Experience

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  Palesotti's distributing company, inc

  Jan 1974 - Jan 1984

  President/general manager

  Responsible for the overall operation and bottom line profit and loss of a full-service warehousing, sales and distributing company serving approximately 400 retail stores with multiple product lines.Hired, trained and managed a team that consisted of account managers in the field, telephone sales people in the office, independent distributors, broker reps, city delivery drivers, over-the-road drivers, warehouse personnel and office personnel. Annual sales approximately $12 Million.

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  Hillshire farm

  Jan 1984 - Feb 1987

  Sales development manager

  Responsible for management of sales to key accounts, including development of programs, sales presentations, trade shows, budgeting of advertising and promotional funds, and control of selling expenses.Special assignments included conversion of the Minneapolis market to direct warehouse distribution, and re-building the business, through my strong personal relationships, in the depressed Iowa market.

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  Armour food company

  Feb 1987 - Jul 1992

  Regional sales manager

  Great LakesResponsible for four division offices, 40 direct sales personnel and 12 broker reps delivering approximately $75 Million in sales in the 12 state Great Lakes area.Duties included: Hiring, training, coaching and managing Division Managers and Direct Sales Reps and providing oversight for management of broker partners.Charged with delivering bottom line profit and loss results in my region, consistent with those required to deliver ConAgra overall company objectives.Great Lakes Region moved from lowest performing region to consistently finishing #1 each quarter, during my tenure. Show less

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  Lloyd's food products

  Jul 1992 - Jul 1997

  National sales manager

  Retail Food ProductsResponsible for overall operation of the sales function. Conducting business nationally with retail grocery and club accounts, through the use of nine direct reports, 30 Retail Merchandisers and 35 broker reps.Duties included: Hiring, training, coaching, and evaluating sales reps, sales managers, retail merchandisers and broker reps. Planning and implementing sales promotions and trade shows, budgeting and operating within guidelines for selling expenses and volume/margin contribution.Active member of New Product Development Team, Quality Steering Team and Corporate Strategic Planning Team.Products very upscale and "big ticket" unit price. A "luxury" purchase.Responsible for the national launch of Lloyd's BBQ Tubs and ribs, which propelled our sales from approx $25 Million to $100 Million, during my tenure. Show less

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  Land o'frost

  Jul 1997 - Feb 2013

  Vice president sales & corporate aviation

  Responsible for $380M sales of branded and private label packaged sliced meats.Direct reports include Directors, Regional Sales Teams, National Account Sales, International Sales, Club Sales, Walmart Team and corporate pilots. (36 people)Active member of Executive Team, New Product Development Team and Brand Management Team.We have achieved significant growth in ACV, authorization levels and distribution efficiency through the implementation of a strictly conducted strategic planning process, resulting in record volume growth, spending efficiency and profits.Brand ranking has grown from #13 to #2 position, during my tenure.Position reported to the company President.Also responsible for developing, staffing and operating a corporate aviation department, with two aircraft and four pilots, providing corporate domestic travel to executives, management, customers and vendors. Show less

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  J bar b foods

  Jul 2013 - Jul 2016

  Sales manager - eastern division

  I was responsible for Walmart nationally, where our sales volume doubled and our SKU count tripled during my tenure. I was also responsible for the retail grocers in the eastern half of the US, where we gained placement of several new branded items, in several new unsold accounts and significantly increased our private label volume.

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  Self-employed

  Oct 2016 - now

  Owner-president
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  Red boat tours, llc

  Oct 2016 - now

  Ownere-president- captain

  Why not step aboard the White Pelican and let us treat you like royalty? We'll take you into the city on the gentle waves of the intracoastal waterway, where you'll have views of the oldest city in the nation and all her special sights, that you can't get if you walked 100 miles! When you sail with Red Boat Water Tours, whether on one of our scheduled trips, or a private tour for a birthday, reunion, wedding, or even a divorce, you and up to 39 of your friends, will be traveling in style. We have many new tour ideas in the works, so be sure to check out our site regularly for new excursions and dates. Show less