STEVE TOWLE

609 Northeast Lake Pointe Drive

(816) 350-1236 Lee's Summit, MO 64064 stb94a12@we
stpost.net
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
National Tobacco Company, Louisville, KY 2010 - Present
KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER - MID SOUTH REGION
* Responsible for 33 Chains and 5 Wholesale Accounts in 8 states
* Building business in Cigars, Premium Cigarette Rolling Papers, Loose Leaf Toba
ccos, Moist Smokeless Tobaccos
Prime Time International Company, Phoenix, AZ 2006-2009
REGIONAL MANAGER
* Built Sales Team from 2 to 11 full time employees covering 23 East Coast State
s
* Built cigar business from 5 million dollars sales to 8 million dollars sales i
n one year
* Responsible for Sales and Marketing plans and components to 120 Wholesale and
500 Chain partners
U.S. Tobacco Company, Greenwich, CT
1982-2006 DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ; 2001-2006
* Led Sales/Marketing efforts for all top national accounts
* Responsible for trade organization board meetings, customer outings and Top to
Top meeting presentations
* Top 25 Chain Accounts and all Trade Association Board representation
* Top 25 contributed over $300,000,000 business and 5% growth annually
CHAIN ACCOUNT MANAGER - FLORIDA ; 1989 - 2001
* Led targeted marketing efforts for Chain Account business with annual Sales/Ma
rketing Plans for each individual chain
* All chains in Florida contributed $24,000,000 and 10% growth annually
SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER - SKOAL GROUP ; 1984-1989
* Volume Brand Management for 50% of company brands contribution
* Responsible for all advertising, sales, marketing, strategic and company plans
for Skoal Group
* Nationally introduced 2 new product lines and over 12 new brands contributing
generating 12% annual growth to company
* Products contributed $60,000,000 annually with net returns to company of $30,0
00,000 annually
SALES PROMOTION MANAGER / CELEBRITY & SPORTS PROMOTIONS ; 1982-1984
* Designed Sales/Marketing strategies and coordinated national plans for 32 spot
s and entertainment celebrities and promotional events in 26 states
* 12 event categories with over 450 events per year with a team of 6 event emplo
yees
Miami Project ot Cure Paralysis 1987-1989
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
* On "Executive Loan" from U. S. Smokeless Tobacco to lead this initiative
* Raised $10,000,000 primarily from the private corporate sector
* Hired 58 doctors and scientists for the largest effort in the world dedicated
to finding a cure for paralysis
National Football League, Miami, FL and Detroit, MI 1975-1982
NFL PLAYER
* Most Valuable Player for Miami Dolphins in 1976
* Hold NFL single season tackling record with 217 tackles
EDUCATION
Undergraduate Education - Broadcast Journalism
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
Efficient Consumer Response
L. A. Bantle Institute, Syracuse, NY
National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Leadership MBA
Fisher School of Business / Ohio State University
CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
LEADERSHIP
Managed the development of a new internal department for a Fortune 5OO company b
uilt around 32 sports and entertainment celebrities.
* Collaborated with Senior Management, Brand Management and Celebrities to desig
n sales and marketing strategies that fit the personality of the celebrity and t
he positioning of the brands
* Blended brand plans to be communicated through celebrity appearances and custo
mer outings
* Designed Sales and Marketing plans by celebrity with budgets based on standard
industry rates for media contracts. All celebrities were equal in the brand pla
ns
* Managed celebrity programs to have life beyond athletic or entertainment caree
r as customers met celebrities in a business setting instead of in sports or ent
ertainment roles
* Increased team to 32 representatives, up from original 10 celebrities, coming
from varied sports and different entertainment venues to represent brands for th
e company
Results: Successfully negotiated a lower standard appearance fee rate with all a
gents, spending less on 32 celebrities than previously on 10. Savings provided r
esources to build sales and marketing brochures and autograph package components
for all celebrities. Stabilized budget at $340,000 per year and increased appe
arance schedule to 4 per month, up from 1 per month including electronic ads, fu
ll PR support, autograph signing and customer involvement.
BRAND MANAGEMENT & NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Promoted to the Marketing Department to manage the national introduction of a li
ne extension for a brand that previously had only one product for over 50 years.
* Researched the competitive volume structures to learn best of class procedures
for introducing national line extensions
* Coordinated internal and external interviews to get quantitative and qualitati
ve research results concerning demographic, geographic and psychographic profile
s of target consumers
* Created a brand mission and vision statement to lead company efforts to a succ
essful rollout
* Managed new brand rollout with goals of brand funding its own growth within 4
months of rollout; brand needed to be profitable within 2 quarters of introducti
on
Results: The new brand exceeded all forecasts for rollout success and profitabil
ity. Brand was profitable within one month, contributed a 10 share within one ye
ar and over 60 million incremental dollars to company profits. Additional benefi
t was the resulting company pride for all participating departments.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING & PRESENTATION
Excellent motivational speaker focusing on inspirational comparisons between spo
rts and business. What started as water cooler chat has evolved to a validating
experience for me and my audience.
* Developed a 3 point talk named "Get Beyond" for sales teams
* Built additional 3 point talks to add on to "Get Beyond" presentation
* Presented talks to customers, consumers and company employees
Results: A great motivational speaker that knows his message is reaching the aud
ience when the results are laughter and tears in the same program. Comments from
audiences consistently state the benefits received from the program. All presen
tations, for over 20 years, are delivered to memberships as a result of referral
s from word of mouth sharing.

CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
PUBLIC RELATIONS & FUND RAISING
Leader of a Spinal Cord Injury Research effort at the University of Miami.
* Started with one volunteer, first building the communication structure for don
ors and applicants
* Brought together the University Development department and Schools of Medicine
and Neurobiology for a combined vision statement
* Developed volunteer administrative and full time event and fund-raising staff
* Negotiated with community to print brochures, public service announcements and
800 #'s for communications
* Designed tour packages for current and interested donors and visiting professo
rs
Results: Raised over 12 million private dollars in two years and brought a team
of 70 doctors and scientists together. For spinal cord injury research, duplicat
ed interdisciplinary approach to medicine and science from model for nuclear sci
ence. Built commitment of researchers and funders toward finding a cure.
MARKETING ANALYSIS, BUDGETING & FORECASTING
Returned to Sales and Marketing in 1989, as Key Account Manager, to manage the f
ormation of a new department for the entire state of Florida .
* Developed forecasts and budgets for entire state
* Managed the assignment goals for 24 state sales reps to meet budgets and depar
tment forecasts
* Identified and profiled over 100 chain accounts that would lead our business p
lanning and execution
* Assumed the top 25 chain accounts as my responsibility and delegated the remai
ning 75 to the field sales team
* Responsible for the contributions of entire 100 chain accounts including promo
tions, meetings and reviews with management
Results: Department sold over 24 million units and exceeded all forecasts and bu
dgets. Our chain account plan was used as the model for 15 other departments in
the company
TEAM BUILDING
Designed and managed new Events Promotions department and team at corporate head
quarters with departmental accountabilities for over 400 events annually in 26 s
tates.
* Collaborated with existing field teams to identify events requiring support to
complement rodeo and racing sponsorships
* Worked with Brand Management to add promotional presence
* Worked with Field Sales to identify areas needing headquarters' support.
* Targeted Senior Management Personnel to recommend family, neighbors and staff
members that would share our vision and excitement through these promotional eve
nts.
* Maintained Senior Management excitement as their sons, daughters, neighbors an
d staff members reported back with our departmental accomplishments
Results: Extremely successful model allowed for a great event team. Converted o
ver 200 existing events to our department schedule and added an additional 200 m
ore. Model continues today in "21 plus" event marketing efforts around college c
ampus activities. Brought whole group together in less than a month and full ope
rational within 3 months. Entire company rallied to support the department - wi
th that support continuing today after over 20 years.