channel pricing programs. Resulted in gross margin gain across all price groups. Selection of items and pricing negotiation of non-marine product assortment for Marine sales. Drove the revitalization of a leading edge fashion brand within the PFD category. Forecasting Inventory forecast management for entire business. Improved season launch order fill rate by 70% in Quarter 4, 2010 by identifying and correcting internal forecast system issues. Negotiated commitment from purchasing group for early new product in-stock position during critical inventory management time of year. Implemented 30-60-90 day forecast reviews and month end reviews with representatives for key accounts. Administration Managed co-op advertising program, ensuring compliance and corporate profitability standards maintained. Directed activities of Sales Coordinators assisting with all facets of communication to sales representatives and trade show coordination. Maintained expense controls shifted expenses where appropriate from sales travel and entertainment expense budgets to customers co-op advertising. Field Sales Manager Louisville, Kentucky 2009 2009 Responsible for sales/distribution to Hardware Co-op (Ace, Do It Best, True Value) and territory key accounts. Direct sales management and sales through manufacturers representatives. Manager - Business Development Louisville, Kentucky 2008 2009 Responsible for analysis of non-traditional sales areas/channels, determination of viability, developed product assortment recommendations, methods, best practices to achieve sales results. Ayers Sales & Marketing, Inc. Oakland, California and Louisville, Kentucky Manufacturers Representative Agency/Sales & Marketing Consultant - Housewares Industry. 2006 2008

Independent sales representative - geographic territory as well as national key account representation. Sales & Marketing consultancy contracts with inventors/entrepreneurs. Managed all aspects of product introduction to the retail marketplace. Jarden Consumer Solutions/Tilia, Inc.
San Francisco, California

1995 2005

Director of Sales Special Markets San Francisco, California 2004 2005 Managed sales to non-traditional housewares retail channels Military (retail & GSA), Off-price, Premium, Grocery, Commercial End-User. Conducted needs assessment, developed channel programs to achieve sales objectives. Responsible for liquidation of excess/obsolete inventory. Created price quote process to optimize profitability and procedures to hold committed inventory. Monthly collaboration with Marketing and Operations maximized utilization of parts/component inventory. Profitably reduced finished goods inventory by $5 million, parts inventory by 30%. Director of Sales - West San Francisco, California 2004 2004 Three direct reports - Western and Central Regional Manager, National Sales Manager Sporting Goods as well as personal sales responsibility for Costco-US and Sears Roebuck & Co. Personal sales approx. $36.6 million Direct Reports sales $ 27 million Director of National Accounts San Francisco, California 2000 2004 Managed the sales to Costco Wholesale-US, Sams Club, Wal-Mart-US, Sears, Kmart and Target. Four direct reports, San Francisco, California, New York City, New York, Bentonville, Arkansas and Houston, Texas based. Key participant in corporate Marketing strategy development and new product development. Consistently achieved corporate objectives for distribution and profitability. National Accounts group totaled $96 + million in sales in 2003. Obtained Wal-Mart distribution in 1999, grew to shipment high of $34 million in 2003. Opened and managed the Bentonville, Arkansas office/staff. Grew Costco to 100% location distribution - shipment high of $28 million in 2003. Grew Sams Club to 100% location distribution - shipment high of $24 million in 2003. Grew Sears business to $12 million in 2003, was instrumental in the development of the Kenmore private label vacuum packaging program. Obtained Target distribution, responsibility assigned to Director of Sales - East in 2002. Obtained Kmart distribution in fall of 2003, shipments began in spring 2004. Field Sales Manager San Francisco, California 1996 - 1999 Sales responsibility same as 1995 with the addition of the Outdoors retail channel. 1998 total North America volume $ 13 million, 1999 total North America volume $ 65 million. Personal contribution approximately 50% each year Instrumental in creation of the sales administrative structure for the company - policies, procedures, etc. Provided critical leadership during rapid growth by identifying the need and creating training programs. Employees - to better understand companys business, ease integration into their jobs. Product Demonstrators remote training and certification program enabled rapid expansion of product distribution. Sales Manager San Francisco, California February 1995 December 1995 Sales responsibility for southern half of the United States, Western half of Canada, and warehouse club business in Mexico. Joined company when there were 24 employees, $9.3 million in sales. Personal Summary An individuals personality strongly influences their management style and mine is one of proactive interaction, preferring to establish a strategy and then make changes as the situation requires. As an ex-school teacher, training and continuing education are of great interest to me and I have been able to carry that into my professional career through program development, sales presentation style and seeking opportunities to elevate fellow employees through increased knowledge. BA in Education, University of Kentucky

Mary W. Ayers

Louisville, Kentucky

502 425 4628