Nicholas (Nick) Clementi

Experience

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  Western Publishing

  Sept 1980 - May 1996

  Consumer Products Vice President, and Pictionary President

  Leading branded Childrens publishing, educational products, cookbooks, children's video and music, encyclopaedias, games and puzzles manufacturer and marketer.As Marketing VP responsible for P&L management of $400 million consumer goods operation. Oversaw a 25 person marketing department, $4 million market research budget and $25 million annual TV advertising budget.Supervised General Managers of Golden Book Video, Golden Music and Golden Games operations. Served on the Board of the Games Gang / Pictionary, Inc. JV/JL, and then when Western acquired this entity, served as its President while simultaneously serving as Marketing VP.In 1992 jointly served as Marketing VP at Western while serving as Executive VP Sales and Marketing at Beach Products, ultimately relinquishing the Marketing VP role and then serving as President of Beach Products and VP and Director of Penn Corp.until the LBO in 1996.Began career in Sales, Marketing and New Products, with seasonal, promotional & everyday products, licensed & proprietary products, crafting, educational, publishing, activity, and giftable categories. Show less

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  Board of Director and Advisor Positions

  Jan 1991 - now

  Director

  Serving or have served on the following Boards of Directors or Advisors:* Vidya Brands Group - Advisor* Sandhill Investments LLC* Sandhill Consulting Group LLC * Contempo Colours Holding Co* Contempo Colours Inc* Penn Corp* Games Gang/Pictionary JV* Howe Marketing* Biggs Gilmore Communications* Learning Horizons Inc* Redwood Candle LLC* Diversfied Graphics Inc* BalloonZone Inc* Innoware LLC* Innoware Paper Inc* Innoware Plastics Inc* Twistars 501.3 (c)* Voyager Village POA* Orchard Trails HOA Show less

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  Beach Products (Penn Corp)

  Aug 1992 - Dec 1996

  President

  Beach Products was the dba for Penn Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Publishing Group, Inc (NASDAQ:WPGI). In 1994 and 1995 rose to the number one market share leader based on Nielsen and TMA Research, behind the strength of Lion King and other licensed merchandise.Transferred from Western to serve as EVP Sales and Marketing at Beach and promoted to President in March 1993. Beach had over 500 employees and $60 million in sales at its peak.Best known for its Disney, Sesame and Warner Bros licensed party goods, and high end designer stationery, paper table ware and gift products with artists and designers such as Gloria Vanderbilt and Laurette.In 1996 WPGI was sold to new investors and renamed and re-listed as GBFE. Nick led the LBO of Beach from GBFE in 1996. Show less

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  Contempo Colours

  Dec 1996 - Sept 1999

  CEO

  Contempo Colours was created from the merger of Beach Products and Peacock Papers following the leveraged buyout from GBFE. Contempo was a market leader in decorated party goods, food service custom print, gift wrap, gift products, seasonal & premium stationery. Served as President of Beach Products from 1993 to 1996, and in 1996 became CEO and a member of the Board following the merger with Peacock as part of the leveraged buy out from Golden Book Family Entertainment. The operating entity was sold to American Greetings in 1999. Managed the sale of the assets to AG and completed 5 year employment agreement with AG while managing the wind down of the surviving parent company, and consulting through Sandhill and Consulting Solutions.During this time period Contempo completed the greenfield construction of a new manufacturing facility and successfully moved to this new location, modernized its production operation with new equipment investment, the implementation of new processes and procedures, and the development of new product lines. Company grew its sales capability from a small broker and rep network, to a broader rep network supplemented by 24 national and key account employee sales executives. Company was a primary vendor to accounts that included K-Mart, Wal-Mart, GFS Marketplace and others. Show less

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  American Greetings

  Sept 1999 - Oct 2004

  President of Celebrate It! Group of Companies

  The Celebrate It! Group consisted of a number of specialty businesses and subsidiaries of American Greetings. Designware is a marketer and manufacturer of party goods, gift wrap & seasonal productsLearning Horizons is a marketer of educational productsBalloonZone is a distributor of balloons to the mass marketCreatables is a line of scrapbooking and crafting productsNickSpressions is a line of social expression products for tweensFollowing interim assignment at M&D for AG, took on a business that had no viable strategic plan and was unprofitable on a fully absorbed basis. Within nine months the business was the most profitable in the company portfolio on a percentage growth basis, had a clearly defined strategic plan, a fully developed management team and streamlined operations. Growth generated through new product development, new customer acquisition, greater penetration of existing customers, improved operating performance, and successful merger integration activity.From 1999 to 2002 served as special consultant/advisor to the Chairman Show less

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  Stryker Center

  Jan 2000 - Apr 2002

  Consultant

  Consulting team working with small businesses to improve performance and help turn around their performance. The L Lee Stryker Center was affiliated with Kalamazoo College and was host to the SBDC, Small Business Development Center. Thomas Breznau served as Executive DirectorMajor projects included work with local organizations to study development of a Life Sciences Corridor in Southwest Michigan, an Angel Network of investors for bio-science and life science start-up firms, and the establishment of a wet lab in southwest Michigan. These projects spanned 2001 to 2005.Examples of clients served included retail restaurant operations (natural foods operator, pizza store and delivery, and Fast casual dining operator), consumer products manufacturing and marketing companies (gift, personal care, home decor and premium home products) and industrial goods and services (industrial commercial welding, advertising agency, web development company, and electrical contractor) Show less

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  Sandhill Consulting Group, LLC

  Nov 2000 - now

  Managing Partner

  Sandhill’s management consulting team is successful helping private middle market and lower-middle market businesses GROW, FIX & PREPARE for the future. A twenty year old firm, Sandhill’s team of cross functional leaders bring unique perspectives to our client’s businesses, from growing market-share, building brands, licensing, sales & distribution, to digital transformation and talent strategy. Our consultants each have senior management experience working in multiple industries of all sizes. At Sandhill we pride ourselves on working alongside clients to deliver results and transform companies. Show less

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  M&D Industries and M&D Balloons

  Jul 2001 - Mar 2002

  Interim President and CEO

  M&D Industries, a flexible packaging manufacturer, and manufacturer of licensed decorated mylar ballons for Walt Disney and others, was an asset held for sale by American Greetings in 2001.M&D was viewed as an unprofitable and inefficient operation that was targeted for sale to its larger competitor in the balloon business.During the 7 month assignment, successfully improved operations to generate profitability, launched new products with new marketing approaches, and held together the managment team to successfully conclude the sale transaction at a valuation higher than anticipated in 2001. Show less

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  Diversified Graphics Inc

  May 2005 - Aug 2007

  President and Director

  Member of the Board of Directors of this $60 million commercial printer and marketer of Stationery, Office Products, craft products, seasonal merchandise & décor, and gift products. Served as consultant to the Board and interim-president of DGInventive, the social expression, stationery and gift products division which included the Mara Mi business later sold to Gartner Studios.Consultant to Alpha Capital in their due diligence for initial investment in firm, then subsequently served as a member of the Board of Directors, and as an interim president for 9 months when there was an abrupt vacancy.Efforts centered around reshaping the management team, correcting problems from a poorly managed merger consolidation and new systems implementation. Helped team develop a new strategic plan and corporate vision under new ownership. Show less

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  Innoware, LLC

  Aug 2006 - Apr 2011

  Chairman of the Board & CEO-Innoware

  InnoWare Paper Inc. is a major high quality supplier of paper tableware and food service packaging products. Nick was the primary member of the Sandhill team to actively work alongside private equity sponsor to identify investment opportunity and conduct due diligence prior to making investment.Served as Chairman of the Board from 2006 to 2011, and served as Interim CEO twice, for 11 months (2007-2008) and again from January 2010 through divestiture, while assembling a high caliber team of senior executives, including a new COO, CFO, and VPs of Sales, Marketing and Plant Operations. InnoWare Plastics Inc was sold to Solo Cup Co in March 2010 and InnoWare Paper sold to Hoffmaster Group in April 2011. Innoware was a portfolio member of the NEP private equity fund. Show less

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  University of Minnesota Carlson School

  Sept 2009 - Jun 2019

  Entrepreneur in Residence

  The Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship coordinates entrepreneurial research, teaching, and outreach services. Entrepreneurs-in-Residence advise and mentor student Entrepreneurs and assist the faculty in working with student companies. Served as Mentor to Minnesota Cup applicants in annual competition.

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  The Peakstone Group

  Apr 2012 - now

  Managing Director

  As a Managing Director at The Peakstone Group, Nick is responsible for transaction origination and execution with a focus on Consumer Products, Manufacturing and the Packaging, Paper and Plastics Space including flexible and rigid packaging, printing, publishing, party products, tissue, board stock & molded fiber converting, film, thermoforming and injection molding operations and other similar industries which market through retail, food service and educational channels. Lead or co-lead advisor on several transactions, including Duro Bag, GMSP and Pure Pulp Products. Show less