Thomas Lonsway: Vice President in Encinitas, CA

NEXGEN PHARMA: VITAMER LABS / VITACEUTICAL LABS, IRVINE CA OCTOBER 2017 - PRESENT Improved efficiencies maximizing profitability: account management, upstream and downstream marketing EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT • Manage: Marketing, Sales (3 divisional teams), Product Development, Training and Customer Service Departments to maximize top line sales and profit. Vitamer and Vitaceutical divisions produce premium vitamin, supplements & protein powders: private label, control label & contract manufacturing • P&L responsibility for maximizing synergies between the sales teams and umbrella marketing, product development and training teams • New item selection and roll-out distribution gains to successfully “leap leapfrog” competitors’ innovation and value • Collaborated sales, marketing and production teams to provide customer/market feedback fueling the product development process. Shaped interactive system for pre-launch mock-up selling to gain early distribution agreements from key retailers that delivered solid production runs and immediate sales upon launch. • Developed initiatives to lock in existing customers and improve product portfolio value to prospects: Organics, SGS Non-GMO, Gluten Free and Fermented Superfood Smoothie Boosters • Strategic planning; executed best practices to improve marketing, sales and product development disciplines. • Alignment of resources to enhance our customer value via sales, product development, marketing, training and customer service “teams” to improve key customer interactions and consultative selling. ESSENTIAL LIVING FOODS, CULVER CITY CA (ACQUIRED 8/17, TERRA FERTILE/NESTLE) FEB 2016– OCT 2017 Objective accomplished: Improved sales, innovation and customer base to prepare company for sale EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SALES • Managed field sales, inside sales & administrative teams along with large accounts to improved customer revenue and cost-effective promotions. Branded organic exotic superfoods (snack, bulk, powders & supplements) • Reworked sales collateral: category specific fact-based sales decks and relevant customer marketing programs. • Expanded retail distribution from specialty natural retail class of trade into club (Costco & Sams) and Conventional Grocery (Kroger, Albertsons, Delhaize, Brookshire, HEB, Publix etc.) • Pioneered alternative channel: Etail (Amazon & Vitacost), Burlington Stores, Ross, TJ Max, Macy’s Backstage • Transitioned sales agency network to Presence Marketing, improving account coverage and cost of coverage. EDWARD MARC BRANDS (SNAPPERS), S. CA / PITTSBURGH PA AUGUST 2012– FEBRUARY 2016 Revenue growth from $1.5 Million to $45 Million: Start-up Branded Natural Candy & Snack Food Company DIRECTOR, SALES • Set-up internal communication processes to ensure proper forecasting, financial / deduction management and logistical requirements • Created matrix program for quick proposal response yet ensured every program met profit margin requirements. • Account Management; gain distribution and strong merchandising support at almost every national and regional retailer in the class of trade: Food, Drug, Mass, C-Store and Non-Traditional. Brokered and house accounts. • Recruited & managed: class of trade specific brokers & internal customer service / sales support team. • Developed fact based sales materials and total merchandising solution that ensure consumer trial and retail turns. • Evaluated and spearheaded trade-shows and event marketing ORGANIC MILLING COMPANY, SAN DIMAS, CA SEP 2009 – AUGUST 2012 Objective accomplished: Improved sales, innovation and customer base to prepare company for sale Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing Recruited by President to reenergize the product portfolio and customer base of this 50 year old producer of breakfast cereals and snacks. Restructuring resources to reignite growth and profitability and maximize effectiveness across functions. Introduced disciplined, collaborative and results oriented performance standards. • Shifted sales planning to a critical business tool to minimize tying up capitol in raw materials while elevating sales development. Initiated retail category review tracking system that ensured timely, account specific presentations. • Defined and enhanced forecasting and reporting systems to reflect item specific longest lead time raw material component, improved margin and customer/product profitability analyses. Ultimately this provides management with critical business data for decision support and accurate product line / operating expense capability. • Designed and executed Organic Milling’s branded products revitalization strategy: updated sales collateral with consumer health trends/concerns and syndicated data, innovative product packaging and improved sales planning. Initiated a comprehensive forecasting system for raw material/inventory planning and financial reporting. • Overhauled the corporate website to better communicate company capabilities and offerings. Incorporated user-friendly tools to attract potential customers via search engines. Segmented information to allow the relevant customer type to find their information within two clicks. • Drove distribution gains in health food (Whole Foods, Sprouts, CAP) and grocery/mass market channels (Costco, Hannaford, Wakefern, Harris Teeter, Kroger West, Big Lots, Woolworth International & Stater Brothers). • For all branded and private label products: secured the Paperboard Packaging Council’s 100% Recyclable logo license at no charge. Reworked over 180 different product call-outs: gluten free, GMO free, prebiotic, probiotic, yogurt coated and chocolate enrobed cereal lines. Also launched functional and premium flavored oatmeal lines. • Developed improved national brand equivalent to gain domestic distribution at: Aldi, Topco, Safeway, Sunflower., Big Lots, Wakefern, Bargain Wholesale, Earth Fare, Western Family, Price Chopper Harris Teeter and Sysco. • Created category unique items for Earth Fare, Trader Joe’s, Gibbs & McCormick and Whole Foods. • Expanded to international markets: Woolworth Australia & South Africa, Coles Australia, Loblaw, Overweightea, Shoppers Drug Mart, Metro, Igea Life, N. American Tea & Coffee, Federated Coop and Back to Nature Australia RAINBOW LIGHT NUTRITION SYSTEMS, SANTA CRUZ, CA OCT 2007 – SEP 2009 Transition nutritional product leader in natural channel to gains in grocery, drug, mass, etail and alt. channel Vice President, Sales Member of the Executive Team with customer relationship management responsibility: managing the sales organization, channel/customer strategy, pricing, customer marketing and trade relations. Created and implemented short / medium / long term business planning and performance analysis. • Redesigned inside sales compensation plan to more effectively motivate staff and increase focus on revised corporate imperatives (outlying “Vacant House” territories, International, e-commerce accounts). • Created & managed sales national sales teams for Rainbow Light’s business units: Natural Channel, Mass Market, Pet Specialty, Direct to Consumer and E-Tailers. Grew sales revenue from $38MM to $50MM • Achieved national vendor partnership at Whole Foods and category captain status at several regional food retailers. Secured GNC distribution and expanded Vitamin Shoppe distribution from 8 to 22 SKUs. • Expanded Rainbow Light branded products into Mass Market (food, drug & mass merchants). Developed spending matrix to quantify distribution ROI to executive team and accurate forecast sales volumes. Utilized syndicated data and account specific intelligence to negotiate distribution and retail price points at: Rite Aid, Target, CVS, Kroger, Walgreens, WalMart, SuperValu, Publix and countless regional chains. • Pioneered launch of GreenDog Nutrition brand, gaining Pet Specialty Channel distribution at Pet Supplies Plus, Holistic Pet Source, RFG, Petco and independent pet specialty retailers. Drove new channel sales to $4MM. THE COROMEGA COMPANY, VISTA, CA NOV 2003 – SEP 2007 Pioneered sales hyper growth in natural, mass market, vitamin specialty and e-tailers Vice President, Sales Appointed to create company’s sales organization, policies and programs to install classic consumer goods sales disciplines. Coordinated with operations, finance and marketing to attain profitability, adequate inventory levels and strong sell-through. Recruited and hired two Regional Managers, one Marketing Manager, an Assistant, and built a network of brokers and distributors. • Devised system to ensure retailer promotions execution in exchange for discounts. The system also allowed accounting to quickly clear promotional bills/deductions and immediately dispute erroneous deductions. • Doubled or tripled distribution at existing health food and specialty accounts. Drove channel sales up +450% while maintaining profitability and inventory levels. • Instituted Independent Health Retailer Prepack Promotions that tripled distribution at 2100 independent stores and doubled distribution at another 1800. • Penetrated the mass market channel and brokered strong relationships at key accounts including: Supervalu (All Banners). Negotiated placements that removed costly flat rate advertising fees to profitably grow channel sales from $100K to $3.5MM. • Crafted a new national go-to-market model: brokers, distribution centers, wholesalers and DSD distribution. • Pioneered with negotiations; avoiding flat rate fees for retail distribution/promotions along with no broker retainers. • Launched fact-based category management presentations via syndicated data, health science white papers and consumer trends data. • Worked with customers to develop customized retailer-specific promotional plans, initiatives and off-shelf displays. KASHI COMPANY, LA JOLLA, CA (ACQUIRED BY KELLOGG COMPANY JULY 2000) FEB 1999 – OCT 2003 Leveraged core natural food from $11MM sales in 1999 to $117MM in 2003 and improved costs / margins Vice President, Sales Marketer of branded functional foods: breakfast foods, cookies, crackers and meal replacement bars / beverages. Sales leader with responsibility for organizational structure, strategic business planning and market development design. Directed field / trade marketing, logistics and distribution efforts: Managed four Regional Sales Managers. • Developed Kashi’s comprehensive, long-term business development strategy. • Transformed field sales representation from niche specialty brokers to more resourceful, responsive first-tier broker organizations delivering improved distribution, pricing, placement and display activity. • Introduced fact-based selling based on category and account specific IRI/Spectra data to increase ACV distribution +56%. Also, leveraged this information to more effectively focus consumer advertising. • Re-engineered promotional and bracket pricing, eliminating deal buy-outs by transitioning promotions for negotiated performance, and shifting distributor and wholesaler buy-in volume incentives. Achieved 9.3% internal profit margin improvement with no ultimate effect on customer purchasing behavior. • Designed and executed plan to grow sales with existing clients and penetrate new retail classes across the U.S. and Canada. . • Initiated aggressive Canadian market thrust that aligned and focused financial and intellectual resources against marketplace/consumer/regulatory issues. This resulted in $18MM in sales at key retailers: Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, Zeller’s, GNC Canada, Costco Canada, Safeway Canada, Overwaitea, Jean Coutu, London Drug, Sobeys, IGA and WalMart Canada.