Senior IT Consultant / Project Manager for ERP, POS, and Retail Information Systems

 

Strategic Planning / Project Management / Team building & Leadership

 

An experienced IT professional who can align IT strategy and projects with company objectives, find, select, and implement systems solutions, manage the IT function, and manage projects.  Equally at ease at the “50,000 foot” level and managing projects hands-on.  Experienced in all facets of retail information technology including merchandising, distribution, POS and store operations, finance, strategic and financial planning, administration, personnel and resource management, project management, systems development and implementation, data and voice networks, operations and network management, hardware and software conversions.  Highly personable, can communicate equally well with executive and staff personnel.  Out-of-the-box thinker, proficient in creating innovative solutions to business problems. 

 

Career Summary

 

Foreman Retail Systems Consulting   

Information Technology, Supply Chain and Store Operations Business Process            1998 to Present

Client:  Cabela’s, Inc., Sidney, Nebraska – The World’s Foremost Outfitter - $2 billion multi-channel hunting & fishing supply company

·         Performed business process analysis and designed software modifications for implementation of JDA MMSi 5.10 Retail Merchandising System.

·         Planned and managed QA and User Acceptance testing processes.

 

Client: Finlay Fine Jewelry, New York, NY – 1100 stores, $1 billion national jewelry chain

·         Managed successful Retek RMS (Retail Merchandising System) and RDW (Retail Data Warehouse) implementation at Finlay Fine Jewelry.  Defined systems requirements, wrote RFP, selected Retek RMS and RDW to replace legacy systems, managed client user and IT teams.

·         Managed project plan.  Met regularly with project sponsors and executive steering committee (COO, CIO, Chief Merchant, Merchandising and Operations VP’s), to advise them of project status and issues.

·         Converted from specific inventory valuation to FIFO.  Reviewed business processes for financial and merchandise management, current systems architecture, capabilities, and data structures.  Redesigned purchasing, allocations, trunk shows, store-to-store transfers, DC-store transfers, transfer receiving, and inventory adjustments processes.

·         Managed vendor selection process with core team of merchandising, operations, and financial users and management.

·         Managed Conference Room Pilot (gap analysis) phase.  Reviewed Retek functionality vs. client requirements.  Suggested Retek software modifications and Finlay process changes to close the gaps.

·         Coordinated efforts of internal User and IT teams, Systems Integrator, and Software Vendor.

·         Managed systems functional testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing, pilot operation, and live cutover.

·         Worked with and mentored internal IT teams to ensure smooth knowledge transfer and system turnover. 

 

Client:  Blockbuster, Inc., Dallas Texas – 8,000+ stores, $6+ billion global home entertainment chain

·         Developed business case for adoption of RFID technology in Blockbuster’s supply chain operations.

·         Business development - Identified and researched companies providing services related to digital distribution of movies and games, and their potential as Blockbuster partners, resources, or competitors.  This led to Blockbuster partnerships with leading technology and media companies for development of a branded digital media service.

 

Client:  Ross Stores, Inc., Pleasanton, California – 600+ stores, $4+ billion national off-price apparel chain

·         Retek RDW implementation – determined reporting requirements, designed merchandising and operational reporting, using Retek’s RDW data warehouse.

 

Gart Sports, Inc.                                                                                                            Denver, Colorado

Vice President Information Technology / CIO 

60+ stores, $400+ million national sporting goods chain

·         Chief information officer and member of executive committee, responsible for strategic direction and management of Information Technology function, including corporate, store, and distribution systems, and voice and data communications.  Business functions supported included purchasing, automated replenishment, pricing, promotions, allocations, inventory management, EDI, merchandise planning, advertising, distribution, transfers, POS, returns, physical inventory, human resources, payroll, accounts payable, general ledger.

·         Implemented IBM 4690 POS systems in 60+ stores with real-time communications to corporate host, PLU (Price Lookup), and trickle polling.

·         Implemented frame-relay network to support POS implementation, and to upgrade corporate data and voice communications capability.  Achieved 50 pct. communications expense reduction and 24-month ROI, while improving on-line response times in the stores and DC.  Negotiated contract, managed Gart and vendor implementation and rollout teams.

·         Upgraded the JDA MMS merchandise and distribution management system from release 3.0 to release 4.4 to address Y2K issues.  Managed Gart applications staff and independent contractors for this conversion.

·         Implemented Kronos workforce management system at all corporate, store, and DC locations, achieving 6-month ROI through improved scheduling, reduced overtime, and accurate time capture.  Negotiated contract, managed Gart user and IT staffs, and vendor staff.

·         Planned IT consolidation for merger with SportMart.  Directed team of Gart, SportMart, and external consulting personnel for planning effort.

 

Penn-Daniels, Inc.  (JACKS Discount, Inc.)                                                                      Quincy, Illinois

Vice President, Information Systems / CIO     

18 stores, $200 million regional big-box discount chain

·         Chief information officer and member of executive committee.

·         Turned around dysfunctional and under-performing IT department.

·         Established Executive Steering Committee, and Advisory Board of company departmental managers to prioritize IT projects and backlog.  Initiated ROI project justification and approval process, project budgeting, management, and tracking disciplines, User-IT teams to insure user involvement and project team accountability.

·         Developed a rolling 5-year strategic plan for information technology to align IT with company objectives. 

·         Installed Fujitsu POS system with full SKU/UPC price lookup scanning.  Saved 400 hours labor per week per store for $2.25 million annual savings.  Improved price accuracy from 70 percent before scanning to over 99 percent after.

·         Implemented JDA MMS integrated merchandising, operational, and financial software.  Provided the company's merchants and management with timely and accurate information, allowing more informed merchandise management decisions, and leading to reduced inventory and improved in-stock in the stores.

·         Implemented automated replenishment and electronic data interchange (EDI) to automatically create purchase orders and DC-to-store transfers, and to share inventory and sales data with selected vendors.  Reduced stock-outs by 27 percent, and increased turns on replenished merchandise to 6.1.

·         With VP of Distribution, redesigned and remodeled 450,000 square-foot distribution center, including very-narrow-aisle racking, automated conveyors and sortation equipment, controlled by new Distribution Center Management software and RF hardware for state-of-the-art radio frequency controlled receiving, putaway, picking, and shipping.  Reduced receiving and putaway time for large orders by as much as 75 percent, reduced annual payroll by 30 percent, and improved inventory accuracy to 99.7 percent.

·         Designed and implemented RF-controlled merchandise returns system to capture returns at store level, ship to the DC, and automatically manage vendor return processing.

·         Implemented inbound load scheduling system and yard management system to improve DC receiving efficiency and provide merchant visibility to inbound shipments.

 

 

Computer People Unlimited, Inc.                                                                         Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Senior Consultant and Account Manager       

300+ consultants, $30+ million regional IT consulting company

·         Developed relationships, won consulting business, and managed key projects at retail, manufacturing, insurance, and social service organizations.

·         Took over failing automated claims systems implementation project at a regional casualty insurance carrier.  Documented project trouble spots, established realistic work plan and schedule, completed project within revised schedule and budget.

·         Managed design and implementation of a truck load scheduling system for a large paper manufacturer.

·         Managed implementation of a Big Ticket merchandise management system at a regional department store chain featuring on-line furniture purchase order management, inventory management, sales reporting, and delivery scheduling.

·         Managed implementation of a gift registry system with touch-screen customer interface at a regional department store company.

 

P. A. Bergner & Company, Inc.                                                                                         Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Vice President, MIS    

50 stores, $600+ million regional department store chain

·         Chief information systems executive and member of executive committee of this upper Midwest department store chain.  Managed IT and Merchandise Information Office (MIO) staff to perform all IT, merchandise information, and merchandise replenishment functions.

·         Merged IT staffs, systems, and hardware, and designed and built a new corporate data center, to support a corporate acquisition and relocation of corporate headquarters.  Reduced staff by 20 percent while improving computer systems availability, reliability, and turnaround.

·         Installed NCR POS network and Sales Audit for 30 stores, with over 1500 terminals and in-store processors.  Reduced sales posting from 3 days to overnight.  Reduced sales audit from 7 days to 1, and reduced staff by 50 percent.

 

Associated Dry Goods, Inc.                                                                                         St. Louis, Missouri
Director, Midwest Regional Data Center

Systems Development Manager         

·         Managed a regional data processing facility for five operating divisions with combined revenue over $600 million.  Staff of 45 performed all data processing functions including all batch and on-line processing, and all credit card and microfiche production.

·         Established information center for end-user access to merchandising and financial data.

·         Merged two operating divisions, combining all systems and data files.

·         As Systems Development Manager, developed Merchandise Information systems, including Fashion Reporting, Basic Stock Replenishment, and Classified Sales and Inventory, for all operating divisions of the company. 

·         Chaired the systems development steering committee of division principals, CFO's, and merchants.

 

 

May Department Stores Company, Inc.                                                                      St. Louis, Missouri

Programmer/Analyst   

Project Leader, Accounts Receivable
Project Manager, Financial Systems (Venture Stores, Inc. Division)

·         Started as Programmer/Analyst.  Developed computer programs for the company’s first common Accounts Receivable system, for use by all department store divisions.  Member of implementation team that traveled to division headquarters to implement system in 3 divisions, converting from manual billing card systems.

·         Member of team developing systems for May Department Stores International (MDSI).  Developed programs for Order Entry and Accounts Payable, allowing U.S. based buyers to write purchase orders for foreign merchandise.  System allowed orders to be placed in U.S. dollars, then converted order cost to local currency for foreign vendors, and provided a guaranteed $U.S. landed cost.

·         Promoted to Project Leader, Accounts Receivable.  Led implementation team to manage successful A/R implementations at 3 department store divisions.

 

 

Education:       University of Missouri School of Business, Columbia, MO., Accounting Major

                        Mineral Area College, Park Hills, MO.

Continuing Education – Retail merchandising and supply chain, distribution, RFID World

 

Professional:   President, JDA Users' Group, 1993 - 1995

Member, National Retail Federation IT Council, 1997

Member, Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS), 1995 – 1997

Program Chair, DFW Technology Executives Networking Group (DFW-TENG)

 

Speaker, Retail Systems conference – “How to Implement RF Systems for DC Work Flow”

RT Magazine article – “RF Tracking Makes the Difference for Penn-Daniels
Distribution Center”

 

CDP, CSP, Institute for Certification of Systems Professionals