Kasha Sanzo
Mrytle Beach,SC
Summary
Results-driven leader with strong background in strategic management and organizational growth. Skilled in developing and implementing effective business strategies, optimizing processes, and driving team performance. Known for adaptability, effective collaboration, and delivering measurable outcomes in dynamic environments. Strong communication and problem-solving abilities, coupled with focus on fostering productive and positive team culture.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Director Partner Sale Executive, Xbox
Microsoft
01.2007 - Current
- Lead Xbox Gaming business with our largest global Xbox retailer delivering over $600M in revenue
- Serve as a trusted advisor to retail partners by delivering measurable business value and positioning Microsoft as the preferred solution provider.
- Proven account executive with extensive experience managing product portfolios for Xbox, Surface, Windows, and Office across key national retail accounts: Walmart, GameStop, Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot, Target, and Micro Center.
- Champion a Challenger mindset to help retail partners evolve and align with Xbox priorities—launching Game Pass, All-Digital Consoles, driving NTX, and executing new business motions like Xbox All Access and the Premium Partner Program.
- Collaborated with Microsoft’s Commercial team to deliver strategic synergies that secured the largest specialty retail deal for M365, D365, and Surface at GameStop globally—$23M over five years.
- Spearheaded alignment and communication of U.S. priorities to global teams, fostering momentum and consistency across international markets.
- Built and nurtured strategic relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners to expand influence and accelerate growth.
- Provide deep business intelligence and analytics—offering competitive insights, market trend analysis, and forward-looking strategies to drive results and ensure long-term success.
- Lead with empowerment and accountability—modeling, coaching, caring, and motivating team members through thought leadership.
- Serve as a role model and growth coach within the Gaming community, cultivating development and business expansion through a growth mindset.
- Recognized with 100%+ budget attainment across multiple fiscal years: FY15, FY16, FY17, FY19, FY21, FY22, FY23, and FY24.
Sr. Merchant; Digital Imaging Team (LCD’s/Plasma, Monitors, Projectors)
Tech Depot; An Office Depot Company
01.2001 - 01.2007
- Managed and directed the sales and growth of multiple product categories within a multi-channel selling environment; Online, Catalog, direct mail and the outbound contract sales team.
- Effectively managed and developed a team consisting of a Merchandise Manager and an Associate Merchandise Manager.
- Cultivated strategic manufacturer and vendor partnerships that produce competitive pricing advantages, exclusive offerings, and end-of-life buy-ins.
Merchant, Memory, Visual Displays (LCD’s/Plasma, Monitors, Projectors)
Tech Depot; An Office Depot Company
01.2001 - 01.2007
- Responsible for managing buying, merchandising, promoting $97M in sales; representing 31% of the Company sales.
- Developed and executed quantifiable product management strategies focusing on achieving revenue and gross margin growth goals while managing inventory turns into a 4-week cycle.
- Created target marketing promotions to our vendor partner community that drove our new business development and yielded a budgeted 2.6% of company sales to our bottom line.
- Eliminated underperforming, low GM sku’s across categories and replaced with higher ASP, richer GM which increased sales by +12% and +8% GM.
- Instrumental in launching a new LCD/Plasma category into the market, which represents 35% of category sales in the first year.
Merchandise Manager, Household Tool and Garden
Priceline.com
01.2000 - 01.2001
- Project leader in the development team that created the strategic platform for “Perfect Yardsale” that product and customer-based promotions were promoted, integrated, and executed on the Priceline.com site.
- Developed target marketing plans and promotional product merchandising strategies for multiple categories based on customer demographics and market trends.
- Sourced, negotiated, and managed new business relationships with manufacturers, presenting new business opportunities to maximize sales and gross profit.
- Created and executed a promotional strategy that converted site prospects to customers while simultaneously executing a contact strategy that cultivated the customer’s lifetime value and profitability.
Buyer; Domestics and Home Furnishings
Cendant
01.1998 - 01.2000
- Initiated and maintained clear, concise, effective communication to accomplish business objectives.
- Established and maintained network of manufacturers to grow product categories and develop new opportunities.
- Responsible for planning and developing home specialty catalog following through on all stages of advertising to final print.
- Created a robust online shopping experience following the latest market trends.
- Maintained, built and monitored a database of over 10,000 products.
- Worked with account coordinators to maintain a less than 3-day ship time with minimal backorders and cancellations.
- Responsible for implementing and achieving financial plan and vendor advertising allowances.
Associate Buyer, Tabletop
Caldor Corporation
01.1994 - 01.1998
- Annual Volume $35m
- Created and planned departmental inventory plans to impact sales, margin and inventory turn while maintaining planogram stock plan.
- Managed purchase orders for category on all ads, planograms and import merchandise with sound analysis of historical sales data and market trends.
- Responsible for the implementation of all weekly advertising, from planning and presentation to final print.
- Plan and determined purchase orders to support ads, planograms and import merchandise while maintaining monthly mark-up plans of 14%.
Education
Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, CTSkills
- Business development
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
- Team leadership
- Innovation management
- Strategies and goals
Awards
FY23 Champion Award, FY21 Walmart Vendor of the Year Award, FY17 Q3 Microsoft CPE Champion Award, MVP Awards FY24, FY21 Q4, Q2, FY20 Q2 and FY17 Q1, 2013 and 2014 Toys R Us awarded Microsoft Xbox Vendor of the Year
Timeline
Director Partner Sale Executive, Xbox
Microsoft
01.2007 - Current
Sr. Merchant; Digital Imaging Team (LCD’s/Plasma, Monitors, Projectors)
Tech Depot; An Office Depot Company
01.2001 - 01.2007
Merchant, Memory, Visual Displays (LCD’s/Plasma, Monitors, Projectors)
Tech Depot; An Office Depot Company
01.2001 - 01.2007
Merchandise Manager, Household Tool and Garden
Priceline.com
01.2000 - 01.2001
Buyer; Domestics and Home Furnishings
Cendant
01.1998 - 01.2000
Associate Buyer, Tabletop
Caldor Corporation
01.1994 - 01.1998
Sacred Heart University
Similar Profiles
MARIANNE ONGKEWINMARIANNE ONGKEWIN
Digital Advertising Specialist at MicrosoftDigital Advertising Specialist at Microsoft
Rafael Klein GianellaRafael Klein Gianella
Intern at MicrosoftIntern at Microsoft
Alexis CherryAlexis Cherry
Senior Datacenter Technician at MicrosoftSenior Datacenter Technician at Microsoft
Taylor NixTaylor Nix
Sr. Data Center Inventory and Asset Technician at MicrosoftSr. Data Center Inventory and Asset Technician at Microsoft
Gabrielle CappellaGabrielle Cappella
Social Media Manager at Viral Actions LLCSocial Media Manager at Viral Actions LLC