Brian Pohl

Experience

• 

  Mars

  Jun 1990 - Jul 1999

  National Category Leadership Manager, National Account Manager
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  The Coca-Cola Company

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2011

  Selected to lead a team of 6 directors of sales and account executives challenged with delivering $250+ million in annual sales across grocery, mass, drug, club, value, and military sales channels. One of my key strengths in this position was collaborating with customers, sales operations, national retail sales, independent bottlers, and Coca-Cola North America to achieve business goals. Accomplishments in the areas of:Performance Gains – Raised volume, profit, and budget plan goals ~5% year-over-year for $250 million business by steering execution of annual retail price package plan for multiple customers and sales channels. Collaborative Interaction – Increased category share leadership +5% by working collaboratively with internal Coca-Cola customers, independent bottlers, and external customers. Employee Recruitment – Hired, trained, developed, and mentored team of account executives and directors of sales recognized for consistently surpassing established goals. Show less Throughout my tenure in this role I led a team of national account executives, directors of sales, director of marketing with an annual sales revenue budget of $350+ million. I was promoted to deliver DSD non-alcoholic beverage portfolio business plan results for the third largest customer in North America.Market Transformation – Recognized by senior leadership for surpassing main competitor in volume and share measures for the beverage category 7 consecutive years.Performance Metrics Management – Delivered volume and profit gains year-over-year by surpassing goals ~5% on a $5 million budget. Show less Recruited to beverage giant to represent Coca-Cola system/brand to national customers in order to achieve marketing, sales, distribution, and financial goals. I ensured national business coordinated and connected with local level bottling system and customer objectives. Category Growth – Reduced private label spacing to raise beverage sales +7% in multibillion-dollar category.Efficiency and Volume Improvements – Worked collaboratively on Customer Marketing Agreements Task Force to redesign CMA processes leading to increased volume and decreased decision-making time. Show less

  • Vice President, Sales

    Jan 2007 - Jan 2011

  • Vice President of National Sales

    Jan 2003 - Jan 2007

  • National Account Executive

    Jan 1999 - Jan 2003
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  The Coca-Cola Company

  Jan 2012 - May 2013

  Vice President, Customer Solutions

  Promoted to take on the role as Vice President, Customer Solutions. In this position I led the design, development, and deployment of processes and strategies key to delivering supply chain efficiencies benefiting the Coke system as well as trade partner accounts. Organizational Structuring – Elevated supply chain efficiencies and productivity by creating and implementing segmentation and alignment strategies key to delivering performance improvements.Process Transformation – Leveraged Six Sigma and Lean methodologies to:-Deliver supply chain improvements to customers-Slash transportation costs-Improve customer satisfaction-Modify product sourcing-Decrease waste-Reduce delivery time following product manufacturing for major airlineRelationship Cultivation – Enhanced business results by collaborating with Global CPO (Chief Procurement Officer) to develop and design first commodities procurement process shared with CEO of 1 of the largest quick serve customers in the world. Show less

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  Popchips

  May 2014 - Jun 2015

  National Sales Director

  Recruited to deliver snack portfolio business plan results for one of the top selling natural snack companies in North America. I managed a multi-million dollar business plan at major retailers including Target, Albertsons, Safeway, Kroger, Whole Foods & Winco. I collaborated with customers, sales operations, broker partners, and internal cross-functional departments to deliver operating plan.

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  Young's Market Company

  Jul 2015 - Aug 2018

  Hired in an executive role, advanced rapidly to Senior Vice President of Sales & Merchandising. Charged with executing a $700 million sales plan, overseeing a management team of 7 with an indirect report staff of more than 200 people, providing strategic direction to the sales and merchandising teams and driving progress toward sales and overall company objectives.

  • Senior Vice President, Sales & Merchandising

    Nov 2016 - Aug 2018

  • Vice President, Sales & Planning, Customer Leadership

    Jul 2015 - Nov 2016
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  Classic Wines of CA / Bronco Wine Company

  Feb 2019 - now

  CA State General Sales Manager

  Lead state sales and merchandising team of 120+ for California wine & spirits distributor, Classic Wines of California. Develop plans and provide strategic direction to deliver business goals for customers, supplier partners, and company.

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  Calfornia Grocers Association

  Dec 2022 - now

  Board Member