Work Preference
Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic
Open To Work

Bill Vorpahl

Woodstock,IL

Work Preference

Job Search Status

Open to work
Desired start date: Immediately

Desired Job Title

Regional Sales ManagerKey Account ManagerTerritory Manager

Work Type

Full Time

Location Preference

RemoteHybrid
Location: Woodstock, ILChicago, IL
Open to relocation: Yes

Salary Range

$75000/yr - $150000/yr

Summary

Proven sales leader achieving results through extensive experience, winning strategies and exceptional customer service. Posses a diverse set of experiences across sales, business development, category management, marketing & operations from multiple world class manufacturers and wholesale distributors across a wide range of retailers within the pet specialty industry. Proficient in customer service, communications, negotiations, problem solving and team leadership. Highly focused, data driven to support deadline operations to meet and exceed sales growth and budget expectations. Demonstrated capacity to deliver on customer relations and customer development with existing customers as well as new accounts. Specializing in independent pet stores, key accounts and regional chains. Major account experience includes Mid-States Corporate, Wheatbelt, Fleet Farm, Rural King, Big R Stores, Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Theisen’s, Farm & Home Supply, Farm King, Bomgarr’s, Ace Hardware, True Value Hardware, Family Farm & Home and Pet Supplies Plus.

Overview

33
33
years of professional experience

Work History

Key Account Manager - Midwest

Ethos Pet Brands
05.2025 - 01.2026
  • Responsible for Key Accounts and Upper Midwest sales territory management in independent pet stores, local chains, regional chains, Mid-States-farm store chains and hardware stores/chains.
  • Territory included Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky and Arkansas.
  • Opened up new Mid-States Farm Channel chains in Farm King and Big R.
  • Managed broker rep group, Nema Associates team of five salespeople for both Natural Balance & Canidae across the entire region.
  • Worked with multiple distributors including Phillips Pet, Central Garden & Pet and American Distribution & Manufacturing.
  • Brought back both of the brands which had been discontinued or dramatically downsized by many key retailers to respectable levels in only eight months.
  • Increased points of distribution by the thousands across the region with new as well as existing accounts and achieved some major wins for the company during my tenure.
  • Pet food manufacturer of specialty dog foods, dog treats and cat foods under two brands, Natural Balance and Canidae Pet Foods.

Territory Sales Manager

Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Foods
Midwest
02.2018 - 05.2025
  • Responsible for Midwest Sales Territory management for sales of 674 accounts with pet specialty retailers, chain accounts and multiple distributors in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Indiana.
  • Manage sales relationships with key retailers and chain accounts for promotional planning, purchasing, inventory management and forecasting to maintain customer focus & loyalty.
  • Grew Sales by 67% over the first four years.
  • Responsibly managed sales and expenses respectful of staying within budget.
  • Opened multiple new key accounts and dozens of independent retailers.
  • Perform sales forecasting and budgets and communicate monthly updates of sales & performance.
  • Planned, organized and facilitated co-op advertising programs, promotions, new store openings, new store sets, existing store resets and POG’s to constantly expand shelf space to increase sku count.
  • Trade show manager/administrator for Mid-States Distributing, collaborated with teammates nationally. Performed regional and national trade shows.
  • Conducted numerous retail in store demonstrations & distributor sales meetings.
  • Pet food manufacturer of specialty dog foods, dog treats and cat foods. Sister company of the best-selling paperback book series of all time of the same name brand.

Key Account Manager

RFG Distributing/Animal Supply Company
06.2009 - 01.2018
  • I began with RFG Distributing as a Sales Territory Manager and through rapid sales performance was promoted to Key Account Manager within six months.
  • Earned national sales award with Wellness Pet Foods for largest percentage of sales growth for my region earning a trip to Alaska for the Iditarod Race.
  • Dramatically grew business with Mid-States accounts by adding an entirely new category to their store sets in multiple lines of natural pet foods including Blue Buffalo, Wellness, Canidae, Natural Balance, Merrick, Chicken Soup and others equating to tens of millions of dollars of new business for the company.
  • Trade show manager for Mid-States Distributing and led sales team to call on accounts throughout the region to help grow sales, solve problems and maintain customer relations.
  • By the end of my tenure with Animal Supply the Mid-States group I was responsible for had increased from 12 million to well over 30 million in sales volume.
  • Inherited Blain’s Farm & Fleet doing under $200,000 in Mars business and grew them to over 9 million in total sales in just over eight years by adding multiple major lines of natural pet foods and pet supplies.
  • Took over Pet Supplies Plus accounts and began calling on corporate office. Negotiated to become the preferred distributor in the Midwest, adding multiple major pet food lines, growing sales from 1.5 million to over 11 million. Directed entire sales team on focus initiatives, advertising & sales objectives.
  • Spearheaded Cipher Lab handheld ordering scanner project and collaborated with IT to add our software specifically for Pet Supplies Plus.
  • Then managed the rollout of our own handheld scanner program for over 100 key accounts and specialty pet retailers. Led the sales team of eight people in the collaboration over two years. Project was a massive success in growing sales with all accounts, attracting new accounts as well as increasing ordering efficiencies for RFG and for all the customers which it was implemented with.
  • Performed cross functional and team leading skills with Pet Supplies Plus’s co-op ad program and coordinated with participating vendors monthly for ads.
  • Worked under the marketing department to coordinate graphics, layout and proof monthly sales flyer.
  • Leveraged industry knowledge to make informed decisions regarding pricing models and product assortments for key accounts.
  • Maintained Year over Year growth of 10%-154% for 9 consecutive years with RFG Distributing and Animal Supply.
  • Pet Specialty distributors of dog, cat, companion animal, aquatic, bird, reptile and companion animal foods and supplies. Servicing Specialty Independent Stores, Petsmart, Petco, Pet Supplies Plus, Farm & Home chains, Hardware Store Chains and Grocery Stores.

Sales Territory Manager

Wilson Pet Supply
07.1996 - 01.2009
  • Managed a multi-state sales territory of specialty independent pet retailers, hardware stores, grocery stores. Increased territory sales volume by 325% from under 4 million to over 13 million by increasing points of distribution with new accounts and growing sales with existing accounts.
  • Regularly exceed sales volume targets earning monthly, quarterly and annual bonuses. Won multiple sales contests and awards from multiple vendors.
  • Frequently performed ride alongs with manufacturer reps to add new lines, increase points of distribution and overall sales volume.
  • Collaborated on development and implementation of the 5-Mile Marketing program. A direct mail program to more than 20 million homes for participating retail partners.
  • Administered accounts receivable to within 2.5% of payment terms.
  • Specialized in new product launches partnering with hundreds of manufacturers, gaining far more new item placements than any of our competition.
  • Specialty pet food and supplies distributor servicing Independent Retailers, Petsmart, Petco and small chains of hardware and grocery.

Retail Sales Specialist / Retail Sales Manager

Marineland Aquarium Products
05.1993 - 06.1996
  • Managed a nine-state territory with over four hundred accounts and seven distributors.
  • Regularly conducted distributor sales presentations and retail trainings.
  • Pioneered and developed the “Tool Box” replacement part program for my region, due to the success the company rolled out on a national level.
  • Collaborated in the development of the “Ambassador Program” for in-store demonstrations of the product line. Managed dozens of part time associates reporting directly to me.
  • Through collaborative team efforts we overtook the previous number one selling aquarium filter brand of thirty years to become number one selling brand. A major achievement in the aquatic industry at the time.
  • Promoted from Sales Specialist to Sales Manager after my first year.
  • Manufacturer of top selling aquarium filters & related supplies

Education

Some College - Sales & Marketing

MATC
Milwaukee, WI

High School -

Pius XI Catholic High School

Skills

  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Key Account Management
  • Territory Management
  • Business Retention and Growth
  • Problem Solving
  • Team Leadership
  • Functional Team Collaboration
  • Sales Expertise
  • Consultative Sales
  • Solution Selling
  • Category Management
  • Sales Training
  • Project Management
  • Decision Making
  • Sales Forecasting
  • New Business Hunter
  • Sales negotiations
  • Trade show coordination

Timeline

Key Account Manager - Midwest

Ethos Pet Brands
05.2025 - 01.2026

Territory Sales Manager

Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Foods
02.2018 - 05.2025

Key Account Manager

RFG Distributing/Animal Supply Company
06.2009 - 01.2018

Sales Territory Manager

Wilson Pet Supply
07.1996 - 01.2009

Retail Sales Specialist / Retail Sales Manager

Marineland Aquarium Products
05.1993 - 06.1996

Some College - Sales & Marketing

MATC

High School -

Pius XI Catholic High School

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Bill Vorpahl