Gino Biondi

Expanding Candles and Scent business to double digit growth.  Establishing operations independence in the US within GALA Group Gmbh as leading Candles & Scent company in North America.

Led $500M, 15 brands including Bushnell, Bushnell Golf, Primos, Blackhawk, Hoppes, Champion and RCBS. Turnaround.  Launched all new  line of high performance optics, lasers and shooting sports equipment. Oversaw 5 US factories and manufacturing sourcing operations in Japan, South Korea and China.  Managed Europe distribution and Global Sales.  Oversaw establishment of ecommerce and growth of of Amazon and other on-line retailers.

Developed the national brand Zenna Home achieving distribution across Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, Target.  Turned around business, sold to Maytex Corp.  Built Ecommerce business, improved profitability and key organizational functions.  Integrated acquisition and moved India Ink Bath Fashion business from LA, CA to Manhattan, NY.

Family Dollar ($10B), 7,200 stores

Private Brand ($2B)

• Leading Brand Development, Packaging and Marketing for the Private Brand portfolio across Food, Household, Pet, Health & Beauty, Home Goods, Apparel and General Merchandise.
• Leading and supporting 15 unique brands and a staff of 14 in the creation and development of packaging design as well as the marketing strategies and plans to support Private Brands.
• Upgraded and refreshed priorty brands including formalizing style guides. 
• Led implementation of over 2,000 items in just over a year.
• Implemented new workflow processes to manage approvals and volume of item deveopment.
• Manage design agencies and prepress for all packaging.
• Innovated strategies utilizing low cost retail assets to support private brand. 

ScentAir Technologies ($24M)

Sensory Customer Experience Marketing

• Led ScentAir Marketing, Strategic Accounts, Distributor Sales and Customer Service
• Achieved 40% growth in less than 1 year. Optimized Brand Positioning; Website architecture
• Revamped the communications to make scent an essential customer experience component for the Hospitality, Retail, Gaming, Entertainment, Convenience industries.
• Led scent design development for major customers including Hugo Boss, Limited, Mandalay Bay, Venician, Westin, Sheraton, Holiday Inn
• Built new CRM model increasing penetration and Customer Loyalty retention improvement 20%.

Rubbermaid Consumer Products Division ($1B)

• Reported directly to the President and led Strategic Planning.
• Achieved introducing $300MM Sales of new products, $90M incremental in 18 months.
• Achieved a 16 point GM improvement through improved margin products, pricing & new products.- Mangaged seven categories and over 2,000 SKU's.- Hired and Developed a new high performance Marketing team
• Conducted extensive consumer research and brand equity studies resulting in formulating a new brand postioning, logo design optimization and packaging redesign.
• Developed brand vision and strategies resulting in $23M new capital investment.
• Implemented Business Reviews, Product Development Reviews, Milestone and Marketing Plans.
• Led New Business Development resulting in securing patented technology for Air Care product platform with a new brand and a new category estimated at $60M Sales Year 1.
• Led agency reviews resulting in hiring world class Y&R Ad, Zenith Media and Edelman PR agencies.
• Synchonized global brand strategies including research, packaging, products and advertising.
• Built Marketing Research disciplines from the ground up incoporating quantitative and qualitative capabilities and including new methodogies with user interacton and on-line surveys.
• Developed and executed compelling integrated marketing plans including revamping digital marketing, new TV advertising, national consumer promotions, radio, direct mail program and mobile marketing.

Paper Towels Category( $1.3B)Brawny, Sparkle, Mardi Gras, So Dri, Green Forest & Private Label

• Achieved major pofit and growth turnaround by repositioning and refreshing brands in a complex category of brands and private label by differentiating the positioning, implementing consumer segmented strategies, creating new packaging, improving and introducing products increasing profitability $80M and sales +5% in a mature category.
• Managed $50M fully integrated marketing spending including both traditional and non-traditional efforts achieving a Gold Effie, Bronze Effie, Bull Dog and Silver Flame  Awards.
• Re-launched the Brawny brand on a half billion capital investment leading all parts of the organization to a flawless national brand re-launch comprising of a complete brand redesign and including new iconography, product improvements, licensing and aggressive marketing campaigns.
• Led NASCAR and Disney sponsorships, licensing with Marvel, Scooby Doo, Rudolf-the Rednose Riendeer, mary Englebright.
• Developed integrated Hispanic marketing programs.
• Optimized Sparkle brand on new positioning, packaging design, line extensions becoming Wal*mart #1 share brand.
• Led industry largest Category Private Label portfolio to profitability including Wal*Mart, Costco, Target, Kroger, Publix, HEB, Ahold.  Wal*Mart Decorator Towels is a top 10 item in the entire store.  Managed all packaging design efforts across all retailers.
• Developed a Value Brand convergence strategy differentiating products creating trade-up ability.
• Recieved Georgia Marketing of the Year & Georgia Pacific Outstanding Performance Award

Quilted Nothern Bath Tissue ($1B)

Senior Brand Manager

• Led and revived brand to a growth mode achieving 3.5% growth on a 1% growth category.
• Refined Brand Positioning to emotional connection and incorporated into packaging design refinements and advertising strategies.
• Re-launched Quilted Northern Ultra bath tissue launch to a luxurious/plush positioning with new packaging, product improvement and marketing campaign including new advertising.
• Developed and achieved significant claims advertising against P&G Charmin brand.
• Levergaged Quilted Northern's 100th Anniversary with Sweepstakes Promotions and Public Relatons..
• Created new brand extension for wet wipes, patented packaging design and brand name.

Bush's Beans ($500M)

The ULTIMATE CLASSICAL MARKETING CPG EXPERIENCE

Original team member of Bush's transformation from a regional to a #1 share national brand including Gold Effie award winning advertising.

• Led Bush's Beans packaging design efforts across all bean segments creating "Gold" Baked Beans label, "Blue" Variety Beans and "Orange" Chili Beans.  Developed Bush's shield Corporate brand logo.  Led design agency evaluations, hiring and reviews.
• Developed Bush's first "Talking Dog" advertising campaign and participated with innovative Media Planning for national advertising leading to Bush's # 1 Market Share.
• Led implementation of Nielsen data and Homescan services.
• Led consumer promotions including all FSI, In-store, Catalina and Country Music Association Sponsorship.
• Led marketing research for packaging design, new products and advertising.
• Led Trade Marketing Analyses resulting in category shift to a more profitable promotion strategy.
• Created Retail presentations resulting in expanding distribution and increasing promotion activity.
• Led team for Business Reviews and Objectives & Strategies and Marketing Plans.
• Developed and launched #1 Barbecue Baked Beans variety and #1 Black Beans products.

Planters Nuts Brand

• Led introduction of innovative packaging product for Costco expanding distribution. 

Shawn Eubanks

CFO Private Equity / Former Vice President Finance Vista Outdoor Corp

Terry Douglas

President Last Mile / Former CEO Zenith Products Corp

Retired VP Marketing Georgia Pacific Retail

SVP R&D Mattel; former VP R&D Rubbermaid Consumer Products

Former President Rubbermaid Consumer and Husqvarna Retail

Retired VP Marketing Bush Brothers & Co.

• Executive Marketing Excellence Program

• Intership - Wachovia Corporation, Corporate Lending
• Babcock Award - Leadership, Integrity & Managerial Potential
• Chairperson - Southeast MBA Marketing Case Competition