Content copyright . Dennis C. Hoff. All rights reserved.
DENNIS CRAIG HOFF
12900 Lake Avenue, PH#19
Lakewood, OH 44107
dennis_c_hoff@msn.com 216.221.8555
PURCHASING, SUPPLY CHAIN, OPERATIONS AND MARKETING LEADER
Growing Revenues through Synergies in Procurement, Operations and Marketing Management
OBJECTIVE: To secure a supply chain, purchasing, procurement, communications, operations and/or marketing position which will take advantage of my experience and skill and offer a satisfying work environment.
PROFILE
· Highly experienced Senior Executive with a record of success in merchandising, branding, promotion and launch. Recognized as a key contributor and appointed to the Board of Directors and cited for expertise in vendor supply chain and logistics management on a domestic and global basis.
· Demonstrated expertise in big-box chain store product acquisition, expansion, brand development, private label conceptualization and development, and pricing and program management in over 21 merchandising departments.
· Skilled in a wide range of supply chain management functions including warehousing, inventory control, quality control, and procurement and vendor relations. Expert in originating and consummating profitable product purchase and marketing agreements and contracts.
· A strategic and creative advertising, marketing and promotions thinker, skilled in delivering brand and institutional marketing and advertising which promotes superior product presentation, shop ability and sales productivity and consumer awareness in print, television, radio and Internet media formats.
· Recognized for maximizing the performance of individuals and organizations through a team and consensus building approach that focuses on continuous improvement at all levels of the organization.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
· Key player in the development of DIY Home Warehouse as a leading Midwest based big-box home improvement retailing chain, selected by Forbes Magazine as Number 5 among the 100 Best Small Companies in America in 1993. Instrumental in driving company development from a two-store, privately held corporation to a growing, publicly traded corporation with revenues of exceeding $275M.
EXPERIENCE
MOSAIC SALES SOLUTIONS, LLC, Irving, TX 2011- present
Retail Representative
Part-time retail sales and service representative serving such manufacturing and distributing clients
as Sony, Hewlett-Packard, and many others at major national and local accounts including Wal-Mart,
Costco, Staples, Office Max, Office Depot, Best Buy and others and building relationships with store personnel designed to enhance sales by ensuring optimized displays, presentations, POP merchandising, inventory positioning and more.
LGC ASSOCIATES, LLC, Cleveland, OH 2010 – present
Bartender/Captain/ Server
Part-time, on-demand and occasional employment for banquet and catering positions around the metropolitan area, including Progressive Insurance Co., Inc., The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland State University, Hiram and Oberlin Colleges and others.
NORTH COAST PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT CO., Lakewood, OH 2007 – 2009
Senior Summit Advisor
Directed and operated entrepreneurial business, specializing in home-based coaching, mentoring and direct marketing of personal development products utilizing the 24/7 power of the internet.
WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A, Rocky River, OH 2003 – 2007
Reverse Mortgage Consultant
Developed a network of lead referral partners and professionals through face-to-face collaboration; delivered direct marketing through print-based advertising and speaking engagements directed toward the Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania Senior Communities.
· Led Northeastern Ohio in the sale of Reverse Mortgages by developing a strong referral network that drove the successful closing of 27 mortgages with a composite value of more than $3.7M in the first six months following training.
Senior Administrator: Reviewed and approved managers’ commissions; P-Card administration; maintained regional sales records and histories; participated in performance evaluations and conducted training programs; responsible for complete planning and implementation of Regional and Divisional meetings and sales events throughout the Eastern Division.
SOFT THUNDER, INC., Cleveland, OH 2001 – 2003
Owner/Operator
Conceived, designed, developed and operated two men’s wear boutiques promoting color, style and value in casual wear addressing the needs of young professional men through upscale brands including Kenneth Cole, Diesel and other designer labels.
· Guided all aspects of the business from development of POS systems to purchasing to advertising and merchandising and marketing utilizing innovative nightclub-based open houses and multiple media outlets, including print and radio.
DIY HOME WAREHOUSE, INC., Valley View, OH 1988 - 2001
Vice President, Merchandise, Merchandising and Marketing 1993 - 2001
Promoted by management to direct all merchandising, purchasing and procurement, advertising, marketing and sales promotion for a 16-store chain serving locations throughout Northeastern Ohio; guided the activities of eight merchandisers providing store layout and design, vendor negotiations, timeline development and merchandise placement in existing locations as well as in a company expansion to 14 new locations.
Achievements:
· Appointed to the company’s Board of Directors to provide essential guidance in all strategic planning, budgeting, and policy-making decisions impacting more than 1800 employees.
· Improved cash flow and cut company debt by reducing inventory more than $4M through the introduction of a new inventory reduction program on multiple occasions.
· Boosted gross margins to a record 27.9% in an historically low margin business. Through repeated price negotiations with suppliers’ C-level Management, Sales Executives and Channel Market Sales Managers; consistently negotiated supplier new store discounts averaging 30%.
· Re-engineered product presentations and layout in advertising and marketing programs including, print, radio, television and sports' marketing totaling in excess of $10 million/ year; provided Project Management in the compilation, migration and updating of more than 45,000 pieces of art and information in a change from spot color, line art to four color photography that dramatically improved operational and cost efficiencies as well as efficacy and reader impact.
· Increased vendor cooperative advertising participation from 45 to 74 % of total advertising expense.
· Improved inventory turns and reporting efficiency by acting as Project Leader for a team charged with evaluating, procuring and implementing information systems that took the company from a manual single-store reporting system to a highly responsive real-time POS-based reporting environment with all stores represented utilizing IBM AS-400 hardware and T-1 communications capabilities; thereby provided store and home office sales, receiving, accounts payable, automated and suggested replenishment vehicles and VMI, weekly advertising, promotional and clearance capabilities.
VP and General Merchandise Manager 1990 - 1993
Provided critical direction and corporate design which drove the expansion of the company’s SKU base from 8,000 to more than 45,000 items; directed and guided the ongoing merchandising and store designs of a continually growing number of stores, while working in concert with subordinate corporate buying team, corporate operations management and individual store management teams.
Achievements:
· Effectively positioned the company to succeed against intense competition through unique differentiation in merchandising by conceiving and developing the company’s interior furnishings department and elements of its lawn and garden furniture and accessories department.
· Remained market savvy by personally developing and implementing merchandising for the company’s kitchen and bath, departments; participated in the hands-on, direct purchasing and merchandising of plumbing, plumbing fixtures and millwork as well.
· Selected by management to participate in all facets of the preparation of a successful Initial Public Offering.
General Merchandise Manager/ Senior Buyer 1988 - 1990
Directed the activities of three merchandisers and eight corporate purchasing support staff, while personally evaluating and procuring all products in the company’s kitchen, bath, lighting, ceiling fans, door and window product categories.
Achievements:
· Key player in the first joint venture, big-box DIY Home Warehouse launch in Cleveland, Ohio; guided the development of product assortments, initial inventory plans and merchandising layouts for 21 different hard line departments; increased comparable store volume more than 25% despite growing national competitive presence.
· Improved the company’s merchandising and advertising cost effectiveness by transitioning these functions form a third party to a newly developed in house staff.
Early career success as a Naval Officer, Department Store Management Associate with R. H. Macy and Federated Corporations, Gourmet Restaurant Owner, Developer and General Manager and National Director, Sales and Marketing for a N.Y.-based manufacturing company.
EDUCATION
BA, Psychology, Political Science, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC – multiple extra-curricular activities.
Law Studies, Wake Forest University School of Law, Winston-Salem, NC
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