A strong leader who demands the highest level of customer service for all

5/2006 - Present

Manager

• •Manager for a showroom opened to the interior decorator/design trade which offers a variety of high-end fabrics and furnishings. •Achieve showroom sales and service goals and ensure the continuous, efficient operation of the showroom while providing leadership and guidance to showroom staff. •Oversee account management programs, continuously seeking opportunities to increase sales and improve operations as well as participate in showroom floor sales and service activities. •Directly responsible for recruiting, hiring and training showroom staff of 5 sales consultants and 5 operations/support staff members. •Possess strong creative problem solving, progressive negotiation and account management skills.

10/2003 - 5/2006

Thomasville

Director / VP

• • Responsible for all aspects of 4 furniture and interior design retail showrooms. Over all sales volume exceeding 20 million dollars. • Increased sales with my hands on, lead by example management style. Working one on one with the staff to help grow thier business by challenging them to perfect individual skills and techniques. • Trained staff to handle our demanding high-end clientele offering a wide array of custom options. Implemented a 100 % superior customer service policy. • Maintained an open line of communication between the corporation and the highly creative, sensitive staff, with regard to the consistent reinforcement of standards and reciprocal accountability. • Kept team together and turnover to a minimum. • Maintained floor presentation standards and implemented Visual Merchandising plans.

4/2001 - 10/2003

L'Occitane, Inc & Oliviers & CO.

Manager

• • Managed 4 locations in the Los Angeles Market, with the responsibly for the selection, training, scheduling, coaching and evaluation of each stores sales team. • Acquired comprehensive product knowledge of the entire brand. • Advised and assisted customers with their choices of products for themselves and for gifts. • Maintained floor presentation standards and implemented Visual Merchandising plans. • Maintained coaching logs, helped associates refine selling techniques, and demanded a strong service orientation and that the highest standards in customer service be maintained at all times. • Directly responsible for allocated staffing/scheduling budgets and oversaw payroll/non-payroll expense controls. • Adhered to shortage prevention guidelines, working with planners to achieve appropriate stock levels to meet sales. • Developed a "Preferred Customer Registry" for follow-up phone calls, product launches, and exclusive events. • Established relationships within the entertainment community to use our product for major events / gift bags.

12/1999 - 4/2001

Smith & Hawken

Manager

• • Had hands on responsibility for all facets of this high-end gardening/outdoor lifestyle store. • Reviewed store sales and inventory positions to monitor performance and achieve budgeted results. • Role modeled customer service and handled all customer complaints to the customer’s satisfaction. • Worked with Visual Director to ensure proper store set-up.

11/1996 - 12/1999

MacHQ, Apple Solutions & Training Center

Director / VP

• • Designed and adapted organizational structure for a $10.5 million Apple Multimedia Solutions and Training business, comprised of 4 stores and 3 training centers. • Formulated comprehensive brand identity, including collateral, store design and flow, employee dress and procedures. • Added more high-end accessories, like hand-sewn leather laptop cases and custom-fit furniture to complement the award-winning design and luxury status of Apple products. • Trained sales associates to handle entrepreneurial, creative clients, who have difficulty expressing their technology needs. • Cultivated key customers in the music and film business, and initiated sales events with product demonstrations and entertainment produced on Apple Systems. • Analyzed sales trends, sales of key items, and results of sales events to pinpoint missed opportunities, both companywide and by individual store, and then specified corrective action items, responsibilities, and completion dates.

7/1992 - 11/1996

Colony House Furniture & Interior Design Center

Manager

• • Planned and executed cross-functional supply chain improvements resulting in an increase in sales from $6 to $10mil. • Centralized order entry, relieving the design staff of the responsibility, and increasing their availability for customers, cutting down on costly errors and customer dissatisfaction. • Worked directly with Visual Director on layout of store displays and special promotions. • Eliminated poor-producers and non-team players, and hired away top-sellers from competitors to handle surging volume. • Initiated employee feedback dinners and expanded the company newsletter.

1987

Bachelor Degree

University Of Maryland, College Park

• Business Management