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Marketing Manager
Aug 2014 - Present (10 years 3 months)
Developed and implemented high-impact, low-budget marketing campaign including new brand introduction to the marketplace. Currently managing all of the company’s marketing aspects including budgeting, market research, strategic planning, e-commerce, web/viral/social marketing, print advertising, tradeshow planning, and PR/media. Proposed and designed for new product lines and existing product line expansion.
- Successfully launched a new brand, product line, website, and dealer program in a highly competitive market.
- Developed a design and brand language that set ADK Arms apart from the competition.
- Provided end-to-end design and updating of product literature, catalogs, manuals and website, as well as the integration of all updated content.
- Established the brand among the top tier arms suppliers by ensuring all product, packaging, and designs exceed the expectations of the current market.
- Developed sales and development relationships with new private label and custom design clientele.
- Introduced new product segments for the brand to implement existing company manufacturing resources and personnel.
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Operations + Designer
Schaumburg, IL
Mar 2010 - Present (14 years 8 months)
Developed and launched start-up Challenge Mfg. USA. Filled a void in the market for high end, high quality, American made performance parts for BMW and other sports car makes. Company reached its goals on coming to the market with great designs, domestic manufacturing, setting the bar for quality, and at a competitive consumer price. Within one year of introduction, Challenge had become the standard for quality in the segment with a reputation for the highest quality, best warranty, and ideal customer support.
- New brand creation and launch with grassroots and web marketing, trade show display and product demos on site.
- Design and modeling of all carbon composite aero parts starting from one model and expanded into 8+ models within 2 years
- Engineering and testing of mechanical parts to ensure their durability and level of finish exceeded customers expectation in the market.
- Managed production schedules daily with 3 local off-site facilities to ensure project budgets and processes were refined or adjusted for maximum efficiency in manufacturing.
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Operations + Marketing
Crystal Lake, IL
May 2007 - Present (17 years 6 months)
Founded and branded a new online retail and wholesale automotive performance business focusing on high end quality parts from USA , Europe and Japan. Developed relationships with international manufacturers and tuning shops to help market and import their racing goods in North America. GT Motoring established itself as a top distributor and retailer of quality products in many performance markets and brought new exciting brands and products to market.
- Grew the business from scratch to become one of the hottest regional performance parts sellers and installers for Japanese performance cars.
- Awarded sole distributorship of J's Racing performance brand for the USA market through 2 years of brand development and marketing efforts.
- Recognized a void in the market for quality performance parts and begun development of niche market products to satisfy our customer's needs, ultimately developing the Challenge brand.
- Marketed and maintained a 2 car professional race team and partnership with Bridgestone Tire for 4 seasons resulting in multiple championship wins.
- Implemented a product activation program for Bridgestone Tire at motorsports events giving customers first hand experience with newly released innovative product.
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Project Manager
Chicago, IL
May 2006 - May 2007 (1 year)
Offered full service design, fabrication, architectural services and project management serving luxury fashion, hospitality, and POP display industries. Involved in all aspects of client's projects from ideation through final installation on-site. Each project involved architectural design as well as in-store fixtures and lighting to create a cohesive design that best represented the brand or establishment. Communication with clients, concept sketches, fixture and architectural design and engineering, production drawings, quotations, vendor relations, and construction/build out management of sites were part of daily duty on projects.
- Managed a staff of industrial designers, drafters/engineers, and architects to ensure projects were executed true to concept through final deliverables to production staff.
- Developed new brand design concepts and fixtures for Missoni brand clothing for roll-out into new store-in-store concepts in high end retailers.
- Designed fixtures and architectural drawings for multiple stand alone and store-in-store Valentino locations throughout the USA maintaining their signature brand identity in the luxury fashion industry
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Production Manager + Engineering
Elk Grove Village, IL
Jun 2003 - Apr 2006 (2 years 10 months)
Oversaw production for a point of purchase display manufacturer specializing in wood and composite material construction for retail and trade show uses. Performed refinement engineering for structural and assembly conflicts, production scheduling and management, CNC programming, prototype design, and vendor/supplier communication.
- Increased daily production yield with more efficient programming and set up schedules which resulted in shorter cycle times and machine down time between projects.
- Managed a team of 5-8 machine and equipment operators daily to ensure quality levels and efficiency.
- Engineered manufacturing solutions for design clients to help them bring their display ideas to life using industry standard techniques resulting in lower cost and higher efficiency production and assembly.