CRAIG THOMPSON

SALES & MARKETING MANAGER
Strategic Sales Planning / New Product Development / Market Expansion

Talented, results-driven construction industry professional with a 20+ year record of producing multi-million dollar revenue growth in highly competitive markets while simultaneously increasing gross margins. Adept at securing and maintaining customer loyalty and negotiating profitable contracts. Proven abilities in market research, new product development and rollout. Experienced in both budgeting and forecasting. A detail-oriented, enthusiastic leader capable of recruiting, training, and motivating a forward-thinking sales force. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

Building and Coaching a Sales Team
Market Research and Planning
SolutionOriented Marketing Strategies
New Product Development and Launch
Key Account Identification and Maintenance
Increased Market Share and Margins


PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE


DIVISION MANAGER, 2000 - 2007
STANDARD CONCRETE PRODUCTS, INC. - Atlanta, Georgia

Standard Concrete Products is a leading manufacturer of construction materials with 750 employees and annual revenues exceeding $90 million.

Oversaw all areas of local operations, including sales, administration, plant engineering, quality control, production, and shipping. Held P&L and budget responsibilities for a facility which now employs 100 and generates $15 million annually. Managed and coached five department heads. Recruited and hired salaried personnel. Reviewed sales estimates and production schedules. Monitored costs and purchases. Performed all outside sales functions. Developed and executed marketing plans to broaden product repertoire and expand market share through acquiring and retaining key accounts.

Selected Achievements:
Increased revenues $2,357k annually from 2004 - 2007. This was accomplished through efficiencies and cost reductions which prompted a major competitor to close, and an expansion of the sales territory. The increase was also fueled by introducing six new product classes.
Responsible for furnishing the girders for the 5th Runway bridges over I-285 at Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The successful execution of this very large ($12 million) and unique project received accolades, both from upper management and industry publications.
Orchestrated a complete financial turnaround of the facility. Plant profits increased $454k annually: from a projected loss of $605k in 2001 to a $1,782k gain in 2006.

GENERAL MANAGER, 1997 - 2000
BROOKS PRODUCTS / OLDCASTLE PRECAST, INC. Houston, Texas

Oldcastle Precast is the largest supplier of concrete products to the US construction industry, with 50 production facilities.

Managed all areas of business: sales, working capital, product and plant engineering, and production. Accountable for both P&L and budget for an operation which grew to employ 58, producing $7 million in annual sales. Monitored purchases, schedules, variances, cash flows, and margins. Hired, trained, and led a sales staff of eight while supervising four department managers. Formulated and directed marketing campaigns and sales strategies designed to expand product offerings and win key accounts.

Selected Achievements:
Significantly expanded quantity of projects quoted by developing an in-house price book. Standard cost data was exported into Excel, where it was manipulated and integrated with the full line catalog to provide the sales team with a logically organized and critically needed tool.
Replaced and supplemented many pieces of aging equipment, including cranes, trucks, forklifts, and forms. Ordered and coordinated the installation of $1.1 million in automated machinery to cast small handholes and pullboxes.
Reversed operating losses which averaged $45k per month in only twenty weeks. Increased sales $1,408k annually, causing a corresponding jump in operating profits.

DIVISION SALES MANAGER, 1995 1997
SALES MANAGER, 1988 - 1995
SALES REPRESENTATIVE, 1985 - 1988
CONCRETE PIPE & PRODUCTS CO., INC. Houston and Robstown, Texas

Concrete Pipe & Products was a leading producer of construction materials, with 1000 employees and annual revenues exceeding $110 million. CP&P was purchased by Hanson, PLC in 1997.

Coordinated all sales, shipping, and product engineering associated with two facilities, which together generated annual revenues of $17 million. Monitored both upcoming and current projects from a variety of governmental agencies. Adjusted pricing as required to maintain backlogs. Supervised a staff of six in the sales process which began with promoting the product to engineers and other specifiers, and ended with the contractors successful installation of a complex, engineered drainage system.

Selected Achievements:
After implementing PCs in the engineering department, oversaw customizing Autocad to automatically create shop drawings for specials. This innovation gave the company a significant advantage over its competition in terms of sophistication, quality, and customer satisfaction.
Published frequent articles in CP&Ps engineering newsletter, Profiles.
Proposed and co-developed an improved method for joining segments of microtunneling pipe.
In an intense effort to offset low 1991 prices, shipped box culvert to Corpus Christi by barge, a first for CP&P. Ongoing sales to the area prompted a major competitor to close. Once the Robstown plant opened in 1995, obtained a $5 million backlog in only nine months of operation.


EDUCATION


Master of Business Administration (MBA), 1985 Texas A&M University College Station, TX.
Bachelor of Arts (BA), 1982 Texas A&M University College Station, TX.