TARGET

My biggest asset: nine years of experience helping a major national retail chain exceed its marketing goals. My biggest weakness: nine years of experience at one company! While I've enjoyed growing the marketing and corporate communications department at Mervyn's/Target, I'm ready to move on to the next challenge.

Positions: Marketing, Producer, Public Relations, Corporate Communications, Team Building, Training.
Industries: Retail, Communications, Hospitality, Business, Healthcare.

SKILLS

A proven team leader, I enjoy inspiring and guiding groups of disparate people to interpersonal and performance success. I have strong project management skills, including budgeting, scheduling and allocating resources for optimum performance and employee satisfaction. I'm also an organizational wizard, who pays close attention to details and has a meticulous dedication to following up on everything. I'm an experienced producer with several successful, big media, multi-million dollar events under my belt. None of these abilities would be possible without excellent written communication, oral presentation and general "people" skills—which I have in abundance! I'm also proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mervyn’s/Target
Events Marketing Manager
Hayward, CA:  2000 – Present

As an Events Marketing Manager, I promoted company-wide sales by producing fun, media-worthy events for a retail giant—on time and within budget. In addition to the many corporate events I negotiated, planned and executed, I also supported non-profits by organizing and facilitating cross-company fundraising events attended by company VIPs, the general public, the media and corporate & retail employees. My most notable achievements included the following:

• Coordinated cross-company participation in three operating divisions for seven markets in the AIDS Walk (San Francisco, CA)—our Mervyn's/Target team ranked #1 in San Francisco, both in registered walkers and in dollars raised.
• Increased June sales by 3% in the Los Angeles area by marketing and executing Beach Bash 2000 and Beach Bash 2001 (Hermosa Beach, CA), a two-million dollar event attended by 70,000 people that featured a beach party, live music, extreme sports events and professional volleyball tournaments.
• Currently planning La Plaza (Montebello, CA), a million-dollar, multicultural event slated to take place in October 2001. We're replicating a traditional Mexican town square as the backdrop for a charity fundraiser, and will sell authentic pottery and crafts from six regions of Mexico, host a VIP reception for city officials, dignitaries and celebrities, offer music, dancing and live entertainment, and end the evening with a silent auction benefiting our nonprofit partner.

Operations & Merchandise Analyst
Hayward, CA: 1998 – 2000

As an Operations Analyst, I evaluated store processes to identify opportunities for improvement, including developing, communicating and implementing the after-Christmas return merchandise process for 267 regional stores. As a Merchandise Analyst, I developed new merchandising programs and reduced shrinkage. In addition, I performed the following tasks:

• Developed, tested and implemented store processes; rolled out Y2k compliance for all POS registers.
• Presented project proposals and cost analyses to Senior Management for approval; reduced payroll expenses and material costs by analyzing hourly foot traffic patterns and purchases; reallocated resources accordingly to maximize profitability.
• Developed and executed inventory strategies to maximize sales and inventory productivity.
• Analyzed sell-through and profitability of program purchases.
• Forecasted sales, markdowns, shrinkage and profit margins monthly and seasonally based on sales trends to accurately predict future sales and inventory needs.

Operations Team Leader & District Trainer
Santa Rosa and San Rafael, CA: 1995 – 1998

My focus as an Operations Team Leader and District Trainer was on building the team and increasing sales. I Increased seasonal staffing by 40%; reduced turnover by 33% by increasing wage base for market, offering sign-on and retention bonuses, and facilitating informal employee feedback meetings for evaluation, discussion, and "bonding" over coffee. The result: improved customer satisfaction evaluation scores by ten points within five months and an annual sales increase of 1.7%. In addition, I performed the following tasks:

• Planned and controlled hourly production; coordinated hiring, staffing, orientation, training and master scheduling for all team members; administered compensation, including workers comp insurance.
• Successfully projected monthly sales volume; developed and implemented plans to increase sales.
• Developed and implemented merchandising plans to increase sales of promotional merchandise.
• Organized and directed seasonal special events, such as the in-store "Design a Father's Day T-shirt for Dad" event, in which father/child teams hand-painted shirts, and a Christmas gift drive for a local charity.
• Tested and piloted an automated scheduling system prior to rolling it out company-wide. Aided in design by providing feedback on software strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement; rolled out to company next year.
• Instructed and evaluated district Team Leader recruits; successfully trained and promoted five Team Leader recruits.

Designated Trainer & Area Team Leader
Santa Rosa, CA: 1992 – 1995

At Mervyn's Santa Rosa location, I trained and supervised a staff of forty-five employees, managers and seasonal employees, increasing clearance merchandise sell-through by 30% over the district and achieving 135% of goal in credit sales within six months. In addition to developing team-building exercises, leading group activities and training individuals in leadership skills, I instructed and evaluated Bay Area Team Leader recruits, successfully training and promoting twelve Team Leaders and four Area Coordinators. I also performed the following duties on a regular basis:

• Organized and facilitated weekly store sales meetings; facilitated district performance-management seminars.
• Introduced and conducted group interview recruiting for seasonal hiring.
• Implemented merchandise presentations; analyzed and resolved stock issues.
• Projected department sales; developed and implemented shortage-reduction action plan.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Aided in developing an "adopt-a-family" program for our holiday giving program; provided clothes, outerwear, food and blankets to underprivileged families.
Advised on Breast Cancer event planning and execution, and volunteered at event.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

San Francisco State University: 1985–1988
Leadership Workshops: 1991, 1995, 1998
InfoMapping Workshop: 1999

top of page