Darren Lowell
Marlboro,NJ
Summary
To gain a career with a well established company that will allow myself to financially support my family for many years to come. To further my careers pace into an upper management position in an up trending company with a strong and stable background. Forward-thinking and results-driven sales leader with more than 25 years of experience in partnership development, account management and channel building. Self-directed leader with talents in diversifying networks, product offerings and pricing strategies to drive growth with value-added solutions.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
North East Regional Sales Manager
Pero Family Farms
09.2023 - Current
- I have been establishing a book of distributor contacts that is currently 68 regional opportunities with initial commitments
- Education of the product line and the Pero brand difference to the new customer base
- New opportunity package development with high volume foodservice distribution and ready to eat meal distributors
- Monitoring and guiding the onboarding process of new accounts to ensure a smooth transition of business
- Continual new product education for current client base including sales meetings and customer transitions
- Developed an onboarding form that ensures smooth transitions of clients into the Pero System
- I work with the marketing team consistently to develop a consistent marketing deck that flows with the ideas of the client
- I maintain a daily and weekly reporting system for the Executive boards weekly board meeting.
VP Foodservice Sales
OuterAisle Gourmet
01.2022 - 06.2023
- Developed a marketing structure that enabled Outer Aisle to enter the food service side of the industry
- Set a Plan of attack to gain traction in the foodservice world
- Recreated and established a new packaging structure for food service that would allow a more cohesive and feasible structure for mass production and feeding
- Established a food service relationship with a major re-distribution hub to make entry into broad line distribution feasible
- Established relationships with national broad line distribution as well as regional distribution
- Built a brokerage network that will take Outer Aisle into markets previously untouched
- Created a structured marketing program which enables Outer Aisle to stay profitable while still leaving the perception of value to their customer base
- Built a standard for trade show booths and meetings that enhance the high quality line of products and allows the line to present in a practical, consistent model
- Developed a cookbook with the marketing team to enhance the usability of the product line
- Defined a travel and entertainment budget that is feasible to maintain growth
- Built relationships with national accounts and large volume HMR companies that will extend the growth of the company.
North East Regional Sales Manager
Wenner Bakery/ Europastry
09.2017 - 01.2022
- I have Grown three Regions Year over Year up 400%, 275% and turned a Negative Region to a positive 24%
- I have established 8 new Distributor Relationships within the last year to help control growth spurts within
- I have added on multiple Multi Unit Operations including customization of product lines to fit within the product spectrum reducing my competitive market
- I have Managed and Designed multiple Trade Show Booths to spark new Business and Street level interest
- I have Re-established tarnished relationships with Distributors, Brokers and Operators that have created a lift in Sales bringing on new Opportunities
- I have gone through a Rigorous training cycle including Line Flow Procedures, Safety Procedures and Microsoft Programs
- Created Pricing Structures for Operators and Distributors to keep them market compatible using new Pricing models.
NYC Metro Market Account Executive/ Client Manager
Waypoint LLC.
05.2013 - 09.2017
- Consistently establishing new relationships with the independent distributor market in the NYC region adding on over 20 new distributors that were previously untapped
- I have grown the baseline performance of my manufacturer clients between a low of 10% growth to well over 100% with my distributor base relationship skills
- I have established an 'A' account list of over 30 operators including rapidly growing chains within our market region, which includes placing new line items that are innovative and exciting
- I have earned the Knockout award (employee of the month) 7 times in the last 2 years
- I have consistently met and exceeded my client's expectations with piece count growth including new product launches on a quarterly basis
- I have recently become an acting client manager with an established national dairy company that has required me to become a leader within my office which includes monitoring and training of approximately 21 sales members, within the first 2 months we have grown the business by 20,000# adding on four new distributors with four more in the on-boarding process
- I have been chosen to mentor and progress our team to reflect a positive outlook within our office when in it comes to our clients.
Area Manager
Dicarlo Foodservices
01.2012 - 05.2013
- Grew a route from 0 base line sales to $2,100,000 within a one year span and maintained a retention rate of over 90%
- I kept the financials of my clients to within 90% of actual debt keeping them within terms on a consistent basis
- I grew and maintained a route size of over 30 accounts in an extreme market circumstance within a one-year span
- I consistently grew my piece counts week to week to maintain the profitability of our company and to box out my competition
- I was chosen multiple times to mentor new area manager hires within my region and assisted their growth to become established leaders.
Territory Manager
PFS-AFI Foodservices
03.2010 - 08.2011
- Grew a route from 0 base line sales to $2,500,000 within a one year span and maintained a retention rate of over 70%
- I kept the financials of my clients to within 85% of actual debt keeping them within terms on a consistent basis
- I grew and maintained a route size of over 35 accounts in an extreme market circumstance within a one-year span
- I consistently grew my piece counts week over week to maintain the profitability of our company and to box out my competition
- I was asked to work on a committee to help define training among our sales team in regards to new and innovative items
- I won the division sales leader award for the 2010 year for my level, which encapsulated the greater percentage portion of a sales force of 90.
Territory Salesman
Auto-Chlor Systems
05.2008 - 03.2010
- I managed to contract a quick growth spurt of over 120 accounts within my first year, which pushed my ranking up to the number two salesmen within my division
- I personally assisted in dish and chemical installs for all of my new clients establishing a trust that followed me within my career
- I was inducted into the Presidents club the first year that I was onboard which is a nationally regarded distinction within the company
- I was asked to mentor all new hires to promote their success within the company
- I became well versed in the chemical and commercial dish machine industry that allowed me to become an expert within my field.
Marketing Associate
Sysco Foodservices
09.2000 - 04.2008
- I grew a route size of $3,400,000 within my time frame as marketing associate starting with a zero account base
- I kept and maintained a residual customer base between thirty-five and forty accounts at any given time
- I won the Presidents club three times within my tenure and the Chairman's club once as well
- I was part of the district of the month multiple times and district of the year two times within my time span
- I won four company sponsored trips within a four-year span that was part of a sales based competition
- I was asked to mentor new hires to promote their success within the district and helped maintain their growth at the same time that I continued to grow in sales
- I became the go-to team member within multiple districts in a short period of time which included mentoring senior sales team members
- I kept my outstanding debt within an 80% ratio, which allowed me to have a consistent market to sell to
- I was appointed to multiple committees to discuss future training sessions on sales and new product introductions
- I completed all of the company sponsored contests which included their ten for ten growth program.
Education
Bachelors of Science Degree in Hospitality Management - Management
Johnson And Wales University
Providence, RI05.1996
Associates of Science Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management - Business Management
Johnson And Wales University
Providence, RI03.1995
Skills
- Well-rounded study of the culinary world I have been in sales for the last 27 years and I know how to implement items that I represent into a real world environment I am also well versed in restaurant terminology, which enables clients to stay at a comfortable pace with me I am experienced with Apple, Windows and IBM Compatible systems and all programs included such as Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Works as well as multiple corporate systems such as SPS, SAM System and Powersell, which are proprietary systems I am a natural leader that is comfortable controlling meetings and displaying items in multiple states of use and have no fear in discussions with management at all levels and audiences of all sizes I have consistently been chosen as a sales leader and power performer within all facets of my career
- Sales Presentations
- Client acquisition
- Pipeline Management
- Territory Management
- Deal Closing
- Training and mentoring
- Business development and planning
- Goal Setting
- Customer Base Development
- Sales Leadership
- Sales expertise
- Relationship selling
Timeline
North East Regional Sales Manager
Pero Family Farms
09.2023 - Current
VP Foodservice Sales
OuterAisle Gourmet
01.2022 - 06.2023
North East Regional Sales Manager
Wenner Bakery/ Europastry
09.2017 - 01.2022
NYC Metro Market Account Executive/ Client Manager
Waypoint LLC.
05.2013 - 09.2017
Area Manager
Dicarlo Foodservices
01.2012 - 05.2013
Territory Manager
PFS-AFI Foodservices
03.2010 - 08.2011
Territory Salesman
Auto-Chlor Systems
05.2008 - 03.2010
Marketing Associate
Sysco Foodservices
09.2000 - 04.2008
Bachelors of Science Degree in Hospitality Management - Management
Johnson And Wales University
Associates of Science Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management - Business Management
Johnson And Wales University