Kathleen Block

Associate Category Manager for VA Poultry at Gordon Food Service

Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

About

Experience

  • Gordon Food Service (13 yrs 7 mos)
    • Associate Category Manager
      Jan 2026 - Present · 7 mos

    • Category Analyst
      Mar 2022 - Jan 2026 · 3 yrs 11 mos

      - Works to support key stakeholders on the national category team, regional merchandising teams, and with vendors to execute strategies to achieve sales, margin, and brand goals. - Provides performance analysis recommendations to support the Category Manager and Lead Category Buyer in end-to-end category management informed by knowledge of current trends, internal and external category data, and feedback from engaged relationships with divisional marketing teams. - Supports and implements go-to-market activities to support division sales and marketing strategy. - Oversees and helps implement new product setup and executes introduction, conversion, and discontinuance resulting from end-to-end category management process. - Supports and executes project management of product lifecycle process for assigned product lines, ensuring the accuracy, completeness and timeliness of relevant core product data to maximize Gordon Food Service (GFS) sales and net margin of assigned product lines.

    • NA Category Support Coordinator
      Jun 2017 - Mar 2022 · 4 yrs 10 mos

      • Providing category support through product marketing activities such as assisting in new item setup, ship DC additions, item reactivations, and item maintenance for both the US and Canada • Creating and sustaining reporting in Business Analytics & SNR for all categories for both the US and Canada • Creating pre-deck slides for both Vendor Business Reviews and Competitive Market Reviews • Created and currently assisting in the upkeep of the CatMan tracker for all NA Category Projects • Managing the Canadian Item Discontinuation Process

  • Designer/Maker at Hanoverian Crochet Co
    Nov 2017 - Present · 8 yrs 9 mos

    Designer and Maker who strives to create chic and sophisticated modern designs using crochet techniques.

  • Barn Manager/Working Student at Performa Dressage
    Jan 2012 - Jan 2013 · 1 yr 1 mo

    - Worked with clients to create individualized packages and assisted in meeting any and all needs - Taught beginner and intermediate lessons to children and adults - Helped in training of client and sale horses alike - Handled and cared for as many as 24 horses at one time

  • Part Time Nanny/Babysitter at Schnelker Household
    Aug 2009 - May 2012 · 2 yrs 10 mos

    I care two adorable girls, Lexi and Abby, on a part-time basis, playing games and doing crafts with them as well as cooking meals for them.

  • International Intern at Sunstar America
    Sep 2010 - Dec 2010 · 4 mos

    I work in the Lain American office of Sunstar Americas, Inc. in the fields of marketing and finance. At the moment I am focusing on Social Media Marketing including the uses of facebook, YouTube and twitter as well as preparing the Budget for FY 2011.