James A Stringfield, MBA

CPG & Food Industry Professional

207 Vesper Circle
Mauldin, SC 29662
Home: 864 349 1589
Mobile 864 420 8230
js5099f4@westpost.net

CAREER SUMMARY
A highly experienced and results-oriented leader with an extensive background in
the Consumer Packaged Goods and Foodservice industry. A progressive 23+ year ca
reer with key internal and external assignments which have developed and broaden
ed my overall business management skills in key areas such as; Category Manageme
nt, Strategic Customer Management, Financial Business Planning, Utilization of C
onsumer Insights Data, Demographic (Spectra) Data Management and Management of o
ther Syndicated Data resources. I have successfully assimilated and applied thes
e expertise's to collaboratively support and achieve Company and Customer Growth
initiatives in a professional Team Structured environment, which has accounted
for outstanding performance and results in every assignment.
Skill base includes:
* Business Growth Model Development and Implementation

* Strategic sales planning and implementation

* Financial Management (P&L) (ROI)
* Consultative and conceptual selling
* Extensive Category Management
* National Accounts Management
* Syndicated Data Analysis
* Teamwork and performance management
* Customer relationship management
* Consumer Insights Applications
* Recruiting and training
* Cross-functional teamwork
* Broker and Direct management
* Business Forecasting
* Inventory Management
* Post promotional performance analysis and evaluation

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
CENTRAL PAYMENTS CORPORATION, Greenville SC 03/2009- Present
MSP/ISO of Wells Fargo Bank NA
FINANCIAL SERVICES CONSULTANT

Milliken & Company: Milliken Chemical Division

Director of Sales, North America (Retail Channels) - 6/07 - 1/09
Primary assignment is to grow Capture Brand within all retail channels in North
America.
Develop Go To Market strategy for Milliken Chemical's CPG division. Establish na
tional Broker sales network for the Grocery, Drug, and Military channels. Develo
p and implement Private Label opportunities with targeted customers (Kroger Corp
orate, HEB). Design and execute local co-marketing programs structured to expand
 distribution and build market share within the category. Manage all trade promo
tion and co-marketing budgets. Ongoing training responsibility for all brokers a
nd direct sales.
Aqua Star, N.A.
Region Sales Director; Southeast (Retail) - 6/06 - 5/07
Responsible for managing, growing, and developing all aspects of Aqua Star's Ret
ail Business in the Southeast Division. Key areas of focus include: Developing a
nd Implementing ongoing commodity business building models, and structuring impo
rt bidding processes to achieve company growth objectives. Expanding distributio
n on Value-Added Products. Seasonal Event management and customization throughou
t all retail channels. Develop and Execute Customer Specific Business Plans. Dir
ectly manage National Accounts with regional decision making (Del Haize, Kroger,
Albertsons LLC, Super Valu ). Hire and Manage Broker Sales Network for strategi
c regional customers. Develop ongoing category business plans in conjunction wit
h category managers.

Unilever Foods, N.A.

Customer Team Leader: South Central Division - Charlotte, NC 2001-2005
Led the customer management and strategic business plan development and executio
n process for the Food Lion and Harris Teeter businesses. Managed annual sales
volume of $92M and Trade promotion budget of $15M. Managed Performance assessme
nt and Development of Ten Broker team Members. Product portfolio covered all UB
F dry grocery, dairy, Frozen, Meat and Specialty categories.
* Consistently exceeded team sales objectives through collaborative planning and
implementation of customer specific business plans.
* Successfully implemented two major sales restructures with changes that involv
ed regional broker alignment, customer team formation.
* Trained and developed team members in the area of co-marketing, supply side in
itiatives, sales policy implementation, category management and consumer based s
elling.
* Food Lion Team received the first annual "Winner's Circle Award". A national a
ward for business management excellence.

Unilever Foods, N.A.

Region Sales Manager - Carolina Region 2000-2001
Sales management accountability for the Carolina Region with approximately 9 key
customers generating sales volume of $120M.
Key accomplishments were:
* Implemented a profit improvement plan on the dry grocery categories that focu
sed on a value-added promotional and distribution product mix. Net results impr
oved Net Sales Volume by 10% and retail distribution by 9% in one year.
* Moved sales team to event sales concept which improved market share on key pro
ducts, generated more efficient trade spends and improved consumer impact.
* Established contract based sales agreement with Food Lion which completely eli
minated
Diversion of Lipton products. First 12 months yielded a $20 million dollar gain.
Unilever Foods N.A. Region Sales Manager
1996-1997
* Managed Sales Network throughout the Carolina's for all Lipton perishable Bran
ds.
* Team Leader for MDI/Harris Teeter/Ingles Sales Team. Managed these customers w
ith three direct Customer Business Managers for all Dry Grocery Brands.
* Managed Retail Operations for all strategic and regional customers through the
Broker Sales Network.
* Trained and evaluated performance for direct Customer Business Managers.
* Managed the execution of all Trade Marketing strategies, tactics, budgets, and
merchandising objectives.
Unilever Foods N.A.
Region Sales Manager : Charlotte, NC
1993-1996
* Managed Broker Sales Network throughout the Carolina's with an annual dolla
r volume of $100M.
* Responsibilities include key account planning, volume forecasting, evaluati
on of promotional effectiveness. Managed a $19M trade promotion budget. Train an
d evaluate Broker personnel on an ongoing basis.
Unilever Foods, N.A.
Region Sales Manager: Detroit, MI.
1991-1993
* Managed Broker Sales Network covering Michigan and Ohio.
* Implemented annual key account planning and promotional programming at Meij
er and Spartan. These were the first customers to commit to an annual agreement
in the Eastern US.
* Won the Mid West Region Manager of the year award for 1992.
Unilever Foods, N.A.
Trade Marketing Manager: Atlanta, Ga.
1990-1991
* Managed trade promotion budget on all VDB categories which included Margari
ne, Pancake syrup/mix, and specialty cheese. Annual Sales Volume of $200M.
* Developed, Coordinated, and Allocated Trade Promotion Budgets within the South
ern Division according to annual plan
* Administered Market development funds within the Division according to plan.
* Developed and implemented market analysis through the use of syndicated data,
internal reports, and decision support systems.

Cadbury Schweppes, PLC: 1997-2000

National Field Marketing Manager (Corporate Headquarters) 1998-2000
Managed the National Trade Promotion budget for Premier Beverages in all classes
of trade which included: Retail Food Stores, Foodservice, C-Stores, Drug & Mass
Merchants.
* Developed Field Sales planning and trade promotion fund tracking system for Pr
emiers Broker network.
* Interacted daily with such departments as Marketing, Finance, Operations, Rese
arch & Development and Sales Promotion. Primary communication link from the bran
d team to field sales and sales management.
* Strategic project work that required frequent reviews with senior management.
* Developed and implemented a sales strategy that played a key role in turning a
round a poor-performing business.
* Managed three person Trade Marketing Staff. (East, West, and Wal-Mart)
Region Sales Manager - Charlotte, NC (Cadbury Schweppes, PLC) 1997-1998
* Managed a Broker Sales Network throughout a 10 states in the Mid-Atlantic Regi
on of the USA.(Responsible for all classes of Trade: Retail Grocery, C-stores, D
rug/Mass, and FoodService).
* Developed National Business Planning process for for The Retail Grocery Channe
l.
* Team Lead on the development of Premier Beverages Preferred Principle Broker M
anagement/Evaluation System.
* Team Lead on the development of Premiers 1998 Retail Audit System.
Other Experience
General Mills (The Pillsbury Company): Atlanta, Ga 1987-1990
* Market Manager 1989-1990
* Accout Executive 1988-1989
* Account Manager 1987-1988
*Allergan Pharmaceuticals: Territory Manager 1986-1987
* Kraft Foods: Account Rep 1984-1985
Education
BS Business Administration, University of South Carolina (1984)
MBA, Central Michigan University, (1992)