Jeff Gormanous
Glenview,IL
Summary
Leverage extensive leadership and innovation skills developed from a wide range of roles in retail and program design, team and category management, sales, and merchandise research and analytics in a growth oriented company. Knowledgeable Director with over 20 years of experience bringing planning and problem-solving abilities. Focused on maximizing resource utilization to support scalable operations and increase bottom-line profitability. Organized and systematic with natural relationship-building and leadership talents.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Store and Phase Planning
Walgreens Boots Alliance
Deerfield, IL
11.2013 - 06.2024
- Lead team that creates store layouts that support our strategic priorities
- Assist Business Groups to develop pilots and rollout programs that support long term planning goals
- Partner with our Insights group to gain knowledge of our customers that help inform category affinities and optimal location as well as new services that enhance the customer’s experience
- Assist in the creation of design standards for macro space allocation
- Lead in the creation of design standards that are used to rollout major store remodels (examples include VisionStore: Corners vs Urban Formats, Beauty Evolution, Beauty Differentiation, Differentiated Health Experience, Photo Reinvention, Pharmacy Evolution, Clinics and Labs and other new content and services)
- Lead the design and development of new fixtures that create better customer experience, increase sales and/or improve efficient workflow at stores (reduce labor costs)
- Partner with our Merchants and other WBA Business Partners in developing new content that requires new or modified space or fixtures within our stores
- Manage our Innovation Center to showcase the newest consumer store solutions
- Activities include installation of new fixtures (including prototypes), general IC operations for resets, revisions and seasonal merchandise plans, application and showcase of targeted consumer content, create and install life‐size new format designs prior to execution in stores
- (Team Size 20 people, Budget $2 Million)
Director of New Format and Innovation
Walgreens Boots Alliance
06.2010 - 11.2013
- Collaborated with the Merchant Organization (Group Vice Presidents, Division Managers, Category Managers) to initiate and coordinate new innovative content, which included creating new item & categories, fixtures and selling events, that exist in our stores to drive sales and profits
- Our team was the primary point of contact for Merchandising to enable the development and implementation of new content
- Well Experience (WE), our umbrella remodel classification, included the store formats that launched specific innovation such as Food Desert, Fresh, High-End Beauty/Look Boutique, New Queuing, and Integrated Creative Photo department and efficient labor model
- We apply project and task management skills to ensure innovative ideas develop into innovative merchandising solutions in our stores
- Finally, we would assess our competition and bring back best practices that facilitate innovation in our stores
- (Team Size 5 people, Budget <$1 Million)
Category Manager: Beverages
Walgreens Boots Alliance
08.2007 - 06.2010
- Managed a power category portfolio, (Carbonated Beverage, Water, Isotonic, Energy, and other beverages) which represented $1 Billion in annual sales
- Posted year after year double‐digit sales growth and market share gains that significantly exceed chain growth
- Created and coordinated weekly traffic driving ads that drew new customers into our stores, while also responding to company need to drive more traffic during key reporting periods
- Leverage multiple aspects of promotion to drive sales: Roto ads, Rebates, MegaSavers, Suggestive Sell, Bundle Promotions, and innovative displays
- Developed and promoted items to expand and grow WAG private brands
- Managed installation of 3500+ stores’ Checkout Coolers
- (Team Size $10M)
Category Manager: Tobacco, Books and Magazines
Walgreens Boots Alliance
08.2005 - 08.2007
- Managed a category portfolio, (Cigarettes/Tobacco, Magazines, and Books) which represent $980+ Million annually
- Converted magazines to pay on scan which will remove $20 Million inventory from Walgreens
- Consistently posted double‐digit sales growth and market share gains that exceed chain growth
- Leveraged store brands to offer our customers a unique value proposition, while also improving category profitability
- (Team Size $10M)
Category Manager: Diet and Nutrition
Walgreens Boots Alliance
08.2003 - 08.2005
- Managed all aspects of Diet and Adult Nutrition categories (i.e
- Sales, profit, and inventory investment), which represent $200 Million in annual sales
- Actively managed SKU assortment to meet dynamic needs of diet customers
- Aggressively managed inventory to reduce 27 days of supply thus eliminating $7 Million in inventory carrying cost
- (Team Size $10M)
Manager of Merchandise Research
Walgreens Boots Alliance
04.2000 - 08.2003
- Manager of analytical team which was responsible for initiating innovative fact‐based marketing solutions across the entire retail store
- Managed and improved the Basic Department Management process, which includes preparing and presenting category assessments, item assortment recommendations and merchandising plans
- Directed and develop our relationship with ACNielsen, IRI, and NPD to improve the return our investment leveraging data and analytical tools (duties also include managing 4 on‐site representatives)
- Analyzed, prepared, and presented monthly company overview, which reports our self‐service performance to executive leadership
- Solicited and evaluated new technologies and analytical tools, which improved our ability to manage categories
- (Team Size 11-24, Budget <$5M)
Chain Account Manager
Miller Brewing Company
Houston, TX
- Grew sales and advertising in supermarkets (Albertsons, Randalls, Fiesta, etc.), representing annual sales of 2 million cases (approximately $20 million in annual retail sales)
- Primary contact for Retail Buyers on all aspects of category management and sales
- Consulted buyers on new sales opportunities, category management analyses and assist development of business plans and strategy, ad schedules and pricing activities
- Presented pricing initiatives to buyers and target key packages for promotions
- Directed the efforts of distributors, marketing and sales groups to accomplish sales objectives.
Category Development Manager
Miller Brewing Company
Milwaukee, WI
- Developed and implemented category management programs for tier‐one retail accounts in the southern region
- Trained Chain Account Managers in utilizing category management programs and assisted with presentation of these strategies and tactical recommendations to target accounts
- Trained market‐level Analysts in the development of category management programs which included promotions, pricing, variety, and shelf space analyses.
Consulting Manager
Information Resources Inc.
Chicago, IL
Project Manager
Information Resources Inc.
Chicago, IL
Assc Project Manager
Information Resources Inc.
Chicago, IL
Education
Masters of Business Administration (MBA-Bus) -
DePaul University
Bachelor of Science (BS-Business) -
University of Kansas
Skills
- Store layouts
- Strategic planning
- Pilots and rollout programs
- Category affinities
- Location optimization
- Customer experience enhancement
- Design standards creation
- Store remodels rollout
- Fixture design and development
- Merchandising collaboration
- Innovation coordination
- Category management
- Project Management
- Business Planning
- Cross-functional team leadership
- Talent Acquisition
- Team Management
- International Off-Shore Team Management
- Negotiation
- Verbal and written communication
References
- John Miologos, Sr. Director Store Planning and Design Development, Walgreens Boots Alliance
- Brian Tanner, Divisional Vice President – Merchandising, Walgreens Boots Alliance
- Jeff Groncki, Director Engineering, Walgreens Boots Alliance
- David Dillion, Director Facility Standards, Walgreens Boots Alliance
Affiliations
- Fitness oriented
- Enjoy cooking
- Weekend garden warrior
Accomplishments
- 2023 Walgreens Champion of Champion: Business Team Award
Timeline
Director of Store and Phase Planning
Walgreens Boots Alliance
11.2013 - 06.2024
Director of New Format and Innovation
Walgreens Boots Alliance
06.2010 - 11.2013
Category Manager: Beverages
Walgreens Boots Alliance
08.2007 - 06.2010
Category Manager: Tobacco, Books and Magazines
Walgreens Boots Alliance
08.2005 - 08.2007
Category Manager: Diet and Nutrition
Walgreens Boots Alliance
08.2003 - 08.2005
Manager of Merchandise Research
Walgreens Boots Alliance
04.2000 - 08.2003
Chain Account Manager
Miller Brewing Company
Category Development Manager
Miller Brewing Company
Consulting Manager
Information Resources Inc.
Project Manager
Information Resources Inc.
Assc Project Manager
Information Resources Inc.
Masters of Business Administration (MBA-Bus) -
DePaul University
Bachelor of Science (BS-Business) -
University of Kansas