KC AKALAONU
Antioch,IL
Summary
Accomplished Sales 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
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Business Development Manager
Lixil Corporation
Piscataway, New Jersey
11.2024 - Current
- Identified potential clients, built relationships, and negotiated contracts.
- Determined business development opportunities and implemented effective strategy for client acquisition.
- Established new customer accounts using negotiation and sales closing abilities.
- Coordinated engaging presentations and demonstrations to showcase value to potential clients and partners.
- Drafted tailored proposals addressing specific client needs and requests for information.
- Identified new customers through pipelining, pre-qualification and territory analysis and management.
- Conducted market research to identify emerging trends and customer needs.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors, suppliers, partners, and customers.
Director of Sales
American Bath Group
11.2023 - 10.2024
- Managed upper-Midwest Region with $16M annual budget; oversaw 4 manufacturer rep agencies and all wholesale distribution accounts, driving market penetration and brand growth.
- Spearheaded new account acquisition, integration, and relationship development with internal and external stakeholders.
- Maintained cross-functional oversight of sales teams to refine sales strategy and achieve growth targets.
- Led multi-state promotional blitz across 4 states (ND, SD, MN, WI), boosting daily average unit sales and securing multiple significant projects.
Director of Sales
Professional Plumbing Group
12.2022 - 11.2023
- Managed a $8M+ annual sales budget, exceeding Q1 goals and fostering a results-oriented team of 17 direct reports.
- Coached and trained sales team weekly, ensuring achievement of KPI objectives.
- Secured vendor participation, designed marketing campaign, and executed event, resulting in new business leads and customers.
- Analyzed business needs, costs, and financial reports to inform strategic decision-making.
Regional SF/Comm Builder Manager
American Bath Group
Midwest Region, IL
06.2022 - 12.2022
- Secured exclusive contracts with single-family builders, expanding ADA-compliant product adoption in Midwest to enhance market share.
- Hosted Continuing Education (CEU) presentations for influential groups, establishing expertise and leadership in sales.
- Collaborated with team members to ensure efficient workflow and timely project completion.
- Maintained a clean and safe work environment adhering to safety regulations.
- Coordinated with suppliers to ensure timely delivery of materials for production needs.
Director of Sales
Flushmate
Franklin Park, Illinois
07.2019 - 09.2022
- Collaborated with engineering and marketing teams to launch new pressure-assist toilet products, driving sales growth and margin improvement.
- Negotiated annual increase in OEM/Distributor pricing
- Spearheaded the Flushmate.com website redevelopment, creating new marketing collateral and case studies.
- Drafted creative marketing materials such as brochures, flyers and presentations.
- Conducted training sessions to improve product knowledge among sales staff.
- Implemented customer feedback processes to refine product offerings and services.
Senior Regional Business Development Manager
Pfister Faucets
Midwest/Northeast Region
10.2021 - 06.2022
- Secured new business opportunities for Pfister Faucets in single-family and multi-family construction across Midwest and Northeast regions.
- Partnered with developers to obtain multifamily project specifications, driving product integration.
- Established strategic partnerships with key decision-makers at networking events to enhance business growth.
TERRITORY MANAGER/BDM/SR TM
Moen Incorporated
Chicago, IL
06.2006 - 07.2019
- Grew Moen's commercial brand from $700K to $2.5M+ in the Chicago region, establishing Moen as the standard specification for high-profile projects.
- Achieved Presidents Club (Top 5% of the sales force) for two consecutive years and multiple Circle of Excellence awards.
- Cultivated long-term, profitable relationships with top accounts and established measurable partnerships with key decision-makers.
- Delivered presentations to key stakeholders on product innovations and market performance insights.
- Resolved customer inquiries promptly, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and support engagement.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Accounting/Economics (Double Major)
University of Nevada – Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV05-2006
Skills
- Key Relationship Cultivation
- Strategy Development
- Salesforce CRM
- Brand Management
- Planning & Implementation
- Client Engagement
- Vendor Integration
- Revenue Generation
- Negotiations
- Pricing Strategy
- Presentation skills
- Business development
- Prospecting
- Lead generation
- Market research
- Contract negotiation
- Sales forecasting
- Customer acquisition
- Relationship management
- Proposal development
Awards
- 3X Circle of Excellence | Moen Incorporated
- 2X Presidents Club Achievement (Top 5%) | Moen Incorporated
Timeline
Business Development Manager
Lixil Corporation
11.2024 - Current
Director of Sales
American Bath Group
11.2023 - 10.2024
Director of Sales
Professional Plumbing Group
12.2022 - 11.2023
Regional SF/Comm Builder Manager
American Bath Group
06.2022 - 12.2022
Senior Regional Business Development Manager
Pfister Faucets
10.2021 - 06.2022
Director of Sales
Flushmate
07.2019 - 09.2022
TERRITORY MANAGER/BDM/SR TM
Moen Incorporated
06.2006 - 07.2019
Bachelor of Arts - Accounting/Economics (Double Major)
University of Nevada – Las Vegas