KRIS ROKKE
Sugar Grove,Illinois
Summary
An award-winning healthcare sales and marketing professional with over 25 years’ experience in mobilizing and motivating successful sales teams, negotiating difficult contracts and forming outstanding client partnerships. Key successes in developing strategic corporate relationships with C-Suite and cross functional leadership positions. Leading to smoother, more efficient sales cycle management and solution implementation. Cross discipline experience and successes providing solutions in Genetics, Cancer and Integrated IT in clinical and research organizations.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
National Sales & Marketing Director - US
Axlab, Inc.
09.2023 - Current
- Responsible for opening up the US market for Axlab
- Key initiatives are to build US infrastructure with sales team as well as service and support structure
- Developed and implemented successful sales and marketing strategies to increase brand visibility and sales performance.
- Established first 2 US instrument placements in US within the first 2 months
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop innovative product launches and promotions
- Coordinated with creative team to generate dynamic marketing content and communication tools for promotional campaigns.
- Built strong relationships with industry professionals and influencers
- Quickly brought into new technology discussions and future product developments discussions
Global Product Manager – OEM
Leica Biosystems
10.2019 - 10.2022
- Responsible for maintaining and growing Leica’s OEM partnerships globally
- Also included orchestrating and product managing internal team to ensure on time delivery of customer’s needs
- Championed a culture of innovation by encouraging open dialogue between departments and promoting cross-functional collaboration on projects aimed at driving continuous improvement in all aspects of global product management operations
- Grew the business to represent a 28% growth factor prior to 2019.
Regional Product Sales Specialist, North Central US
Leica Biosystems
01.2019 - 10.2021
- Guide five Sales Specialists in selling Advance Staining equipment, reagents and software informatics and analytical solutions, specifically against competitive accounts
- Successful in working with a broad spectrum of cancer types such as breast, urological, hematopathology, colon and neurology
- Regional expert in LIS integration discussions with instrumentation and software solutions.
- Established strong relationships with key industry partners, fostering collaboration and driving mutual business growth.
- Trained and mentored new sales representatives.
Regional Sales Manager, West
Asuragen
01.2018 - 06.2019
- Achieved regional sales objectives by coordinating sales team, developing successful strategies, and servicing accounts to strengthen business relationships.
- Product lines included hereditary developmental disease diagnosis and monitoring (i.e FMR1), as well as NGS test kits for PAN Cancer and Lung Fusions
- Responsibilities also comprised of executive level discussions with Asuragen’s largest commercial laboratories which includes strategic partners such as Quest Diagnostics, Natera and Mayo
- Generated detailed sales reports and forecasts to analyze performance and track progress.
- FY 2018 finished as the #1 performing region at 15% growth with key wins at Natera, Quest and Counsyl/Myriad
- In 2019 YTD to plan was at 146% of total product revenue
VP of Sales, Central US
Molecular Health
04.2017 - 01.2018
- Responsible for executing the Molecular Health’s sales strategy for the Central region and to assist in developing marketing initiatives for their new product MH Guide designed to provide analytic and reporting solutions for NGS and other molecular testing platforms
- Tasked with establishing key relationships with industry partners to promote molecular focused software systems which benefited both Pathologists and Oncologists in guiding treatment decisions
- Developed strong relationships with clients for long-term partnerships and increased customer retention.
- Participated in development of the next level strategy around database integration and commercializing data sets around treatment outcomes.
Integrated Pathology Specialist
Leica Biosystems
05.2015 - 05.2017
- Responsible for creating and executing strategic plan to sell Leica’s Workflow Informatics Systems and increase client base
- Responsible for bringing together Leica's and client's resources multi-disciplinary team members and managing each project opportunity
- Key initiative in developing relationships with IDN and large hospital networks with emphasis in engaging with C-Level executive teams
- #1 Top performer for workflow specialist team
- Placed the largest single Cerebro Software System placement globally to date
- Worked with KOLs to help promote the benefits of Cerebro.
CCO/Co-Founder
Prescient Medicine
03.2014 - 07.2015
- Designed and executed executive strategies to build sales and marketing infrastructure, secure equity investors, and launch commercial pharmacogenomic laboratory business
- Strategic focus was on developing software and analytics to deliver actionable information to clinicians
- Sought and secured $10,000,000 of investor funds with a guarantee of an additional $10,000,000 to start commercial operations
- Established several Contract Research Projects that delivered over $6,000,000 annually.
North America Sales Manager, Channel Development
Thermo Fisher Scientific
03.2013 - 05.2014
- Managed Channel and OEM partnerships for the Glass Slides and Specialty Glass division with a portfolio value of $95,000,000
- Designed and executed executive strategies to improve distribution relationships and increase product focus by channel partners
- Managed a sales and marketing team of six to assist clients in promoting and expanding glass slide business
- Worked at a C-Suite level with channel partnerships as well as large customers during bid processes
- Developed 3 new OEM and channel partnerships worth $4,750,000 in annual revenue.
Corporate Sales Director
Dako North America, Inc.
01.2011 - 07.2012
- Created and implemented sales strategies that improved account performance in maintenance, revenue enhancement, customer relations, expanded product utilization and customer retention which resulted in a long term contract that protected business and resulted in significant growth
- Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Negotiated a master contract with Quest Diagnostics for the company’s product portfolio which resulted in significant growth
Executive Sales Specialist
Dako North America, Inc.
01.2008 - 01.2011
- Managed a high-performing sales team, setting goals and providing coaching to drive performance improvements.
- Increased sales revenue by developing and implementing strategic sales plans for key accounts.
- Promoted teamwork and culture of mutual accomplishment with new sales team members.
- Exceeded the company’s total pathology sales budget and was recognized with the Outstanding Sales Award of the Year
- Sold the first placement of True Positive ID specimen tracking software solution globally. Recognized to be the first successful commercial placement in the world
Workflow Systems Manager/ Tactical Marketing
Dako North America, Inc.
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Converted the company’s marketing objectives into a strategic operating plan for North American markets for its workflow LIS integrated software and instrument product connectivity
- Utilizing the workflow analytics software, designed system packages that included instrumentation and reagent products
- This technology upgrade provided significant workflow reliability improvements and pioneered an industry-wide change in how anatomic pathology laboratories address patient safety
- The team created dialogue and promotional copy, which addressed productivity, operational flexibility, patient safety and the needs of each laboratory
- Coordinated with external and internal resources during system migrations or expansions, ensuring seamless integration with existing infrastructure and minimal disruption to customers daily operations
Senior Account Manager, Molecular Specialist
Dako North America, Inc.
06.1997 - 01.2007
- Developed long-lasting client relationships by providing exceptional customer service and support.
- Became the company’s molecular sales science expert in 2002, working with account managers throughout North America
- Received the #1 National Account Manager Award of the year for 2006
- Received the President’s Club award nine times for outstanding reagent and instrument sales
- Created and implemented project ASCUS for the protection and growth of HPV testing business
- Worked with Pharma sales representatives to promote personalized therapy and diagnostics to Oncologists and Pathologists.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Biology, Chemistry (Pre-Med emphasis)
Concordia College
Moorhead, Minnesota01.1994
Skills
- Networking
- Digital Marketing
- Strategic Planning
- Project Planning
- Project Management
- Sales expertise
- Relationship Building
- Market Tracking
- Cross-departmental Alignment
- Proposal Development
- Stakeholder Relations
- Proposal coordination
Quote
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
National Sales & Marketing Director - US
Axlab, Inc.
09.2023 - Current
Global Product Manager – OEM
Leica Biosystems
10.2019 - 10.2022
Regional Product Sales Specialist, North Central US
Leica Biosystems
01.2019 - 10.2021
Regional Sales Manager, West
Asuragen
01.2018 - 06.2019
VP of Sales, Central US
Molecular Health
04.2017 - 01.2018
Integrated Pathology Specialist
Leica Biosystems
05.2015 - 05.2017
CCO/Co-Founder
Prescient Medicine
03.2014 - 07.2015
North America Sales Manager, Channel Development
Thermo Fisher Scientific
03.2013 - 05.2014
Corporate Sales Director
Dako North America, Inc.
01.2011 - 07.2012
Executive Sales Specialist
Dako North America, Inc.
01.2008 - 01.2011
Workflow Systems Manager/ Tactical Marketing
Dako North America, Inc.
01.2007 - 01.2008
Senior Account Manager, Molecular Specialist
Dako North America, Inc.
06.1997 - 01.2007
Bachelor of Arts - Biology, Chemistry (Pre-Med emphasis)
Concordia College
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