Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
Special Skills Training
Published Author
Timeline
Generic

M.D. Wasson

Senior Sales Executive
Hernando,MS

Summary

Highly accomplished and motivated executive with over 25 years of experience in corporate and non-profit organizations. Demonstrated success in sales and fundraising, achieving outstanding results. Skilled in developing and maintaining key relationships across diverse settings. Known for inspirational leadership and a passion for public speaking. Creative and strategic thinker, focused on achieving goals and ensuring fiscal responsibility.

Overview

34
34
years of professional experience

Work History

Program Director

LifeWise Academy
01.2025 - Current
  • Introduce LifeWise Academy to the new market, Memphis- Shelby County, through on-going public speaking engagements.
  • Spearhead fundraising efforts to secure resources necessary for program sustainability and success.
  • Create volunteer board to attract volunteer participation and expand donor base.
  • Facilitate tours of existing LifeWise Academy classes to prospective church partnerships, businesses, and donors through cold calling in the community.
  • Research, interview, and write material for email and newsletters correspondence utilizing mailchimp and canva.
  • Attend community events to engage with the public and grow enrollment in LifeWise Academy classes, forming new school partnerships.
  • Collaborate closely with executive leadership to refine the strategic plan for long-term growth.
  • Assist with planning budget proposals and control spending for LifeWise Memphis team.
  • Engage with local businesses for sponsorship branding opportunities on LifeWise shuttle buses.
  • Developing plan for 1st annual golf classic in the fall 2025.
  • Nurture relationships within Memphis-Shelby County schools as a vendor approved program to expand LifeWise Academy classes in the fall 2025.

Regional Field Development Officer

Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home
11.2013 - 12.2018
  • Cultivated donors through customer relationship building, leveraging board members, and hosting annual donor and volunteer recognition events.
  • Event planning leader for annual Champions Fore Children Golf Classic in West Tennessee with year over year growth of 15-25% and annual revenue $70,000.
  • Consistent public speaking engagements throughout Tennessee to promote the George Shinn foster care program and build awareness of TBCH brand.
  • Facilitated and participated in semi-annual and annual executive meetings to develop proposed and final budgets.
  • Foundation relations prospect research, grant proposals, and assisted with follow up documentation within West Tennessee from ongoing grant proposals.
  • Delegated cross functional internal department meetings to promote rollout of structure to new foster care program.
  • Coordinated volunteer recruitment efforts to enhance community engagement while supporting fundraising activities.
  • Development and implementation of $1 million capital campaign with other key leaders in the organization.
  • Created marketing materials for golf classic and Mother’s Day annual giving campaign.
  • Responsible for identification, cultivation, and solicitation of corporations with the capacity to give major gifts.

Senior Liaison/ Director Corporate Acquisitions and Development

ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
06.2011 - 07.2012
  • Researched and executed a comprehensive prospect identification strategy focused on national accounts in the consumer products goods industry with a minimum of 50-75 prospects on-going through cold calling.
  • Acquired relationships with national accounts and cultivated relationships to develop mutually beneficial partnership with a minimum $250,000/annually per account.
  • Managed St Jude’s largest corporate consumer product goods account, Coca-Cola, by developing new marketing fundraising efforts like Coke Rewards and Up ‘Til Dawn scholarship initiative.
  • Developed cause-marketing partnerships with Coca-Cola and Domino’s pizza and other national consumer products goods companies.
  • Acted as the liaison between upper management and staff members, promoting positive working relationships built on trust.
  • Served as the primary point of contact, fostering strong relationships between internal teams and external partners.
  • Created and presented power point and keynote presentations to c-suite executive level to enhance brand awareness and raise funds for the organization.
  • Supported organizational growth through active participation in networking events, conferences, and professional associations.
  • Coordinated multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely completion and alignment with organizational objectives.
  • Established effective communication channels between departments like sports marketing, social media, and multi-cultural marketing by organizing and facilitating cross-functional meetings to strategically align with national account partnership.

District Sales Executive

The Hershey Chocolate Company
04.2006 - 05.2010
  • Managed territory with volume > $20 million.
  • Managed Fred’s, Inc., which generated $12 million in sales to include 700 stores in a 14-state region with consistent year-over-year growth.
  • Mobilized a robust team of representatives and broker units, providing coaching and mentoring to enhance skills and drive performance improvements in $8.5 million dollars for AWG Memphis & Nashville.
  • Developed strong partnerships with the President and other Key Decisions Makers and conducted quarterly and annual top to top meetings in a corporate environment.
  • Elevated Hershey brand stature as category captain among all confection category based on excellent rapport built at Fred's headquarter account.
  • Generated marketing and advertising campaigns and consumer tie in opportunities with other company brands to effectively promote brand and products at each account.
  • Optimized resource allocation for maximum impact on sales outcomes, maintained deductions, and controlled excess waste in each of my accounts.
  • Generated post analysis (key performance indicators) of all promotions at each account to measure the success and missed growth opportunities for the following year.

Customer Sales Executive/ Key Account Manager Kroger Team

The Hershey Chocolate Company
07.2000 - 03.2006
  • Performed effectively in self-directed work environment, managing day-to-day operations and decisions for a 110 store Kroger Delta division which generated $8 million.
  • Managed a team of retail sales merchandisers and developed sales plans and growth targets.
  • In 2003, Kroger Delta division was the highest performing division among all seventeen Kroger divisions.
  • Researched, designed, and implemented, with Vice President Merchandising, a new U-scan rack for new U-scan checkouts in the Kroger Delta division which was acquired by all other divisions.

District Account Supervisor

The Hershey Chocolate Company
12.1995 - 06.2000
  • Managed a team of ten retail sales merchandisers in San Antonio, TX; Austin, TX; and Corpus Christi, TX representing the largest chain HEB and accounting for 70% of district sales.
  • Hired, trained, and coached retail sales merchandisers.
  • Achieved new business growth of four military bases in Texas market totaling $1.5 million and was the model for other military accounts for direct sales representation vs. broker.
  • Managed fourteen convenient store headquarter accounts which represented $4 million.
  • Responsible for largest convenient store account in the region, Tetco, which represented $1.5 million.

Retail Sales Representative

The Hershey Chocolate Company
01.1991 - 11.1995
  • Maximized selling, advertising, displaying, distribution, and merchandising of Hershey products and programs at store level.
  • Responsible for military base Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS as one of several sales representatives who initiated direct selling vs. brokerage selling and support.
  • Leadership role included -New Hire Field Day Evaluator for potential new employees.
  • Boosted customer satisfaction by providing exceptional product knowledge and personalized recommendations.
  • Demonstrated adaptability by quickly mastering new products, promotions, and retail systems as they were introduced.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration with Emphasis: Marketing

University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS

Skills

Proven strategic leadership

Awards

  • President’s Cup winner 1st year as sales representative, 1991
  • President’s Cup winner managing top grocery chain, 2001

Special Skills Training

  • Fluent in utilizing the company’s analytical tools to include CSI, Siebel, Nielsen, and EBUF (forecasting) to drive profitable sales results.
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office, Excel, and Power point.
  • Proficient with Blackbaud Razor’s Edge.
  • Key Account Strategic Selling I and Selling II workshops, Bay Group International.
  • Situational Sales Negotiation I and Sales Negotiation II workshops, Bay Group International.
  • Targeted Selection workshop, Bay Group International.
  • Management Skills Workshop, Bay Group International.

Published Author

Wasson, Mary D., A Rose with Broken Thorns, Esperanza's Story:  Redemption from Human Trafficking, Innovo Publishing, 2021

Wasson, Mary D., Marvel in your Autistic Eyes: Character Lessons from my son, Innovo Publishing, 2016

Wasson, Mary D. Potter's Hand Poetry, Innovo Publishing, 2011

Timeline

Program Director

LifeWise Academy
01.2025 - Current

Regional Field Development Officer

Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home
11.2013 - 12.2018

Senior Liaison/ Director Corporate Acquisitions and Development

ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
06.2011 - 07.2012

District Sales Executive

The Hershey Chocolate Company
04.2006 - 05.2010

Customer Sales Executive/ Key Account Manager Kroger Team

The Hershey Chocolate Company
07.2000 - 03.2006

District Account Supervisor

The Hershey Chocolate Company
12.1995 - 06.2000

Retail Sales Representative

The Hershey Chocolate Company
01.1991 - 11.1995

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration with Emphasis: Marketing

University of Southern Mississippi

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M.D. WassonSenior Sales Executive