PROFILE
Broad based entrepreneurial expertise including executive management, sales & marketing program management, business finance, equity placement offerings, and public speaking. Extensive experience in development and ongoing management of global distribution sales channels, spec generation, strategic alliance formation, and marketing program management. Achieved promotional advancement across several organizations with increasing levels of authority and responsibility.
Global Markets Experience V Antigua, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Bermuda, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, USA, Venezuela
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
TopDown Images, LLC Current
Vice President Sales and Marketing
A start-up focused on providing an online portal for tracking all assets, maintenance expenditures, ops planning, accounting, labor, and cost management for global agriculture, municipal asset management, golf and sports turf markets.
h Complete business plan preparation, market research, product positioning, strategic development
h Ongoing irrigation Distributor alignment and selection
h Secured initial direct sales to fund pre-investment operations
h Analyzing new and existing business market segments and SaaS applications
h Ongoing speaking engagements at various industry events
Stevens Performance Turf, Inc. 12/2008 V 6/2009
President
A start-up providing soil moisture sensors and water-use-efficiency technologies for agronomic and agricultural applications, sports turf and golf segments.
h A sister company to Stevens Water Monitoring, Inc., now private labeling to TopDown Images
h Business plan preparation, development of global market analysis and solicitation of $1MM PPO
h Incorporated Stevens products into TopDown Images suite of products for exclusive licensing agreement
AquaSpy Group LTD Adelaide, Australia, 4/2006 V 12/2008
Vice President - Golf and Sports Turf Division
Structured and launched global division, created all product and sales programs, pricing parameters, test sites, and established network of Master Certified Distributors worldwide, including Australasia, Latin America and Europe.
h Identified and secured 5 Master Certified Distributors in 1st 10 months
h Negotiated exclusive geography, rebate programs, pipeline identification, pricing, branding, etc.
h Conducted all training and certification programs for Distributors and End-users
h Provided ongoing specification support and product education for Distributors
h Established 6 test sites globally to provide value proposition and ROI
h Created and implemented tactical action plans (TAP) for global expansion and revenue growth
h Successfully generated numerous product specifications via GC Architects, Irrigation designers, and Agronomic Consultants, resulting in a 125% increase in sales in 2008 over 2007
h Liaise with major industry suppliers, manufacturers, regulatory agencies and trade associations, while developing, creating and maintaining partner relationships
h Positioned company as global leader in soil moisture monitoring and water use efficiency
h Company downsized in December 2008 to serve only Agricultural/Viticulture segments
Allende International, LLC, Atlanta, GA 5/2004- 4/2006
President, Founder
Provide 3rd party, independent feasibility studies, evaluations for financial viability, complete financial projections and business valuations, marketing schedules and operating budgets.
h 17 consulting assignments related to resort and golf course development, pre-construction planning, environmental improvements, financial turnarounds, property/business valuations for change of ownership, and renovation planning and oversight.
h Secured debt financing and private placement equity offering for resort and golf development in Queretaro, Mexico. Represented Owner during planning and construction
h Clients include Golf Course Business Consultants (GCBC), Ruckstuhl USA LTD, Spear Consultants, Foundation Works, Inc. City of Durango, TX, and City of Beauford, SC.
Phil Mickelson / Gary Stephenson Golf Course Architecture, Scottsdale, AZ 12/2002 - 5/2004
Director of Business Development
Responsible for identifying and securing golf course architectural design contracts for master-planned community developments globally. Collaborate with developers and contractors to ensure appropriate planning and scheduling efficiencies.
h Secured 3 $1.4MM architectural design contracts for Whisper Rock (N. Scottsdale, Arizona), Diamante (BCS, Baja Sur) Palmwood (Palm Springs, CA)
h Represented Mr. Mickelson at design meetings, planning & construction meetings, and industry events
h Company was rolled into Gaylord Sports Management in May 2004
Saline Resources International, Inc., Tampa, FL 5/2000-12/2002
President, Co-Founder
Secured $1.75 Million from private equity/debt investors to provide Paspalum turf grasses and halophytic (salt tolerant) plant stock for global resort development projects.
h Developed salt tolerant turf cultivars for poor quality water irrigation of golf course & resort landscapes.
h Established and operated a 440 acre halophytic turf farm in Tampa, Florida and a 35 acre saline research farm in Ensenada, Mexico, including market analysis, product specifications, and coordinating all freight shipments and installation supervision.
h Supplied materials and services for Mayan Palace (Yucatan) Cabo Del Sol (BCS Baja Sur) La Palmilla (Baja Mexico) Laguna Del Mar (Puerto Penasco), Old Palm GC (Palm Beach Gardens, Fl), White Witch (Jamaica)
h Conference speaker and panelist at numerous trade shows and conferences in US, Latin America & Caribbean focusing on specification community
Native Resources International, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ 9/1995-5/2000
Director of International Sales & Marketing
Increased annual company-wide sales growth from $2.7 million to over $20 million in 36 Months.
Responsible for all sales and marketing management activities related to high-end master planned community development construction and golf course construction, resort development, environmental contracting, native plant salvage and relocation, erosions control materials, large commercial landscape and irrigation projects
h Generated project specifications from Architects, Engineers, Municipal agencies and Governmental entities including BLM, DOT, EPA, Dept. of Energy, Fish and Game, etc
h Contracted with Builders, Developers, Owners such as Pulte Homes, Del Webb, CB Homes, DMB, Indian Tribes, etc.
h Managed a sales/marketing staff of eight talented sales/ops professionals throughout US & Mexico
h Established S.A. de C.V. in Mexico and secured $8 Million in golf course construction contracts in Mexico, building a staff of 65, including associated equipment, materiel and facilities
h Created all collateral materials and presentations for conferences, websites and industry communication outlets company-wide
h Developed (WAN) Bid Management System to track up to $60 million in open bids, contracts, pricing policies and margins, all while maintaining the highest level of customer satisfaction
h Speaker and presenter at numerous trade shows and conferences in US, Latin America, Central America & CaribbeanKIn both Spanish and English languages
h Established Saline Resources International with Native Resources ownership
C.H. Masland & Sons, Inc. Mobile, Alabama 7/1989-7/1993
Territory Manager
h Grew territory sales revenue from $350k to $1.75 Million in 2 years.
h Generated 1000s of product specifications for high-end floor covering and custom rug product lines throughout New York City, Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and four (4) counties in Northern New Jersey.
h Expanded account base to 350 accounts consisting of Architects, Contractors, Designers and Retailers. Awarded number one salesman companywide for calendar year 1992.
h Resigned to enter Thunderbirds Graduate program.
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Education:
Master of International Management (MIM) - Global Marketing & International Finance GPA 3.63 1995 Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management, Glendale, Arizona *Ranked #1 in Global MBA V Newsweek Magazine 14 consecutive years.
Foreign Service Internship at United States Embassy, Caracas Venezuela, Commercial Desk, 1994
Bachelor of Arts V English / Marketing and Economics - GPA 3.52 1988
University of Elon, Elon, North Carolina
University of London, United Kingdom
*NCAA Div. II Scholarship Athlete, Mens Soccer
Languages: Spanish (near fluency), Italian (Conversational), Portuguese (Conversational)
Computer skills: MS Office, (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), AutoCAD, Photoshop, Peachtree & Act
Affiliations:
Member - Environmental Committee of the Golf Course Builders Assoc. of America (GCBAA)
Member - Golf Course Superintendents Assoc. of America (GCSAA)
Life Member - United States Golf Association (USGA)
*8.3 USGA Golf Handicap index
Educator, Panelist &/or Speaker at the following:
Golf Inc Conferences (Crittenden)
Golf Industry Show
GCBAA Annual Meetings
Caribbean Hotel Association
GCSAA Seminars
Irrigation Association Conferences (IA)
WaterSmart Innovations
American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA)
American Resort Development Association (ARDA)
Urban Land Institute Golf Resort Development Conferences (ULI)
International Erosion Control Association (IECA)
National Golf Course Owners Association Conferences (NGCOA)
Contributing Writer:
BoardRoom Magazine,
Earth Shaping News,
GCM (GCSAA) **References available upon request