Aksana Bowers
Lutz
Summary
Retail and managerial professional with extensive experience in cake decorating and boutique management. Created award-winning cakes while leading teams to maintain high standards of quality and customer service. Proven ability to collaborate with clients to design personalized confections, ensuring satisfaction and compliance with food safety regulations.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Cake Decorator
Publix
Tampa
10.2016 - Current
- I created award-winning cakes, pies, and cupcakes while providing customer service. Key responsibilities included icing and decorating custom orders, organizing stock in the bakery freezer, and training associates. I typically worked early shifts.
- Collaborated with customers to design personalized cakes for special events, ensuring each creation met their unique vision.: Work with customers to bring cake visions to life for events, including multi-tiered wedding cakes.
- Maintained showcase through icing, decorating, packaging, and labeling bakery products to enhance visual appeal and drive sales.: Ice, decorate, package, and label products for the island refrigerator cases and freezers.
- Answered customer inquiries and offered tailored product recommendations to enhance shopping experience and increase customer satisfaction.: Answer questions, sell products, and offer recommendations to help shoppers make decisions.
- Operated bakery mixer while upholding Publix's stringent standards for product quality and cleanliness.: Operate the bakery department mixer and strictly maintain Publix's high standards for product freshness and sanitation.
Cake Decorator/Baker
Giant Eagle
Cleveland
01.2011 - 09.2016
- Crafted baked goods in supermarket bakery department, mixing icing, decorating cakes, managing displays, taking customer orders, and adhering to health and safety standards to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Applied icing and decorative elements using bags, spatulas, and airbrush guns to create visually appealing standard and special-order cakes that meet customer expectations.
- Took orders in-person and over the phone, assisting guests and providing product-related information to enhance customer experience.
- Stocked and rotated bakery cases to maintain product freshness and visual appeal.
- Safety & Sanitation: Operates mixers, scales, and knives while strictly following food safety and housekeeping regulations.
Sales Associate
Macy's
North Olmsted
01.2009 - 01.2015
- Curated product assortments and optimized product placement based on tracked fashion trends and visual display directives to enhance sales and gross margins.
- Assisted customers with product selection and provided personalized service.
- Maintained knowledge of current promotions and sales in the store.
- Organized merchandise displays to enhance visual appeal and accessibility.
Owner & Founder
Panda Boutique
Kemerovo
01.1999 - 01.2007
- Curated high-end inventory of luxury fur and leather outerwear, resulting in 7% increase in year-over-year sales through targeted buying of Asian and Mid-Eastern leathers and furs.
- Cultivated loyal VIP client base through personalized styling consultations and bespoke fitting services, achieving solid customer retention rate.
- Directed visual merchandising, store layout, and marketing campaigns to elevate brand's premium aesthetic and maximize foot traffic.
- Managed end-to-end business operations including P&L, vendor negotiations, inventory control, and staff training.
General Counsel
Sports and Billiards Federation
Kemerovo
01.1999 - 01.2007
- Collaborated with president and board of directors to convert complex legal, tax, and real estate issues into actionable business strategies.
- Advised board on legal compliance and governance issues.
- Drafted and reviewed contracts for organizational partnerships and sponsorships.
- Managed disputes involving federation members and stakeholders.
Quality Control Manager
Imperial Bakery
Kemerovo
01.1997 - 01.1999
- Quality Assurance: Enforcing strict adherence to health regulations and company taste/freshness standards throughout the baking process.
- Managed raw material inventories, supply chain logistics, and quality assurance to minimize waste. I bridged the gap between production and finance by regulating ingredient costs, tracking stock levels, and ensuring compliance with strict health and safety standards.
- Oversaw flow of high-volume ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast) and packaging, conducting regular audits and cycle counts to prevent stock outs and spoilage.
- Monitored food and beverage costs, analyzed ingredient usage against standardized recipes, identifying opportunities to cut waste.
- Negotiated with suppliers, reviewed invoices, and managed supply chain continuity to ensure consistent quality and availability of materials.
Education
Law Degree - Equivalent to JD degree in United States
Kemerovo State University
Kemerovo, RU01-1999
Equivalent to BS - culinary college in United States in Bread, Pastry and Russian style decorating
Kemerovo Institute of Food Science and Technology
Kemerovo, RU01-1992
Skills
- Comfortable working independently
- Enjoy collaboration
- Meeting deadlines
- Quality standard maintenance
- Safety and sanitation
- Suggestive selling
Alias
Oxana Gulevataya
Skills - Key Competencies
- Comfortable working independently
- Enjoy collaboration
- Fluent in Russian and English
- Meeting deadlines
- Quality standard maintenance
- Safety and sanitation
- Suggestive selling
Timeline
Cake Decorator
Publix
10.2016 - Current
Cake Decorator/Baker
Giant Eagle
01.2011 - 09.2016
Sales Associate
Macy's
01.2009 - 01.2015
Owner & Founder
Panda Boutique
01.1999 - 01.2007
General Counsel
Sports and Billiards Federation
01.1999 - 01.2007
Quality Control Manager
Imperial Bakery
01.1997 - 01.1999
Law Degree - Equivalent to JD degree in United States
Kemerovo State University
Equivalent to BS - culinary college in United States in Bread, Pastry and Russian style decorating
Kemerovo Institute of Food Science and Technology