Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Qualifications
Generic
Blake Andrew Weirich

Blake Andrew Weirich

Yukon,OK

Summary

To obtain a position within a large retail / wholesale leader as a location Manager, District Manager, or Director. Experienced high volume retail Manager / merchandiser proficient at directing employees and skilled in business processes such as financial budgeting, forecasting, project planning and execution, operations and merchandising. Specializing in perishable merchandising and perishable operations with extensive knowledge of the grocery retail, private label, and wholesale environment. Knowledgeable Senior Sales Manager with background in managing regional sales teams and driving market expansion. Expertise in developing strategic sales plans and fostering client relationships, leading to significant territory growth. Demonstrated ability to mentor sales teams and enhance their performance through effective leadership and communication. Experienced with leading regional sales teams and driving market growth through strategic planning and client relationship management. Utilizes effective leadership and communication skills to mentor and enhance sales team performance. Track record of achieving significant territory expansion and meeting sales targets.


Overview

18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Regional Sales Manager / Sales Coordinator

Associated Wholesale Grocers
08.2016 - 07.2025
  • Supported the Produce and Floral department of the Gulf Coast Division.
  • Managed the locally sourced produce, as well as, the specialty produce items purchased from California.
  • Worked with the Sales Manager to expand product offerings, power buys, product inventory levels and many other related functions.
  • Category review and analysis on all product lines. Reviewed findings and reported to Sales Manager and Director in order to better serve our members.
  • Cross trained as the produce buyer to extend succession planning for the division.
  • Supported the Rouses stores, from ad planning recaps, store resets, item set up, and quality support.
  • Supported the Sales Manager on becoming the #2 Produce Sales division for the AWG Company.
  • Achieved regional sales objectives by coordinating sales team, developing successful strategies, and servicing accounts to strengthen business relationships.
  • Expanded market share within the region by identifying growth opportunities and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
  • Increased regional sales by implementing strategic marketing plans and nurturing key client relationships.
  • Organized regular sales meetings, providing comprehensive updates on market trends, competitor analysis, and new product developments.
  • Generated detailed sales reports and forecasts to analyze performance and track progress.
  • Developed and maintained positive relationships with clients in assigned sales territories.
  • Conducted product demonstrations and presentations to potential clients to capture more sales.
  • Collaborated with senior executives to evaluate performance in regional area and develop strategies to expand revenue generation.
  • Attended industry conferences and tradeshows to stay up-to-date with market trends and customer needs.

Floral Sales Manager / Regional Buyer

Associated Wholesale Grocers
10.2015 - 08.2016
  • Was responsible for the Buying for 49 Albertsons Stores, as well as, several independent stores in the Dallas / Fort Worth Market. Albertsons included item set up, item distribution, weekly new items, and very high volume floral stores. This also includes inventory of everyday items of over 300 SKU’s and weekly volume of over 3200 cases.
  • YTD AWG Fort Worth had an increase of 33% in Floral. This sales increase comes from increase in purchases from Independent stores, as well as, Albertsons.
  • Completely revamped the Independent Floral Pre-book and Increased business with independent retailers within the same 49% increase area.

Merchandising Field Specialist

Associated Wholesale Grocers
06.2014 - 11.2015
  • Worked with Member Retailers out in the field to teach, train, and suggest different merchandising techniques to build sales.
  • Trained under Yvonne Jones on the fundamentals of buying at AWG and how to monitor inventory.
  • Learned how to promote in the AWG world and how to market certain items to certain members.
  • The Oklahoma City Division has a wide range of customer base from large 90,000 square foot stores ranging in one million in sales to stores that are 7000 square foot stores ranging in a few thousand in sales a week.
  • Performed audits of competitor displays, gaining valuable insights into best practices within the industry.
  • Adapted quickly to changing market conditions, modifying plans as needed to ensure continued success of merchandising campaigns.
  • Proactively identified potential obstacles or issues before they arose, taking swift action to rectify any concerns.
  • Maintained strong relationships with vendors, negotiating favorable terms for product placements and promotions.
  • Coordinated cross-functional efforts between sales teams and other departments for seamless execution of promotional events and product launches.

Senior Design and Merchandising Specialist

Galleria Farms
12.2013 - 06.2014
  • Mass Market Specialist working with accounts such as Wal-Mart, Sams, Winn-Dixie, and Kroger.
  • Specializing in consumer bunches, roses, upscale bouquets and beginning to import specialty produce.
  • Working with Account Managers on how to increase sales revenue and how to advise on selling to mass markets.

Store Manager (Operations)

The Kroger Co.
06.2012 - 05.2013
  • Execute company procedures and strategic initiatives that drive the customer experience and satisfaction.
  • Manage Inventory flow process to ensure proper merchandise replenishment and in-stock position.
  • Monitor and evaluate the facility to identify opportunities with inventory flow and signs of shrinkage and take the appropriate corrective action.
  • Utilize company directives in order to be more productive and to ensure the proper savings are being utilized to gain the proper amount of EBITDA.
  • Manage sales forecasting, service and maintenance of building, financial P&L reports, scheduling, proper training, and hiring.
  • Oversaw 60 employees including 8 department managers.
  • Well versed in Cold Chain Management, product rotation, and product dating.

National Corporate Category Manager

The Kroger Co.
06.2010 - 06.2012
  • Procured product from all over the world, including sourcing from China.
  • Worked with divisions for truckload opportunities and truck building as a way to maximize profitability and minimize freight loss.
  • Worked exclusively with the Private Selection Kroger Brand in order to build private label support. Ad support and period promotions were built around private label support.
  • Managed the Potted, Fresh and Hard Good Categories for the Kroger Co. and banners. This included 2300 stores across the United States equaling to a total of $600M in sales. This included creating and implementing the largest Orchid Program in North America to include a “Summer of Orchids” promotion that yielded more than $7.7M in total sales and a 40% increase over the previous fiscal year. Under my time in this position, Orchids was the fastest growing commodity in the floral department and reached sales of more than $30M, more than $7M than the previous fiscal year.
  • Utilized company category management systems to analyze and research programs to determine the correct advertising direction by selling region; this included hard good selections, additional period promotions, the utilization of distributions and implementing new items in the stores. This included analyzing company financials and P&L reports.
  • Redesigned and implemented the Corporate Fruit Basket and Gift Basket Program. This redesign included the addition of the Candy Vase that was the number one percent increase item within the produce Department. Not only were new labor practices introduced, but pre-made options were utilized to decrease labor as well. The redesign and implementation of new items developed a sales increase of over 200% over the previous fiscal year.
  • Partnered with three large plush manufacturers to roll out a new SBT plush program to all stores. The program included a vendor managed product selection that chose the best sold items as well as newly developed items by region. This was all net new sales to the company and created an additional $4M in sales.
  • Worked closely with corporate procurement and facility engineering on product fixtures as well as product auctions to best determine product cost savings. This included any supply item used and creating one order guide in order to know the cost of supplies used as well as the efficiency of warehouses.
  • Developed weekly advertised items by region to increase sales, as well as increase market share within the households purchasing from Kroger Stores.
  • The Kroger Company was divided into 4 regions and ads were diversified by region to increase growth, as well as maintaining pricing needs for each region.
  • Collaborated with divisional and regional managers in order to identify, measure and minimize company losses from a store, logistical, and warehouse standpoint.
  • Managed the distribution of two warehouses as well as four procurement managers and two commodity managers.
  • Worked closely with vendor partners in order to negotiate the best cost for the company and to reinvest the cost in prices to maximize the sales potential of the items selected.
  • Overhauled the Corporate Hard Good Plans, as well as, fixturing for all 18 banners of the Kroger Co. This included all Seasonal programs, Kitchen Place, Extended Home décor stores, Makeitplace layout and design, and the introduction to selling hard goods outside.

Divisional Merchandiser / Category Buyer

The Kroger Co.
08.2007 - 06.2010
  • Managed the Produce / Floral Program and merchandising direction for the Kroger Delta Division (116 Stores) located in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Responsibilities included sales planning, budgeting / forecasting by week, developing and overseeing new programs to drive additional sales, shrink and gross profit reporting and analyzing P&L reports.
  • Managed the product flow from the Wesco buying offices to the Distribution Center. This included a 100% Store Delivered outdoor program based out of Florida. Became the number one selling division of the PL Boston and Kimberly Fern.
  • Created the “No Labor” concept at major floral holidays by utilizing all pre-made vase arrangements and potted upgrades, that allowed our labor hours to be reduced and allowed our store associates to be sales people and to be prepared early. This included large distributions of pre-made dozen roses, budvases, and select floral arrangements prepared in Miami.
  • Worked closely with Produce Merchandising to tie in Locally Grown product as well as large storewide selling events to maintain community and state support for our farming community. “Locally Grown” became a large selling event each year and engaged our most loyal customers.
  • Responsible for all grand opening celebrations, remodels, in-store training, development of produce managers and florists, and overseeing six Produce District Coordinators.

Education

Bachelors - Communications/Public Relations

University of Memphis
12-2027

Associates - Communications/Fine Arts

Southwest Tennessee CC
12-2027

Skills

  • Sales leadership
  • Customer service
  • Strategic planning
  • Business development and planning
  • Sales expertise
  • Business development
  • Relationship selling
  • Training and mentoring
  • Account management
  • Project management
  • Sales initiatives and techniques
  • Sales tracking
  • Competitive analysis

Certification

  • Color Code Personality Science (2012)
  • Lean Six Sigma Certification (2011)
  • Oz Principles of Accountability (2010)
  • FTD Master Florist Certification (2008)

Timeline

Regional Sales Manager / Sales Coordinator

Associated Wholesale Grocers
08.2016 - 07.2025

Floral Sales Manager / Regional Buyer

Associated Wholesale Grocers
10.2015 - 08.2016

Merchandising Field Specialist

Associated Wholesale Grocers
06.2014 - 11.2015

Senior Design and Merchandising Specialist

Galleria Farms
12.2013 - 06.2014

Store Manager (Operations)

The Kroger Co.
06.2012 - 05.2013

National Corporate Category Manager

The Kroger Co.
06.2010 - 06.2012

Divisional Merchandiser / Category Buyer

The Kroger Co.
08.2007 - 06.2010

Bachelors - Communications/Public Relations

University of Memphis

Associates - Communications/Fine Arts

Southwest Tennessee CC

Qualifications

  • 20 Years of produce, floral, seasonal and grocery operations retail management. (8 Years Corporate Purchasing and Category Management)
  • Excellent communication and speaking, leadership and support skills with a talent of responding to, respecting, divergent opinions and interests of individuals and groups.
  • Able to thrive in deadline-oriented, high-pressure situations.
  • Develop, streamline, and implement procedures and programs that improve efficiency and reduce costs.
  • Well organized with ability to multi-task effectively. Solid time management.
  • Experienced in Microsoft applications Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, & Outlook.
  • Extensive Seasonal, Holiday Décor, Outdoor Garden Center, Chemicals and Gift Line. Managed the Hardgood Seasonal line for the Kroger Co, as well as, home décor for everyday business.

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