EARLE 'CHIP' KEATON
Middleville,Michigan
Summary
Accomplished furniture industry professional offering high performance leading development and implementation of superior sales strategy. Proven track record of identifying and creating profitable business opportunities, qualifying authentic prospects and cultivating strong partnerships. Demonstrated expertise in team leadership and development.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Territory Manager/Sales Representative
LEATHER-ITALIA USA
Wilmington, North Carolina
03.2023 - Current
- Drove a rise of 8% in revenue growth for the past fiscal year.
- Led sales planning, development and account management to grow existing accounts and establish new sales accounts.
- Resolved customer complaints promptly and professionally.
Territory Manager/Sales Representative
MEGA-MOTION LIFT CHAIRS
Ponotoc, Mississippi
04.2022 - Current
- Boosted territorial volume by 56% in the first year of representation, and achieved notable increases in both unit sales and dollar revenue growth within the past year.
- Manage accounts and build partnerships throughout the territory by utilizing a consultative sales approach providing excellent customer service, product training and problem resolution
- Prospecting to add new partners, working to increase floor placements with current dealer partners and increasing familiarity within the stores via sales training on the product line offerings, features and benefits and warranty
Territory Manager/Sales Representative
GRAND RAPIDS BEDDING
Grand Rapids, Michigan
06.2020 - 05.2024
- Increased profitability and revenue by identifying customer needs and determining appropriate offerings.
- Developed and implemented sales strategies to increase category sales volume.
- Coordinated attendance at trade shows and other promotional events to raise brand awareness in the territory.
Consultant
DÉCOR-REST FURNITURE LTD
Toronto, Ontario
07.2019 - 03.2020
- Contracted to evaluate and suggest operational improvements to products, designs, processes, quality, daily operations and other factors to improve Décor-Rest's position in the U.S market
- Improving delivery times for U.S market
- Improving product and manufacturing related processes to enhance efficiencies, output, quality and on time delivery
Vice President of Manufacturing
ENGLAND, INC.
New Tazewell, Tennessee
01.2007 - 01.2019
- Company Overview: a La-Z-Boy Company
- Led day-to-day operations, including manufacturing, shipping, warehousing, facilities maintenance and safety, environmental compliance, R&D, industrial engineering, customer service, quality, and human resources (1,200,000 square feet of manufacturing space with 1,100 employees)
- Helped set annual operating and sales plans for company and measured daily, weekly, and monthly progress toward plan
- Met quarterly with executives to report on progress and realign shortfalls
- Developed capital budgets and expansion plans for future growth, as outlined by company's five-year business plan, including building, equipment, and people
- Converted outfit from manual processes to CNC-driven processes, shifting from handcutting fabric to CNC-based machine fabric-cutting
- Worked successfully on employee retention plans to improve turnover rates
- Maintained on-time delivery rate of 98% and 99% first-time quality level
- Converted fabric-cutting operation from hand-cutting to CNC-based cutting, using Lectra CAD software and cutting equipment
- Increased overall capacity 20% while using half total staff
- Replaced aging fleet of 15 CNC routers from 2015 to 2018 and enacted incentive-based pay system for new equipment
- Lowered maintenance cost by $180,000 annually while increasing productivity 20%
- Converted leather-cutting from manual hand-cutting to CNC-based cutting
- Reduced staff by 50% while increasing capacity and increasing leather yields 5% overall
- Maintained quality levels on less than 1% of sales
- Led operation through massive growth (9.4% quarter over quarter) from 2012 to 2017, with company growing from $91,000,000 to $180,000,000 during tenure as Vice President
- Maintained 14-year 'no lost-time accident' record (8,237,498 man-hours)
- Acted as Interim Sales Manager for 2016 and Interim Customer Service Manager from 2015 to 2017
Vice President of Manufacturing
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
Bedford, Virginia
01.2004 - 01.2007
- Company Overview: a La-Z-Boy Company
- Directed day-to-day operations, including manufacturing, shipping, warehousing, R&D, plant safety and maintenance, environmental compliance, industrial engineering, and supply chain (300,000-square-foot plant with 300 employees)
- Collaborated with core leadership team to develop annual operating plans to meet corporate goal, and held quarterly meetings to review and adjust accordingly
- Led organization through ERP installation, as well as legacy system conversion to an Oracle platform
- Participated in transitions following separate sales to La-Z-Boy and subsequent sale to Hooker Furniture
- Maintained high levels of quality at all times
Supply Center Manager
LA-Z-BOY
Newton, Mississippi
01.2002 - 01.2004
- Guided day-to-day operation of supply centers in Newton, Mississippi, including wood-processing, metal-stamping, and leather-cutting and sewing
- Acted as member of Lead Team
- Supervised 400 employees in three plants
- Worked to convert manual hand-cutting of leather to CNC-based cutting
- Increased capacity, reduced staffing by 50%, and improved yield 10%
Production Manager
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
Bedford, Virginia
01.2000 - 01.2002
- Oversaw 150 hourly employees and day-to-day operation of cutting, sewing, woodworking, and cushioning departments
Cushion Department Supervisor
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
Bedford, Virginia
01.1999 - 01.2000
- Supervised cushioning department to meet production schedules (15 employees)
Industrial Engineer
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
Bedford, Virginia
01.1998 - 01.1999
- Developed production rates for incentive jobs
- Partnered with R&D to develop product costing
Industrial Engineer
LANE FURNITURE COMPANY
Rocky Mount, Virginia
01.1995 - 01.1998
- Established production rates for incentive jobs
- Worked with R&D to develop product costing
Education
B.S. - Accounting and Business Management
NEWBERRY COLLEGE
Newberry, South Carolina01.1995
Skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office
- Territory management
- Multitasking and organization
- Strategic and Performance Improvement planning
- Collaborative Team Leadership
- Relationship-Driven Sales Approach
- Key account development
- Coaching and mentoring
Timeline
Territory Manager/Sales Representative
LEATHER-ITALIA USA
03.2023 - Current
Territory Manager/Sales Representative
MEGA-MOTION LIFT CHAIRS
04.2022 - Current
Territory Manager/Sales Representative
GRAND RAPIDS BEDDING
06.2020 - 05.2024
Consultant
DÉCOR-REST FURNITURE LTD
07.2019 - 03.2020
Vice President of Manufacturing
ENGLAND, INC.
01.2007 - 01.2019
Vice President of Manufacturing
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
01.2004 - 01.2007
Supply Center Manager
LA-Z-BOY
01.2002 - 01.2004
Production Manager
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
01.2000 - 01.2002
Cushion Department Supervisor
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
01.1999 - 01.2000
Industrial Engineer
SAM MOORE FURNITURE INDUSTRIES
01.1998 - 01.1999
Industrial Engineer
LANE FURNITURE COMPANY
01.1995 - 01.1998
B.S. - Accounting and Business Management
NEWBERRY COLLEGE
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