CHARLES B KNOX
12649 Tamarac St. Thornton,CO
Summary
Experienced CPG business professional with a unique mix of experience in sales, sales management, key account sales, distributor management, merchandising, marketing, and category management. Successful at establishing and developing key partnerships with corporate decision makers.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Market Development Manager
Spindrift Beverage Company
Denver, CO
10.2023 - Current
- Managed all Spindrift Spiked and 16 oz non-alc business with Breakthru Beverage Colorado.
- Became the exclusive supplier to The Mishawaka Amphitheater in Bellevue, CO for both Spiked and non-alc sparkling water. This is the #1 Spiked account in Colorado.
- Increased sales for the first half of 2024 by 50% over 2023 sales.
- Increased sales for retail grocery for the first half of 2024 by 67% over 2023 sales.
Area Sales Representative
Spindrift Beverage Company
Denver, Colorado
03.2019 - Current
- Area Sales Representative for a 300+ MM manufacturer of flavored sparkling water in Colorado and Wyoming. Sold Spindrift to numerous retailers including King Soopers (Kroger), Safeway (Albertson's), Target, Wal-Mart, and Whole Foods.
- Developed key customer relationships to increase sales. Grew sales in King Soopers (Kroger) from $0 in 2019 to $4.6 million by 2023 making King Soopers the #1 Kroger division for Spindrift.
- Awarded “display ninja” at 2020 Spindrift National Sales Meeting for outstanding display execution.
- ASR of the year in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
- Member of the Spindrift "First Mate" program to help 3 new hires acclimate to their new position
- Launched Spindrift Spiked (w/alcohol) in Colorado by selling in 30 displays to King Soopers stores.
Customer Development Manager
Advantage Solutions
Cleveland, OH
07.2014 - 04.2023
- Made Key Account calls to Regional Grocery Account HQs including Heinen's, Fisher Foods, and Marc's. Presented new items, designed promotional calendar, and processed orders for over 30 manufacturers including Ocean Spray, Sargento, Ferraro, Unilever, and Barilla.
- Created $500,000 in new sales in 2015 by selling in new items, expanding current product lines, and running successful promotions.
- Increased sales by 300% for client Ferraro by obtaining register placement for Nutella and Go shippers at all Heinen's stores and running aggressive promotions throughout the year.
Customer Development Manager
Advantage Solutions
Denver, CO
01.2017 - 12.2018
- Sold Pepsi Warehouse Products such as Gatorade, Quaker, Izzy, Life/Captain Crunch to King Soopers (Kroger), Safeway (Albertson's), and Walmart Stores in the greater Denver area.
- Managed a sales territory with $11 MM in sales. Finished in the top 10% of all CDMs nationally in 2017.
Retail Supervisor
Advantage Solutions
, OH, PA, WV, KY, IN, & MI.
02.2012 - 07.2014
- Managed, hired, and trained 32 Retail Sales Merchandisers who were responsible for sales and merchandising in retail grocery.
- Managed a sales territory with 450 accounts across 6 states that produced over $850,000 in revenue.
- Developed monthly RSM newsletter to increase employee engagement and recognize top performers. As a result, my employee engagement scores increased to 79% which was top 5% company wide in 2013.
Club Supervisor - Sam's Club Demos
Advantage Solutions
Akron, OH
02.2010 - 02.2012
- Hired, trained, and managed a team of 32 Event Specialist performing demos at Sam's Club. Scheduled demos events, ensured all food safety guidelines were followed, and sold in club funded events. Managed a $500,000 a year business.
- Achieved over 200% of sales quota on club funded events which created an additional $35,600 of revenue per year.
- Had 2 direct reports promoted and recognized for a high employee engagement score of 89%.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
Denison University
Granville, OHSkills
- CPG Sales and Sales Management
- Distributor and Broker Management
- Hiring & Training new employees
- Account Development and Sales Growth
- Creative and Impactful Merchandising
- Strategic Account Planning
- New Business Development
- New Item Activation
- Ad Placement and Product Promotion
- Advanced Excel/Power Point/MS Office skills
Timeline
Market Development Manager
Spindrift Beverage Company
10.2023 - Current
Area Sales Representative
Spindrift Beverage Company
03.2019 - Current
Customer Development Manager
Advantage Solutions
01.2017 - 12.2018
Customer Development Manager
Advantage Solutions
07.2014 - 04.2023
Retail Supervisor
Advantage Solutions
02.2012 - 07.2014
Club Supervisor - Sam's Club Demos
Advantage Solutions
02.2010 - 02.2012
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
Denison University