Ken Brock

Experience

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  Nine West Group

  Jan 1994 - Jan 1998

  Manufacturing Cost Accounting

  • Prepared annual budgets, monthly forecasts, and strategic plans for all domestic production plants and manufacturing support centers.• Developed and tracked an annual capital spending budget.• Reviewed and forecasted physical inventory as well as assisting in physical counts

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  Image Point (formerly Plasti-Line, Inc.)

  Jan 1997 - Jan 2001

  Plant Controller

  • Responsible for the financial health of a $25 million signage manufacturing plant; thoroughly reviewing and communicating all financial performance.• Performed a critical role as a member of plant’s senior management team, providing inputs on strategic and visionary plans for the facility.• Controlled the standard cost system to ensure all budget costs were covered and divisional profit margins were maximized.

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  Hillshire Brands

  Jan 2001 - Jan 2006

  • Directed the product management and marketing for the $50M cake category.• Forecasted category sales volume in conjunction with Sales, Operations, and Demand Planning.• Led the development and commercialization of ten new foodservice cakes, resulting in over one million pounds of new sales volume. • Managed cost savings and quality improvement initiatives with Operations and R&D.• Secured funding for new manufacturing equipment that yielded $200,000 in annual savings.• Conducted numerous product-training sessions for our sales and brokerage teams. Show less Was hired as a Senior Accountant - General Ledger & Reporting for Hillshire Farm & Kahn's with the primary responsibility of leading the monthly financial close. During the consolidation to Sara Lee Foods, I served a key member of the Lawson General Ledger implementation team. After consolidation, I moved in the role of Senior Financial Analyst for the Foodservice Bakery division. In this role, I supported the Bakery brand team and was responsible for all financial aspects of the division, including month-end close and reporting. Show less

  • Finance Manager - Foodservice National Accounts

    Jan 2005 - Jan 2006

  • Associate Marketing Manager - Foodservice

    Jan 2003 - Jan 2005

  • Accounting and Finance

    Jan 2001 - Jan 2003
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  SC Johnson

  Jul 2005 - Apr 2006

  Finance Manager - Kroger Team

  • Managed and optimized the Kroger Sales Team’s $14 million annual trade spending budget.• Developed Kroger Team budgets and forecasts; Track and report actual performance.• Provided input to the Sales Finance Controller and the Kroger Sales Director on potential issues resulting from new product launches and rationalizations.

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  Perfetti Van Melle

  Apr 2006 - May 2015

  • Proven track record of sales success with topline sales growth of over 50% in five years. • Led a team of two National Account Managers and several dozen broker Account Executives responsible for over $75M in sales across the Mass, Value, Special Markets, Military, Theater and Foodservice channels.• Directly responsible for the Walmart relationship, calling on three buying teams (Dept. 82, Dept. 01 and Seasonal Candy) and accounting for more than $40M in annual sales.• Member of the Sales Leadership Team, providing executional direction to the entire Sales team in an effort to achieve Brand goals on an annual basis.Perfetti Van Melle is the manufacturer of Mentos, Mentos Gum, AirHeads, and AirHeads Xtremes. Show less • Responsible for achieving sales volume, distribution and profit targets by developing and implementing class of trade tactics that achieved strategic and financial objectives.• Strategically created the resources needed to achieve the annual operative plans and DSMP targets through the hiring and development of three Trade Planning Analysts.• Led the development of the annual sales budget and monthly forecasting process, providing gap analysis and customer profitability to the field sales teams.• Directed the annual development and execution of the trade budget for all classes of trade. Show less

  • National Sales Manager - Mass & Special Markets

    Jan 2010 - May 2015

  • Trade Marketing Manager

    Apr 2006 - Jan 2010
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  AFS Technologies by TELUS Consumer Goods

  May 2015 - Jul 2016

  Senior Sales Director, Trade Promotion Management Division

  Led a team of talented and energetic Sales and Account Management Professionals focused on delivering Trade Promotion Management and Data Analytic solutions to both Retail CPGs and Foodservice manufacturers.

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  Lindt & Sprüngli USA

  Jul 2016 - Aug 2023

  National Business Manager

  Directed Lindt sales at several Midwest regional grocers including H‑E‑B, Hy-Vee and Meijer as well as the US Military.

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  Chocolove Premium Chocolate

  Aug 2023 - now

  Director of Sales

  Directing Central Region sales across conventional food, drug, and mass. Leading business development in value and special markets channel on a national level.