Keith (KJ) Harnack Jr
Lino Lakes,MN
Summary
Strategic-thinking individual experienced in turning low-performing store locations into top revenue producers. Offering engaging and energetic personality with expertise, improving customer relationships.
Highly organized and detail-oriented Director, successfully manages projects, organizes strategy and leads teams. Experienced in budget management and partner engagement.
Overview
1
1
Certification
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Director, Liquor Merchandising
Coborn's Inc
03.2024 - Current
- Led cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency and drive strategic initiatives.
- Developed and implemented training programs to elevate team performance and ensure compliance with industry standards.
- Analyzed market trends to inform product selection and optimize inventory management.
- Collaborated with senior leadership to establish long-term business goals aligned with company vision.
Director, Wine & Spirits
Hy-Vee Inc.
01.2022 - Current
- Oversee daily operations of the Wine & Spirits Department - 253 locations. $15m+ weekly sales.
- Six Regional Direct Report - Supervisors covering eight states. Each supervisor has 40+ locations.
- Profit & Loss - $800m+ annually with a 2.3% comp increase.
- Established a departmental reset process covering each major category, beer, spirits, and wine.
- Worked closely with organizational leadership to guide operational strategy.
- Established departmental performance goals and provided feedback for underperforming areas.
- Monitored and coordinated workflows to optimize resources.
- Formed strategic partnerships and connected with potential industry suppliers to drive business development.
- Leveraged professional networks and industry knowledge to strengthen company relationships.
- Assisted with sales and marketing strategies to foster the achievement of revenue goals.
- Optimized operational processes using analytics tools to address company and store-specific metrics.
- Drafted and distributed reports to assist company leadership with critical business decisions.
- Remained highly composed and calm in very fast-paced, stressful, and constantly changing environments to provide optimal leadership and achieve desired results.
- Regularly conduct meetings with staff to discuss departmental progress and to attain production objectives.
- Devised and implemented strategies to create new revenue streams and cut operational costs.
Regional Wine & Spirits Supervisor
Hy-Vee Inc
01.2015 - 01.2022
- Supervised store teams in 89 locations over four states.
- $8m+ weekly sales.
- Opened 23 New Locations in four States, including the new market for Hy-Vee, The Twin Cities.
- Oversaw selection, ordering and inventory controls of wine, beer and alcohol program.
- Developed relationships with suppliers and vendors leading to special volume pricing discounts and availability.
- Integrated service and team management strategies to boost business profits.
- Educated staff on strategies for handling difficult customers and challenging situations.
- Mentored new managers and sales teams to contribute to the store's positive culture.
- Resolved customer complaints involving food or beverage quality and service
Wine & Spirits Manager
Hy-Vee Inc
04.2010 - 12.2014
- Leadership – Manage the daily functions of a multi-million dollar Wine & Spirits department.
- Educate employees on proper customer service, product knowledge, and company policies and standards.
- Assist with new store openings. Three new stores.
- Customer Service - Share product knowledge with customers and maintain a social media/ customer e-mail list.
- Resolve negative situations to create positive customer experiences.
- Order specialty products for customers.
- Inventory and Product Management - Achieve and maintain company standards utilizing.
- RPM (Retail Product Management) Movement History to best purchase and maintain displays and shelf stock.
- Conduct monthly and quarterly inventory.
- Maintain department Profit & Loss sheet.
- Distributor Relations – Cultivate and maintain relationships with existing and new alcohol distributors.
- Uphold the legal standards and regulations of the State and Local alcohol authorities
- Administrative - Receive and track merchandise, deliveries, process invoices, monitor inventory/sales, set sales goals, order supplies, and stock products.
- Plan employee schedules based on volume per clerk hour, special events, holidays, and sales goals.
- Participate in writing local wine & spirits ads.
- Customer Education – Conduct samplings, pairing dinners, annual outdoor Oktoberfest beer sampling (1,000+ in attendance.)
- B.E.E.R. School (Beer Education Experience and Research.)
- Community Relations – Co-created the Hy-Vee Beer Extravaganza benefitting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Beer Specialist
Hy-Vee Inc
01.2008 - 04.2010
- Customer Service and Leadership- Assisted customers with product selection and purchases.
- Planned, led, and executed events such as beer tastings, and total store events.
- Outdoor Oktoberfest beer sampling, organized this event to benefit JDRF. 1,000+ attendees.
- Merchandising-Managed product stock with over 800 different beers, created thematic displays and designed informational signage
Bartender
Crescent Moon/ Huber Haus
01.2006 - 08.2008
- Customer Service- Helped customers with questions about products, helped customers make choices regarding different beers, helped plan events (Bockfest, Oktoberfest.)
Kitchen Designer/Appliance Specialist
Home Depot
07.2002 - 07.2006
- Leadership- Coached and trained new employees on customer service and use of equipment (ex
- All types of lift equipment.)
- Customer Service- Helped customers with questions about products and individual projects, designed kitchens, bathrooms and basements, sold appliances and fixtures/special orders, worked out contracts with commercial and private clients
- Administrative-Received and tracked merchandise deliveries, monitored inventory and ordered supplies, assisted in restocking departments
- Merchandising- Prepared merchandise displays, set products to plan-o-grams and set end caps for promotions.
Education
Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing, Music Education
University of Nebraska Omaha
Omaha, NESkills
- Profit & Loss Management
- Innovation and Creativity
- Regulatory, Rules and Legal Compliance
- Strategic Planning
- Company Guidelines
- People Management
- Budget Management
- Organizational Development
- Recruiting and Hiring
- Vendor Management
- Computer Skills: MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- RPM (Retail Product Management)
Additional Information
- Eagle Scout Award & Brother Hood Award/ Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America (2000) Marching Band Senior of the Year, University of Nebraska Omaha (2006 Drum Major, University of Nebraska Omaha (Fall 2006)
Certification
Level II WSET (Certification in Wine.)
Level 3 Gallo Certified Wine Specialist
Certified Beer Server (Cicerone Program)
Give-Backs
Veteran's Day
- Annually volunteer to serve breakfast to veterans and their families.
JDRF - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
- Six - Charity Bike Rides - Raising over $ 50,000.
Loaves and Fishes
- Wife and I volunteer, prepare and distribute meals around various holidays.
References
Lori Clark
Sr Human Resources Manager
Reyes Coca-Cola
952-807-8351
lori.clark@reyescb.com
Andy Johnston
Regional Category Manager - Johnson Brothers, MN
651-308-0760
ajohnston@johnsonbrothers.com
Stephanie Kvidera
Division Sales Director - Breakthru Beverage Minnesota
218-791-7755
skvidera@breakthrubev.com
Kris Schmidt
Category Director - Fareway Food Stores
319-429-5899
kschmidt@farewaystores.com
kris.schmidtwdgs@gmail.com
Timeline
Director, Liquor Merchandising
Coborn's Inc
03.2024 - Current
Director, Wine & Spirits
Hy-Vee Inc.
01.2022 - Current
Regional Wine & Spirits Supervisor
Hy-Vee Inc
01.2015 - 01.2022
Wine & Spirits Manager
Hy-Vee Inc
04.2010 - 12.2014
Beer Specialist
Hy-Vee Inc
01.2008 - 04.2010
Bartender
Crescent Moon/ Huber Haus
01.2006 - 08.2008
Kitchen Designer/Appliance Specialist
Home Depot
07.2002 - 07.2006
Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing, Music Education
University of Nebraska Omaha