Chris Huot

The VP of Merchandising is responsible for the vision, leadership and development of multiple core Merchandising departments and their teams. They are accountable for the wholesale and retail assortment strategy, vendor negotiations, sourcing, sales, gross profit, margin rate, GMROI and other key metrics. This responsibility spans both B2C and B2B customer types.

The department merchandise manager (DMM) is responsible for leadership and development of a merchant team for all aspects of Ace and EJD assortment strategy, development and execution through to retail for a respective group of categories to achieve wholesale and retail success as measured by sales, gross profit, margin rate, GMROI and other key metrics. This responsibility spans both B2C and B2B customer types. The position also provides leadership as a collective peer team regarding organizational structure & personnel, strategy, goals, prioritizing work plans and execution. The oversight of the DMM team is the core of driving alignment and disciplined execution of the company’s promise to deliver consumer relevant, high quality, differentiated, localized assortments to Ace retailers and wholesale customers at the lowest cost.

Founder Sport Group is a leading manufacturer of high quality, performance stock and custom sublimated team uniforms and fanwear servicing the team, corporate, collegiate and wholesale channels. Founder Sport Group encompassed the Badger Sportswear, Alleson Athletic, Teamwork and Garb Athletic brands specializing in quick turn, high quality, low minimum custom sublimated apparel. Managed significant challenges associated with the integration of Alleson Athletic into Founder Sport Group while creating and executing strategic sales plans with direct responsibility for top line sales, budget, promotions, online training and field sales organization, education and motivation. ● Increased $35M+ in channel sales by 4% by strengthening strategic partnerships, developing product training, revamping field sales organization, and creating and executing seasonal, targeted promotional strategies. ● Signed first strategic partnership with a national buying group and grew sales over $50k year 1.

Badger Sportswear is a leading manufacturer of performance stock team uniforms and corporate fanwear specializing in inventory depth, breadth, customer service and turn times. Responsible for creating and leading a “world class” field sales organization to deliver sales growth with new and existing accounts. Spearheaded category insights and collaborated with marketing and product development to attain distribution on new products. Devised new, continuous, 360 degree communication, training and promotional plans to keep corporate, field and customers informed, aligned and focused on key goals. ● Optimized 8% sales growth by creating and executing 12 month promotional and communication plans backed by market driven analytics. ● Established 12 new, quality accounts that delivered over $25k/year in sales.

Sherwin Williams is a global leader in the paint and coatings industry representing name brands such as Sherwin Williams paints, Krylon spray paint and Purdy paint brushes. Account executive tasked with leadership of P&L, $165M Topline sales, $10M marketing budget, 50-person field sales team, strategic accounts, and all merchandising “sell in” functions along with dotted line leadership, including retail training, inventory and promotions. Interacted weekly with Ace Hardware senior leadership on marketing, promotions, inventory, category management and retail training needs, plans and results. Communicated weekly sales results and forecasts with executive teams. ● Credited for meeting retail SSS of +3% despite sluggish “DIY” paint segment in 2017. ● Built and developed sales organization including four regional and one national account director. ● Achieved double-digit promotional sales increase for Memorial, Fourth of July and Labor Day sales. ● Designed a monthly tracker/sales initiative cascading down goals to regional directors. Helped create a culture of accountability while increasing wholesale sales by +6%.

Valspar is a leading paint and coatings manufacturer offering an extensive line of interior and exterior paints, stains, and sealants to fit every consumers needs and price point. Responsible for the creation, communication and execution of strategic sales and training plans that would deliver double digit top line sales growth on a $110M account while growing bottom line profits. Led a 50-person field sales team regarding all merchandising “sell in” functions, retail training, and promotional execution. Communicated weekly sales results and sales and inventory forecasts with key strategic business partners on a weekly basis. ● Executed innovative sales and training initiatives to drive double-digit branded sales and record close rates while leading a 50-person sales team for a $110M account. ● Directed the increase in retail SSS and gross profit dollars (GP$) for first time since 2006; leading wholesale sales that increased 3.9%, 7.9%, and 4.5% with retail sales increasing 4.4%, 6.7%, and 3.9% respectively over the same 3 year period after three consecutive years of declines.

Ace Hardware has over 5,000+ retail outlets worldwide with wholesale sales exceeding $5B and annual retail sales totaling over $13B. Held leadership positions of increasing strategic and financial responsibility over a twenty-year career. I ended my career as GM of Ace Paint which is one of two signature departments accounting for over $525M in wholesale and $850M in retail sales. ● General Manager Ace Paint & Sundries (Sept. 2014 - June 2015) - responsible for creating yearly strategic plans, driving wholesale sales, lowering COGS, improving same store sales and profits, delivering $10M to corporate advertising budget while leading a team of 4 buyers and 6 international sales representatives. Delivered bottom line profits of $15.2 exceeding $12.9 goal. Drove retail sales increase of 11%, first double-digit sales increase in 5 years. ● Global Merchandise Manager (Jan. 2014 - Aug. 2014) - additional responsibilities included creating strategic growth plans for Ace Paint International. Drove sales of $8.5M exceeding budget while delivering record BLP. ● Department Merchandise Manager (Jan. 2011 - Dec. 2013)- delivered bottom line profits of $10+M/ year, maintained a 97+% service level, improved retailer gross profit by 3+% while leading a team of 6 domestic buyers. Under my leadership wholesale sales grew 3.9%, 7.9% and 4.5% respectively with retail sales increasing 4.4%, 6.7% and 3.9%. ● Group Category Manager (Aug. 2003 - Dec. 2010) – sold and executed 2,500 paint valley bundle resets that drove $8M+ in incremental wholesale sales; first ever “bundled” category reset. Implementing stores outperformed non-implementing stores by 6% in sales and 4% in gross profit. ● Retail Pricing Supervisor (Jan. 1999 - July 2003) Led all retail pricing initiatives including the establishment of Ace’s current price strategy and foundational procedures, 4 consecutive years of GP% improvements and first of its kind “Get Credit for Value” program.

• Spearheaded the transition of Ace Hardware’s retail pricing strategy from one of “cost base” to “fact based - market driven”. • Project Manager for retail pricing study which developed what would serve as the foundation of Ace Hardware’s retail pricing strategy to this day. • Developed Ace’s first Retail Pricing Department of six analysts setting retails for 70k plus SKUs. • Created and drove the progression of Ace’s competitor price shopping program to Rival Watch • Spearheaded discussions with senior management which lead to the creation of Ace’s Retail Price Management system.