Darin Croegaert

Promoted to provide strategic leadership for a newly-combined nationwide sales team of ~194 people. Currently manage 8 direct reports across three different divisions generating > $3.5 billion in annual revenue for >200 principal partners. • Achieved 4.5% sales growth in Conventional and 15% in Natural in 2024 (SPINs); gained thousands of Total Distribution Points at top accounts versus previous year. • Developed and implemented KPIs for the first time in company history, extending transparency and accountability to the individual sales employee level. • Introduced formal training to meet elevated performance expectations; programs combined knowledge of roles/responsibilities with extensive data/brand analysis.

Recruited to lead a nationwide team of 97 selling and administering natural, organic, and better-for-you products into mainline grocery store chains. Tasked with leveraging single-brand management concepts to drive sales strategy, brand growth, and portfolio retention. • Delivered >5% YoY retail sales growth within the channel. • Established new category review guidelines; trained, developed, and mentored team on using data analytics and insights to provide value-add guidance to brand partners. • Standardized proactive response mechanisms and identified whitespace for buyer-specific stories; now an expanded and fundamental component of TDP growth for brands. • Saved ~$1,000,000 by eliminating redundancies and inefficiencies.

Promoted to navigate the transition from tactical sales to strategic planning/execution and category management. Empowered teams to deliver 4Ps support/guidance during the category review process. • Implemented a trade management process to reveal ROI performance at the account level for the first time; facilitated a ~ $1,500,000 reduction from the annual trade budget. • Fine-tuned the order entry process to ensure processing efficiency. • Created a weekly forum to review POS data and 3rd party analytics; used the data to drive insights, grow the category, and improve organizational connectivity.

Recruited to 1) develop and execute the national sales strategy and fiscal year plan; 2) initiate a formal LE process for trade management & S&OP process for forecasting; 3) analyze business through data "mining" and field sales intelligence; 4) lead the first-ever 4Ps development. • Successfully integrated the APF Poultry businesses; assimilated into the Hillshire LE process, RVAP S&OP process, and transitioned trade planning to Trace. • Delivered a trade efficiency of >$1,200,000 (goal of $750,000). • Collaborated on a Regional Defense Plan that enabled the Northeast Grocery Team to effectively eliminate a distribution threat by Koch Foods.

Recruited to fully develop the sales planning function for kitchen, electrics, and Vinturi portfolios totaling $65 million in revenue. Led transition team through all phases of product line divestiture. • Educated product management team on navigating retail sales cycles, resulting in expedited go-to-market process and new product placements at national retailers. • Built a sales prioritization roadmap; worked with SVP to create all-access product information hubs for account managers, internal sales, and more than 20 different rep groups. • Condensed POS reports from major retailers into understandable and actionable data for CEO, CFO, and SVPs; improved proactive decision-making and retail partnerships.

Hired to re-create and re-define position vacated by three experienced sales planners whose combined tenure with the company was only four months. Provided strategic leadership as lead planner and internal sales expert for Redbox and SAMPLEit lines of business. • Successfully orchestrated a 25-50% price increase; worked with national account managers to execute within just 30 days, with 100% buy-in from our retail partners. • With limited resources, ran >50 marketing programs in six months; generated millions of incremental revenue and >20% new customer acquisition. • Standardized information sharing to deliver actionable insights and product updates, resulting in consistent messaging across the organization. • Established the “go-to-market” strategy for Redbox Card; selected vendor/partner that generated millions of incremental revenue in the first year. • Developed the national training curriculum to fill knowledge gaps and make “learning organization” a standard part of current sales operations.

Full P&L responsibility for $13.8 million sales plan, including leadership of 31 franchise owners and 2 sales reps. Developed and implemented individualized sales strategies and served as trainer, mentor, and coach. Provided support in customer relationship management, needs assessment, presentation skills, negotiation, closing, operations, and franchisee compliance. • Delivered 105% of plan in 1Q10; finished at 110%, with 2011 sales consistent at 100%+. • Experienced very low franchisee turnover in a corporate environment of 15-20% attrition. • Recipient of Circle of Honor Award for being among top 5% in sales nationwide.

Selected to launch and oversee Inside Sales Program corporate-wide. • Saved $144,000 annually; expanded closing rates from 1.27% to 10.9%+ within five months. • Increased sales from $6-7 million to $34.7 million in less than two years. • Reduced follow-up contact time from 72 hours to less than 8 business hours and increased qualified applicants from approximately 10% to 19.8% within just four months.

Served as IT system expert for corporate sales and marketing business units. Worked to understand business needs, built requirements that translated needs into IT language, and managed projects until implementation. • Successfully developed and implemented a new rebate program described by IT Director as "impossible"; program allowed franchisees to write more contracts and increase business by 20% via extended credit contracts as an incentive to end-users.

Supervised Account Managers to credit sales and minimize franchisee contract delinquency/losses. • Transformed an under-performing team, reducing delinquency from 11% to less than 6% and increasing credit sales by 12%.

Oversaw corporate business development for 16 branches. • Achieved 35% growth within just three months and became company’s top Corporate Account Manager.

Promoted to supervise branch operations, with broad responsibility for budgeting, staffing, P&L, strategic planning, business development, and key account relationship management. Ranked #1 in North America for market share percentage and customer service.

Responsible for planning and forecasting the inventory needs for a national tool manufacturer.