Outdoor

Successful leader with over 25 years of experience in entrepreneurial direct marketing, merchandising, private branding, product management, product development, sourcing, purchasing, strategic planning vendor relations and general management.  Highly proficient in nurturing relations with vendors to increase quality and reduce cost.  Reliable professional with a proven track record of developing and implementing successful high margin and high volume products.  Successfully executed private branded strategies for multiple companies. Supervised multiple levels of professionals. 

Specialties: Merchandising, Purchasing, Product Development, Product Management, Budgeting, Strategic Planning, Sourcing, Directing, Hiring, Leadership, Direct Marketing, Multi-Channel, Print Media, Profit, Negotiations, Margin Growth, Catalog, Retail, Internet, General Management, Cost Reduction, Branding , Vendor Relations.

Direct report to the President. Led the Marketing, Purchasing, Fulfillment Operations, Product Management, Vendor Relations and Merchandising Strategies.  Supervise the Marketing Department, Fulfillment Warehouse and Purchasing Department.  Responsible for all marketing, product management, fulfillment and purchasing activities.  Provide sales support for the Retail and Government Sales and as member of the Executive Staff provide strategic planning and execution of goals. 

•	Supported nine Retail stores, Internet sales and Government sales team.
•	Managed Buyers, Marketing and Warehouse staff.
•	Managed Vendor Relations and Sourcing.
•	Managed inventory, Product Assortments and Product Life Cycles.

Vice President of Operation/Merchandising

Direct report to the CEO/Owner. Led the Marketing, Purchasing, Product Management, Vendor Relations and merchandising strategies.  Provide direction for company’s marketing efforts and supervise the Purchasing Department.  Responsible for all marketing, product management and purchasing activities.  Provide sales support for the Retail and Government Sales and as member of the Executive Staff provide strategic planning and execution of goals. 

•	Supported seven Retail stores, Internet sales and Government sales team.
•	Hired a new Purchasing Team. 
•	Developed and implemented a new product tracking process.  
•	Added numerous new suppliers and product lines to the company assortment.

Direct report to the CEO/Owner. Led the Product Management, Research/Development and Product Development strategies.  Provided product management direction for company’s marketing efforts and supervised the Merchandising Department which included Product Managers, Research and Development Engineers, and Catalog Coordinator.  Responsible for growing the private branded product line and managing its life cycle.  Provided sales support and training for the Call Center and B2B division.  Attended Board of Director meetings as member of the Senior Staff and played a key role in the strategic planning process.
•	Helped grow company sales 39% by expanding private branded product lines.
•	Increased product margins 7.3% points from 2008-2011.
•	Launched a multi-million dollar Eastwood engineered exclusive private branded welding program which grew the company by double digits in 2010 and 2011.
•	Developed a do-it-yourself soda blasting product line with sales of over 1 million dollars in the first year.
•	Implemented company’s first direct import private branded program from China, Taiwan and India, which increased margins and sales.
•	Implemented LEAN Process to streamline the product development process to cut waste and increase speed to market. 
•	Developed multiple exclusive private branded paint and rust treatment products that were high volume sellers with high margins.

Director of Merchandisng

Direct report to the CEO.  Led the Product Management, Product Development, Sourcing and Purchasing efforts for the company.  Managed the catalog creation process with outside vendors for copy, photography and printing.  Partnered with the company’s business to business group to identify and source product for the customers’ needs.  Provided products for the AJ Prindle website and made product presentations to business to business clients.
•	As a start-up company grew sales from $0 to $6M.
•	Built a Purchasing and Merchandising department from the ground up.
•	Negotiated a new catalog contract and cut catalog creative and production cost by 50%.
•	Identified and sourced product for the launch of the re-designed Ford Explorer national test drive program catered to multiple lifestyles.

Vice President of Merchandising

Direct report to the CEO/Owner. Led the eleven member Merchandising division, including Product Development/Purchasing, Retail and Creative departments, for this international mail order catalog, Internet, and retail store company, which specializes in private branded direct marketing of military, law enforcement, and outdoor gear. 

•	Worked closely with suppliers and fabric manufacturers to develop a private branded reversible desert GORE-TEX rain suit, which was later adopted by the military and led to multiple government contracts.
•	Developed a private branded lightweight desert uniform for Desert Storm that received a government contract.
•	Launched the exclusive line of private branded desert camouflage products used during Desert Storm.
•	Saved over $2M by renegotiating the catalog printing contract.
•	Decreased paper expense by $750K by changing from coated to a super calendared paper.
•	Increased initial fill-rates by 10% in one year.

Find out detailed information about Dan Gaddis,  in Raeford, NC

Dan Gaddis: in Raeford, NC

Dan Gaddis

McKendree University