Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Keith Carlson

Inver Grove Heights,MN

Summary

Strategic national account manager with a proven track record building brands. A strong history engaging broker and distributor reps. to get to elusive decision makers. Excellent understanding of retail financials and the levers available to achieve needed outcomes. A sales professional who thrives in front of the customer bringing the band story to life and building lasting brand relationships.

Overview

34
34
years of professional experience

Work History

VP Sales National Accounts and Emerging Markets

Zevia
Encino, CA
05.2022 - 07.2024
  • Responsible for building the Zevia Costco business. Grew sales from $3MM and 1 Costco region to $12MM and business in 5 regions success in other accounts and internal Costco sales data to develop a data-driven presentation, secure appointments, and acquire new regions.
  • Re-acquired the Kroger account via a Sales re-organization. Quickly stabilized declining sales, initiated a new promotional plan eliminating ineffective and unprofitable trade events and implemented new spending standards. Resulted in savings of $300K in the 1st quarter alone.
  • Expanded Aldi from 1 rotation and $300k in sales to 3 events and $1MM in sales in 2023 by conquering their operational requirements.

VP Sales Central Region

Zevia
Encino, CA
12.2012 - 05.2022
  • Built the Grocery, Natural and Specialty food business for Zevia in the central region of the US. Managed sales and business development activities, consistently surpassing 40% of total company sales.
  • Key team member responsible for growing Zevia from $12.5MM to $130MM for IPO. My territory generated +30% growth for 9 consecutive years.
  • Maintained an intense focus on building distribution and quality promotional activity that was profitable, predictable, and repeatable.
  • Successfully trained and handed off numerous large accounts to co-workers as we scaled the business. Very effective in mentoring, teaching and providing a resource to ensure continued success.
  • Achieved the lowest and most effective spend per case for 12 consecutive years.

Regional Sales Manager

Riviana Foods Inc.
Houston , TX
08.2009 - 12.2012
  • Regional Sales Manager responsible for the headquarter and regional divisions of SuperValu post Albertsons acquisition. Responsible for managing corporate retail and independent stores achieving TDP and Sales growth targets in the highly competitive Dry Pasta & Rice categories.
  • Target Corp. Responsible for the Rice portfolio (Minute, Success, Mahatma) at Target Corp totaling $5MM in sales

National Account Manager

3M
St Paul , MN
08.2008 - 08.2009
  • Responsible for SuperValu post Albertsons merger. Handled all the headquarter, regional and key account work for the entire 3M consumer portfolio of $15MM
  • Generated the highest territory growth in 3M's Consumer Business.
  • Created a program to sell custom Scotch Brite and Nexcare displays at regional selling shows. The program eliminated huge warehouse markup thus allowing retailers to compete with Mass accounts on price without using added trade funds and at a near zero labor cost in-store.

Customer Focused Sales

3M
St Paul, MN
08.2006 - 08.2008
  • Responsible for working with 3M Key account managers in other classes of trade that did not report to me. My job was to train them, identify the obstacles to success, prepare for and attend the category reviews. I had to be the brand expert and problem solver in the review.
  • Developed a diverse skill set by working in different channels such as Drug, Office, Home Center, Dollar, and Hardware.
  • Worked with the following accounts: Walgreen's, Rite-Aid, CVS, Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, Dollar Tree, Dollar General and Family Dollar.
  • Several POG programs I played a key role in creating are still being utilized 18 years later,

Regional Sales Manager

3M
St Paul, MN, MN
09.2002 - 08.2006
  • Focused on Grocery trade as Regional Sales Manager in 3M Consumer Division. Post-It, Scotch Brite, Filtrete, Command, Nexcare, Scotch and O-Cello.
  • Leveraged prior Broker experience to successfully sell products across 5 different categories at various accounts.
  • Worked closely with 3M Brand managers to achieve retail standards on product, placement, price, and promotion to fend off lower cost competition.

Broker Sales Representative

Acosta, FBC & KPR
Minneapolis, MN
03.1990 - 09.2002
  • Retail Sales rep responsible for multiple brands across every dept. in a Grocery Store
  • Offered exceptional sales, marketing and brand standard training to numerous top-tier CPG brands.
  • Consistently earned added responsibility and looked to as an individual who could get things done.

Education

BBA - Finance

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI
05-1989

Skills

  • Business Builder
  • Problem Solver
  • Broker Management
  • Promotional effectiveness
  • Relationship Building
  • Customer Management

Accomplishments

  • 2022 Zevia - Sales award for persistence and performance
  • 1996 Dannon - National Broker Rep. winner
  • 1995 Con-Agra - National Broker Rep. winner

Timeline

VP Sales National Accounts and Emerging Markets

Zevia
05.2022 - 07.2024

VP Sales Central Region

Zevia
12.2012 - 05.2022

Regional Sales Manager

Riviana Foods Inc.
08.2009 - 12.2012

National Account Manager

3M
08.2008 - 08.2009

Customer Focused Sales

3M
08.2006 - 08.2008

Regional Sales Manager

3M
09.2002 - 08.2006

Broker Sales Representative

Acosta, FBC & KPR
03.1990 - 09.2002

BBA - Finance

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

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Keith Carlson