Lauren Holley Cox
Pulaski,TN
Summary
Highly motivated and accomplished professional with extensive retail and merchandising (buying), as well as healthcare experience. Great attention to detail and strategic thinking. Inspired by growth and customer engagement to not only meet, but exceed sales plans. Trained in reading and generating reports and other sales data. Skilled in project management and bringing innovation to the business. Able to successfully implement tactics and pricing strategies that result in growth for top and bottom lines. Exceptional leadership skills, work ethic and ability to encourage others to grow and learn to ensure a successful business. Loyal Employee and great ability to catch on and learn quickly. Excellent communication at all levels. Creative ideas to generate revenue and drive business. Works successfully and efficiently in groups, as well as individually. Problem Solver with excellent documentation skills.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Product Category Manager
Henry Schein
05.2022 - Current
- Responsible for management, strategic positioning and marketing of Large Dental and Medical Equipment, a ~$800MM business
- Daily involvement in increasing profitability through monitoring and tweaking promotions and deal activity
- Reduced historical discount percentage in select merchandise by 10%, keeping sales flat or increasing, but increasing profit by 5%
- Improved promotional execution and communication to the sales team by creating a process to effectively strategize promotions , ensuring timely communication, and accurate sales quotes for customers
- Partner with suppliers and internal financing teams to negotiate and execute quarterly financing promotions, driving over $39MM in sales quarterly, an increase of about 6% YOY
- Proactively research new suppliers to grow current product assortment that fill a gap and provide an increase in profitability
- Collaborate with internal teams to grow private label brands
- Identify products or segments applicable for private label
- Strategize and execute launch of new products and suppliers by building a document laying out
- Review and implement changes from syndicated data to ensure market alignment/growth
- Strategize and maintain performance rebates, managing strategic growth plan, setup, and paperwork- initiated two new programs in 2023 with end user promotions, worth about $200K additional growth
- Product expert to ensure accurate marketing campaigns and web presence; optimizing existing and new items, complimentary items, and display presentation
- Constant upper management interaction and communication to discuss/present sales goals, performance, and marketing plans
- Provide quarterly presentations to suppliers and sales leadership to show growth/decline and strategize for future performance
- Coach and mentor direct report- focused on development and future growth potential; based off of development practices, on track for a promotion
- Negotiate supplier participation in internal marketing memberships. Successfully negotiated over $500K in new memberships for 2024
- Skilled at working independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
- Self-motivated, with a strong sense of personal responsibility.
IT Business Analyst
Kirklands Corporate
12.2021 - 05.2022
- Primary point of contact between IT and the Merchandising/Planning/Allocation/Inventory control areas
- Accountable for the successful business operations of each area
- Oracle systems, Excel, Jira, GT Nexus, Cognos reporting systems experience.
Category Manager
AutoZone Corporate
07.2018 - 11.2021
- Own strategic planning of the Small Accessories Category, a +$200MM business within AutoZone
- Maintain/exceed KPIs such as retail, gross, units, and inventory year over year through negotiation, innovation, and strategic business moves
- Reversed sales trend on a declining category and grew retail by $60MM in one year through innovation and consolidation based on trend and market data
- Successfully sourced over $1MM in direct import programs to save a total of $3MM
- Reduced inventory in key category by $350K due to consolidation of duplicate product
- Collaborate with vendors to create business plans and promotions across multiple selling platforms
- Negotiate daily with vendors to maximize profitability through low-cost options and funding
- Successfully negotiated $300K over plan by optimizing performance plans
- Analyze sales reporting and data to ensure correct product availability to customer as well as maximize profits
- Query tables to help run data
- Work closely with internal merchandising teams to strategically display category products and maximize category growth by ensuring correct pricing model
- Plan inventory controls and march gross tactics quarterly to meet plan
- Track and plan category sales and product performance through detailed reporting analysis
- Source opportunities overseas to reduce operating costs by helping maintain reasonable lead times, efficient shipping tactics, and product quality, as well as low-cost options
- Provide innovative direction to keep category products and practices current and evolving
- Present annual tactics and business plans and growth for the next year to upper management and executive members
- Develop business, personal, and leadership skills in another AutoZoner
- Planned and executed Accessory team-wide National Sales Meeting
- Coordinated floor plans, displays, design, etc of over 50 vendors
- Daily use of excel and other Microsoft office products
- Daily interaction with syndicated data (Nielson)
- Experience using systems such as JDA, Rocketshuttle, Green screen.
Assistant Category Manager
AutoZone Corporate
05.2016 - 07.2018
- Assisted in the planning and growth of Truck and Towing, a $124MM business within AutoZone
- Negotiated ~$600K in cost savings in one category
- Tactical involvement in new item setup, vendor agreements, etc to successfully start new vendor programs
- Negotiated ~$150K reduction in inventory for AutoZone
- Worked to develop a pricing strategy for collision that results in a ~15% gross profit, ~20% RTL, and ~30% QTY growth week over week
- Managed deal promotions for Accessories team by ensuring compelling deals to generate incremental unit movement
- Development interns as the 2018 Merchandise Intern Coordinator
- Interviewed, hired, and guided 11 interns in the Merchandising department within AutoZone; Project lead.
Education
Master of Accountancy -
The University of North Alabama (UNA)
Florence, Alabama01.2023
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting -
The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM)
Martin, Tennessee05.2016
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance -
The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM)
Martin, Tennessee05.2016
Skills
- Organization
- Multitasking Abilities
- Team building
- Problem-Solving
- MS Office
- Public Speaking
- Self-Directed
- Attention to Detail
- Critical Thinking
- Microsoft Word
- Excellent Communication
awards
- Extra Miler (August 2018) for Internship program
- Extra Miler (December 2018) for NSM planning
- Dale Carnegie graduate- Outstanding Performance Award (2018)
- Leadership Giles (2021)
- Pulaski Rotary Member (2021-2023)
Affiliations
- Professional Women in Healthcare Member
- Board Member for non profit organization, Minor Hill Alliance
- Chamber Diplomat
- Women's Initiative Board Member
Timeline
Product Category Manager
Henry Schein
05.2022 - Current
IT Business Analyst
Kirklands Corporate
12.2021 - 05.2022
Category Manager
AutoZone Corporate
07.2018 - 11.2021
Assistant Category Manager
AutoZone Corporate
05.2016 - 07.2018
Master of Accountancy -
The University of North Alabama (UNA)
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting -
The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM)
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Finance -
The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM)