Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
Driven, results-focused marketing professional passionate about transforming big ideas into strategic initiatives that accelerate growth and elevate brand presence. With a strong understanding of the changing consumer landscape, I lead integrated campaigns, support sales teams and blend creativity with data-driven execution. Passionate about building and leading high-performing teams, I foster collaboration and a culture that empowers people to innovate and exceed goals.
• Responsible for establishing a fully integrated marketing & culinary department from the ground up, designing the strategy, structure, initiatives and budget to support company growth. • Lead integrated marketing strategy and execution, delivering sustained four-year average annual growth of 10% in sales, 8.5% in cases and 8% in customer count. • Established a portfolio of 15+ annual regional events and food shows, producing sustained four-year average annual growth of 26% in attendance, 18% in vendor participation, and 27% in sales-driving booth activity. • Instituted and led an annual Promotional Sales Incentive strategy aligned to vendor growth goals, delivering 31% sales growth and 27% case growth on targeted items while increasing customer value and Sales Rep performance. • Oversee enterprise social media strategy and content across nine accounts, producing four-year average growth of 320% in engagement, 340% in traffic, and 120% in followers. • Conceptualized and continually optimized a SharePoint based Intranet, centralizing company communications and resources, driving nearly 20K views in its first year. • Directed a portfolio-wide redesign of four company websites, delivering hundreds of qualified leads and multimillion-dollar trackable revenue. • Spearheaded e-commerce integrations, audience targeting, and comprehensive photo/data updates for our new ecommerce platform, enhancing product visibility, user experience and merchandising effectiveness to drive engagement, conversion and online sales growth. • Establish scalable systems, processes and training infrastructure for a high-performing team, driving creativity, cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement. • Own planning and execution of the annual VE Elite Sales Incentive trip, managing performance tracking, communications, trip planning and logistics in partnership with the incentive travel agency.
• Directed tactical marketing initiatives across multiple Western U.S. markets, delivering 20% year-over-year customer count growth and contributing to $80M+ in annual sales. • Led multi-channel marketing campaigns for numerous new restaurant openings, achieving opening-week sales 74% above the company average, including a record $325K opening week in Utah. • Executed a three-week food truck activation generating 860K+ impressions; built the company-wide food truck marketing standard, including processes and procedures deployed system-wide. • Launched the company’s mobile ordering app and curbside programs, generating $5.6M+ in year-one sales with 14% average month-over-month mobile growth.
Note: Company permanently closed due to COVID-19 in May 2020. • Led strategic, multi-channel field marketing initiatives for 97 locations across 10 states, leveraging creativity, innovation, and data to accelerate sales growth. • Partnered with Operations leadership, internal teams, agency partners, and community organizations to design and execute regional marketing plans aligned with national strategy. • Created marketing tools, resources, and training programs that empowered operators to elevate their local market presence and brand impact. • Built and implemented numerous scalable processes from the ground up, including grand re-openings, events, donation programs, and budget management procedures.
• Led a cross-functional team to develop and execute strategic marketing plans across 318 Wendy’s restaurants in 16 states and four casual-dining concepts, capitalizing on market opportunities and driving sales growth. • Set the company’s strategic direction across marketing, advertising, brand development, digital marketing, merchandising, new product growth, sales training, internal communications, PR, and creative development. • Spearheaded the rollout of digital revenue platforms including delivery, mobile ordering, loyalty, online gift cards, website redesign, email optimization, and digital campaigns - driving millions in incremental profit. • Analyzed multi-level performance metrics to create targeted strategies that exceeded sales, traffic, average check, and profitability goals. • Managed and optimized multi-level budgets with full P&L accountability for all marketing expenditures, partnering with Accounting, Finance, and Operations to increase efficiency and ROI. • Designed and implemented a company-wide sales training program including development, recognition, incentives, and performance measurement. • Collaborated with The Wendy’s Company, agency partners and franchisees across 25 Division Marketing Associations to influence brand and marketing strategy. • Led development of pre and post-opening marketing plans for Wendy’s remodels, while supporting the modernization of 118+ restaurants since 2013 and delivering +200% EBITDA growth for relocations and +31% for reimages. • Partnered with the Director of Organizational Development to define company mission, vision, and values, conduct an internal audit, and build an implementation plan to embed culture across the organization. • Directed the company’s strategic rebrand, including transformation of brand identity, standards, logo, assets, and marketing collateral.
• Led a team of four to develop specialized marketing campaigns across six states; recognized with a Wendy’s International Diamond Award nomination in 2014 for innovative strategy. • Directed the Talent Acquisition team and launched creative recruiting and retention initiatives that were featured in Entrepreneur Magazine (2013). • Selected by the COO/President to serve on a three-member process-improvement task force focused on restructuring the organization and strengthening a “people-first” culture.
• Partnered with advertising agencies across Wendy’s regional co-ops to lead strategic marketing initiatives and budget management, driving a 4.6% AUV increase in Michigan from 2012–2013. • Led the brand development and launch of two casual dining concepts - Crooked Goose (2012) and Freighters Eatery & Taproom (2013), collectively surpassing $5.9M in first-year sales. • Developed and executed strategic marketing plans for 85 Wendy’s locations across three states. • Directed internal and external communications during five multi-state acquisitions, adding 25 restaurants to the company portfolio.
Coordinated end-to-end event execution, from initial concept through on-site implementation. This hands-on, fast-paced role included developing new event concepts, managing sites and logistics, coordinating vendors and volunteers, overseeing security and entertainment, and leading advertising, PR, media relations, social media, graphic design, and website development.