BOVIS LEND LEASE, CHICAGO, IL. JULY 2001 - PRESENT
Senior Manager, Corporate Strategy Research: Responsible for consulting and assisting senior executives by providing strategic and market planning analysis, competitive intelligence and benchmarking, client intelligence, market assessments and corporate growth and diversification assessments.
Americas & Global Expertise: Areas of expertise and responsibility included 16 offices in major U.S. cities and major global business groups:
Extensive Sector Expertise: Office, Education (K-12 & Higher Education), Federal Government, Healthcare, Hospitality, Mixed-Use, Multi-Family Residential, Retail, Sports & Entertainment, Industrial, Pharmaceutical, Transportation, Telecommunications, and Senior Living
Major Global Groups include: Pharmaceutical, Telecommunications, and Multi-Site
- US Stimulus Analyst – Produced national analysis of national business opportunities for core categories including: Transportation, Housing, Education, Department of Defense, GSA and other federal buildings, Water and Energy.
- New Business Strategies – Produce strategy reviews for development of new business strategies to enter new sector or provide new service offerings. Reviews include: assessment of market potential, evaluation of potential barriers to entry, appraisal of competitors, and development of entry strategies.
- Strategic and Market Planning – Provide strategy outlooks and forecasts for each business unit including 17 office locations and national vertical markets (Senior Living, New Age, Healthcare). Strategy reviews include: office or business groups strengths and weaknesses, establishment of business objectives and goals, developing long-range strategic options consistent with major objectives, and outlining business plans to attain growth and profitability targets.
- Competitive Intelligence and Benchmarking – Develop the company’s understanding of their competitors’ objectives and strategies as well as their resources and capabilities. The full range of competitive intelligence also included: competitive benchmarking, in-depth analysis of competitors, development of internal companies competitive strategies, continuous monitoring of competitors, assist offices and business groups to benchmark their operations against other best-in-class.
- Client Intelligence – Identify new business opportunities, assist with business development strategies & account plans, identify client needs and possible unfilled needs, recommend service offerings to increase profitability.
- Market Assessments – Provide detailed market assessments for current or new market areas which full analysis on market size, growth, competitors, market share, trends and developments, drivers, future outlook, and many other key information to help assist to identify new growth opportunities and determine market potential for new products and services.
- Corporate Growth and Diversification –Undertake diversification and expansion plans to assist company to achieve growth objectives including: identifying sectors or services to meet criteria for growth, evaluate a sector or service by determining attractiveness, key drivers for success, develop market-entry strategies, and identify and evaluate specific target investments.
- National Initiatives - Led several national/local initiatives including: Americas sustainability project control group (2006), Chicago Office Communication Initiative (Apr.06-Apr.07), Chicago office growth initiative (May 07 - Sept. 07), Americas Lend Lease Women's Steering Committee (June 07-Dec. 08)
PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT:
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD, CHICAGO, IL. NOVEMBER 1998 – JUNE 2001
(Global real estate services firm specializing in commercial and industrial properties)
Senior Research Analyst: Responsible for provided extensive analysis and consultation to senior management & brokerage teams.
- Extensive knowledge of trends and drivers affecting both commercial and industrial sectors.
- Prepared overviews and investment forecasts across commercial and industrial property.
- Provided demographic information, economic trends and forecasts, real estate industry.
- Served as local expert of the Chicago Real Estate Market to regional and national clients.
- Extensive collection and analysis of information via the Internet and other major resources.
KOHL’S CORPORATE, MENOMONEE FALLS, WI. JANUARY 1998 – OCTOBER 1998
(Company operates nearly 600 retail stores in 38 states)
Assistant Merchandise Buyer: Supported the Buyer in all facets of product assortment, financial planning, and vendor partnerships in accordance with the sales margin, turnover and flow goals of the assigned divisions, which included lingerie and sleepwear.
- Assisted Buyer with product assortment, pricing, and merchandising strategies reflecting goals based on historic data, current trends and future forecasts.
- Developed and maintained vendor partnerships.
- Negotiated product costs, terms, and shipping/returns issues.
- Liaison between merchandising, distribution center and stores in an effort to track shipments and floor purchase orders.
- Reviewed inventory regularly including merchandise order.
- Maintained current data on sales and fashion trends to plan future purchases.
- Conducted seasonal presentation to upper management.
- Analyzed business trends and opportunities by identifying and maximizing key items via test strategies.
- Executed short term buying plans based on open-to-buy dollars and long-term strategies.
- Determined advertising placement and proof copy to ensure desired outcome. Plans special promotional events.
- Ensured ad merchandise arrived in stores before ad dates and followed up with vendors and distribution centers to track ad prep and sales results.
- Recommended, set and approved product-pricing strategies to achieve specific margin objectives and executed exit strategies on slow selling items and recommended appropriate markdowns.
