DUANA KLEIN

678-662-9288
SENIOR MARKETING/PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE
Creative Vision To Interpret Customer Needs and Market Trends To Drive Creative
Product Efforts to Strengthen Brand Equity & Win Global Market Dominance
Fast-track promotion through a series of increasingly responsible, high-profile
marketing leadership positions. Double-digit revenue gains within intensely comp
etitive markets through cross-functional expertise in:
* Development innovative products creates-- "WOW"
* Multi-platform marketing- Print, Web, Direct
* Multiple Product/Category Portfolio Management
* Develop and Execute Marketing Strategy
* Sourcing/Manage Asian Factory Relationships
Executive Masters Degree in International Management - Thunderbird University
Extensive travel throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia relating t
o trends/design/marketing
CAREER PROGRESSION:
DIRECTOR- STORE BRANDS PRIVATE LABEL BRAND/ PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
July 2008- Present Confidential
Responsible for development/marketing of $1.8 billion in store brand sales acros
s multiple product categories including over 500 new product launches during 200
8 and 900 new product launches in 2009. Work with buyers to track trends, develo
p store brand product assortment, and gross margin improvement. Lead concept to
market process which drives financial growth through continually finding new re
sources/vendor parties both domestically and overseas to drive both quality/marg
in improvement and streamline go to market process/timeline.
VICE- PRESIDENT MARKETING/PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
April 2005- June 2008
DOLLY, INC Tipp City, OH ( Children's and Licensed product)
Challenge: To realign brand development/design team in the consumer products
category by leading trend to translation into innovative product design. Working
cross functionally expanded design capacity, quality efforts, and competitive c
osting through implementation of design/development/packaging/sourcing in Asia f
or both branded and retailer proprietary brands, and licensed product.
Report directly to President.
* Realignment of the go to market process. Significantly shortened commercia
lization lead time, through
Implementation/execution of design/sourcing team in China resulting in sig
nificant cost savings.
* Reengineered brand architecture of multi-brand portfolio.
* Signed global licensing agreements; Disney, and Warner Bros, and Kenneth B
rown (HGTV) Recognized as Disney
Licensee of the Year
* Manage global efforts with multiple agencies across creative platforms.
Travel extensively throughout Asia to guide product design and development teams
at manufacturing locations to ensure consistent design/quality. Work in cooper
ation with production teams to create new platforms for new products and categor
y expansion to meet changing market demands through; evaluation of product cost
s, packaging efficiencies, continued quality improvement, and shortening product
 lead times.
VICE-PRESIDENT MARKETING/PRODUCT DESIGN
April 2003- April 2005
WALLS INDUSTRIES, Fort Worth, Texas (Apparel)
Challenge: To realign brand design/development architecture. Direct the com
pany's product design/development efforts to define brands by product, category
and channel. Report directly to the CEO.
* Increased sales $25 million year one through launch of new product line.
* Drove new distribution platform- DIY market. $25 million program with Home De
pot year one.
* Responsible for brand re-launch- advertising, logo design, hangtags, point of
purchase
* As key retailers migrate to sourcing their own product, developed corporate r
oadmap to implement DTR/ Direct Import programs. Incremental annual revenues of
more than $35 million through direct programs.
MARKETING MANAGER
August 2000- April 2003
MOSSY OAK (Division of Russell Athletic Corporation), Atlanta, Georgia (Apparel)
Challenge: Recruited by Division President to assume full strategic and tac
tical marketing responsibility for revitalization and expansion of recently acqu
ired Mossy Oak brand. Concurrently, led marketing, design and brand management t
eams for multi-brand portfolio.
* Transitioned Mossy Oak from a stagnant brand with no market differentiation i
nto a high-volume sales producer with new look, new logo, updated taglines and h
igh-impact, in-store promotions.
* Exceeded revenue target by 50% within first year of brand launch and built $1
00 million brand over two years.
* Led product development team, defined go-to-market strategy and successfully
introduced 30 new products within two years, accounting for 35%-40% of total bu
siness revenues including the launch of a youth product line.
* Successfully developed/launched youth product line across multiple distributi
on channels.
BRAND MANAGER - BRANDED BEVERAGE CONCEPTS
May 1999- August 2000
LIPTON (Division of Unilever), Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (Food/Beverage)
Challenge: Recruited to plan and orchestrate the launch of a new retail con
cept targeting youth market and manage its development from concept through nati
onwide market launch. Led team of 15.
* Built new product category, and led cross functional team from start-up to co
mmercialization for U.S. and international markets.
* Created and guided a comprehensive commercialization plan. Led cross functio
nal team to integrate concept as one of Unilever's key strategic growth initiati
ves.
* Spearheaded partnerships across multiple channels and segments including a Pa
rtnership with Aramark to launch concept into university, hospital and sports/re
creational facility accounts nationwide.
* Led creative development for website, packaging, and marketing materials. Re
sponsible for conducting national product training for both direct and distribut
or sales representatives..
ASSOCIATE BRAND MANAGER
March 1998- May 1999
RECKITT & COLMAN, Springfield, Missouri (Food/Beverage)
Challenge: Recruited following graduation from Thunderbird to develop strat
egic and tactical marketing plans to accelerate penetration of French's Mustard
in US, Canadian and export markets.
* Led launch of four new mustard products with full responsibility for product
rationale, justification, funding, development and market launch. Captured $20 m
illion in first-year sales across all four product lines and 80% distribution in
key broker accounts for core product line.
* Conceived first-ever marketing initiative targeted to children to create syne
rgy with French's portfolio of flavors. Co-branded with Little Tikes on value-ad
ded programs.
* Invited by the International Institute of Research to present pioneering effo
rts in marketing to children.
FULL-TIME GRADUATE STUDENT AT THUNDERBIRD
* One of only 25 students accepted for enrollment each year from a competitive
pool of 100 applicants.
MARKETING ASSOCIATE
FRITO-LAY, Plano, Texas
* Captured 47% sales increase in sales through innovative marketing programs, d
irect-mail promotions and premium fulfillment for new product line.
* Created channel-specific national brand promotions.
* Spearheaded sales forecasting and analysis, consumer trade promotions and bus
iness performance analysis programs that resulted in 78% increase in product dis
tribution.
EDUCATION:
Executive Masters Degree in International Management
THUNDERBIRD - AMERICAN GRADUATE SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
NORTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
International Marketing Internship at SONY UK
Worked with SONY Director of Marketing on new productions introductions througho
ut Europe.