Kelly Ellington
Ooltewah,TN
Summary
Strategic executive with more than 15 years of experience driving business growth through integrated marketing, product development, innovation, and commercialization. Proven success leading cross-functional teams across marketing, industrial design, engineering, product management, digital strategy, and sales to develop customer-driven solutions that accelerate revenue growth and expand market share. Recognized for transforming market insights into innovative products, building high-performing teams, and executing data-driven strategies that deliver measurable business results.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Marketing and Product Development
PlayCore
Chattanooga, Tennessee
04.2021 - Current
- Led strategic initiatives that increased flagship brand revenue from $31 million to over $66 million.
- Directed cross-functional product development from ideation through commercialization, collaborating with Industrial Designers, Engineers, Manufacturing, and Sales to bring innovation recreation products to market
- Developed annual marketing plans that aligned with growth initiatives and sales objectives, addressing customer needs to drive market success.
- Owned multi-million-dollar budgets, forecasting, vendor management, and ROI measurement.
- Spearheaded funding initiatives and campaigns that significantly increased lead growth and expanded market penetration nationwide.
- Directed and mentored multidisciplinary team of 14 across marketing, product development, and communications, enhancing collaboration and innovation.
- Built scalable marketing systems utilizing CRM automation, lead scoring, and digital analytics.
- Oversaw digital strategy including SEO, paid media, social content, and marketing automation.
- Presented strategic initiatives to executive leadership enhancing business performance insights.
Chief Marketing Officer
Avenger Logistics
11.2015 - 05.2018
- Led company to its organic growth of $25MM in 2017 and was on pace to end 2018 at $60MM. Prior to joining the Avenger Logistics team, the company made $75k in revenue (for four months). My first full year as Chief Marketing Officer (2016) we made $9MM in revenue; $25MM in 2017; and on pace to finish 2018 at $60MM.
- Successfully managed all marketing functions of a multi-million dollar logistics brokerage. At the peak of performance, the company retained over 80 employees that supported over 850 different clients.
- Negotiated contracts with 12 major accounts, contributing to 35% of business revenue while managing 60-80 new customer acquisitions monthly.
- Implemented and maintained KPIs for new customer acquisition.
- Coordinated procurement, sales, production, and accounting departments, ensuring alignment with company goals and standards.
- Developed a dedicated sales executive team by fostering a culture of open dialogue and collaborative problem resolution, enhancing trust and confidence among internal and external stakeholders.
- Managed all aspects of business development and strategic planning for the business.
- Consulted to create and implement marketing and advertising strategies, including the logo, mantra, and motivational decor.
- Established and maintained company policies and procedures.
- Established and implemented commission structure for all brokers inclusive of Pod Leaders and Super Pod Leaders.
Director of Marketing, Brewery Restaurant Group & Specialty Concepts
CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc.
02.2005 - 09.2012
- Planned and executed all key marketing functions for Brewery Restaurants and Specialty concepts under CraftWorks across 40 markets with nearly 200 company-owned restaurants and annual average sales of $800MM.
- Developed strategies to meet business objectives, enhancing profitability, driving sales, increasing guest counts, and building brand equity.
- Established and directed brand strategy and architecture, positioning, visual identity, and tone for each individual brand while leading the national implementation through collaborative leadership.
- Led team of five in marketing communications, creative, media, local store marketing, loyalty program, and website management, ensuring cohesive execution across platforms.
- Chaired Chattanooga's annual Southern Brewers Festival, expanding attendance from 3k to 15k guests and raising over $750,000 for local charities.
Marketing Manager
Northwest Georgia Bank
02.2004 - 02.2005
- Directed and implemented '100 Year Anniversary' marketing campaign, revitalizing brand equity through public relations, print advertising, and refreshed brand positioning.
- Oversaw public relations, advertising, consumer analysis, competitive tracking, and point of sale materials to support marketing initiatives and brand visibility.
- Provided hands-on strategy, branding and innovation consulting with special emphasis on introducing 'Free Checking,' which is still a major sales focus for the company.
- Developed business and marketing plan to establish sales culture at bank, enhancing customer engagement and service offerings.
- Trained over 100 people, designed instruction materials, facilitated group sessions and incorporated hands-on exercises to ensure training effectiveness met sales building initiatives.
General Manager
Body Shop of America
06.1996 - 02.2004
- Oversaw daily operations, including full responsibility of P&L, sales planning, budgeting, forecasting, expense monitoring, and human resources. Recruited, trained, and evaluated a team of 21 associates. Supervised four managers.
- Consistently ranked top percentile in sales and company contests.
- Cultivated customer-centric operation and energized staff to achieve high customer satisfaction rates while maintaining turnover under 10%.
- Contributed to development and implementation of sales strategies for all units within the region.
- Planned and delivered regional presentations on achieving and maintaining operational excellence, focusing on motivating staff to take effective action.
Education
B.A. - Communications, Sociology
University of Tennessee At Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN01-2000
Skills
- Marketing Strategy & Brand Leadership
- Product Development & Commercialization
- Product Innovation & Portfolio Management
- Product Design Strategy
- Product Lifecycle Management
- Revenue Growth & Market Expansion
- Cross-Functional Executive Leadership
- Customer Insights & Market Research
- Strategic Planning & Go-to-Market Strategy
- Digital Marketing & CRM Strategy
- Budgeting, Forecasting & P&L Management
- Team Development & Organizational Leadership
Affiliations
- VP of Communications, Sigma Kappa Alumnae Advisory Board, 01/01/18, Present
- Sigma Kappa Advisory Board, 01/01/18, Present
- VP of Finance, East Hamilton High School Board, 01/01/18, Present
- Board Member, Tennessee International Dyslexia Association, 01/01/17, Present
- Board Member (President), Chattanooga's Kids on the Block, 01/01/07, 12/31/18
- Board Member, Riverfront Business & Resident Partnership Board, 01/01/10, 12/31/12
Timeline
Director of Marketing and Product Development
PlayCore
04.2021 - Current
Chief Marketing Officer
Avenger Logistics
11.2015 - 05.2018
Director of Marketing, Brewery Restaurant Group & Specialty Concepts
CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries, Inc.
02.2005 - 09.2012
Marketing Manager
Northwest Georgia Bank
02.2004 - 02.2005
General Manager
Body Shop of America
06.1996 - 02.2004
B.A. - Communications, Sociology
University of Tennessee At Chattanooga