Jason Aemmer

Buyer for Men’s and Women’s Shave, Deodorant, Cotton, Electric Shave, and Travel Trial categories.

Manage an $80+ million annual sales Hardware Business. Work cross-functionally with multiple different business groups both internally and externally. Successfully, driving 2 times+ share in focus commodities businesses and distorting share. Some of the categories being managed include: tools, tool boxes, ladders, tape, brooms, spray paint, paint brushes, stain, snow shovels, weather stripping, gloves, builder’s hardware, furnace filters, adhesives, moving accessories, and padlocks. Some of the vendor partners working in this business are 3M, Rustoleum, Shur-tape, Linzer, Libman broom, Gorilla glue, Stanley Black and Decker, Masterlock, and 100+ more. Responsibilities include: . Drive the Strategic direction of the business focusing on assortment, price, brands, marketing, and store presentation . Manage vendor partnerships, including negotiating markdowns, returns, pricing, and promotional funding . Analyze market data and internal metrics for short and long term actions and planning the business. . Mentor, train, and develop a 3 person team to achieve business and personal goals. . Build, manage, and analyze category assortments with both the customer and financial profits in mind. . Develop and manage the omni channel promotional and marketing tactics to drive maximum sales and profit. . Communicate business strategy and direction to leadership. . Work cross-functionally with space planning, advertising, logistics, visual merchandising, procurement, and store operations to execute business objectives.

Managed a $40 million+ annual sales automotive business. Successfully, grew strategic vendor partnerships and categories. Drove air freshener category at 3 times+ share, through adjacencies and vendor partner moves. Key categories included: Car detailing products, performance chemicals, anti-freeze, floor mats, air fresheners, car stereo, and towing. Some of the vendor partners included: Meguiars, Preston, Armor All, Yankee Candle, Proctor and Gamble, Winston, Custom Accessories, Pioneer, Turtle Wax, and 100+ more.

Managed a $76 million+ Pre-School Toy business. Successfully, collaborated with Planning team to control seasonal buys and procure a higher percentage of the buy through import to maximize profit. Key categories managed included: Novelty Toys, learning toys, plush, trading cards, power wheels, wagons, and preschool toys. Some of the suppliers in the categories included: Fisher Price, Hasbro, Vtech, Leap Frog, Melissa & Doug, Radio Flyer, Gund, TY, Beckett, Jakks Pacific, Toysmith, and over 100+ more.

Managed a $40 million+ annual sales book business in the Media Department. Worked closely with third party provider on launch of new releases, book signings, marketing of new releases, and inventory flow. Implemented universal signage fixture to allow flexibility in department space, and drive maximum profits. Signage package is still being used today.

Partnered with Buyer to manage a $55+ million annual retail business for 3+ years. Successfully, hit and exceeded financial plan for sales, margin,and inventory turn. Some of the categories managed included: Cookware, bakeware, gadgets, food storage, cutlery, canning, and the corporate clip strip program. Some of the vendor partners worked with on the desk include: Kitchen-Aid, T-Fal, Wilton, Rubbermaid, OXO, Faberware, Handi-foil, and 100+ more. Responsibilities included: . Created and maintained desk financial plan and manage open to buy process. . Build and maintain import ladder plans. . Responsible for mentoring, training, and development of Business Analysts. . Review profit and loss statements to identify opportunities to cut costs and increase profits. . Develop and manage the markdown progression of slow turning and discontinued items. . Oversee forecast adjustments in Manugistics replenishment system. . Reconcile category assortment plans to financial plans. . Communicated with vendor community on forecasting, ordering, and product flow. . Provided markdown liability to Buyer and participated in vendor negotiations. . Drive vendor shipping compliance to deliver good to meet corporate “on shelf awareness” metrics.

Responsible for inventory flow on a $180+ million annual sales small kitchen appliance business. Key categories included: Blenders, roasters, mixers, toasters, and coffee machines. Top suppliers included: Oster, Mr. Coffee, Kitchen-Aid, Hamilton Beach, Sunbeam, Rival, and dozens more. Job duties included: . Create and maintain accurate demand forecasts for both domestic and import product. . Execute all product purchases and manage flow from the vendor through the supply chain. . Build allocation plans to distribute product from DC to store. . Collaborate with Buying team to flow product and stay within open to buy constraints. . Communicate with vendor community on a variety of product flow issues, and provide solutions. . Mentor and train the new hire Inventory Analysts. . Manage relationships with vendors, Logistics, Distribution Centers, and Store Operations. . Deliver on corporate in stock goals.

Procured product for both the Tabletop, and Lawn and Garden Departments. Key categories included: Drinkware, plates, cutlery, gadgets, grass seed, trees, shrubs. Top suppliers included: Libby glass, Corningware, Henkel, OXO, Scott’s, Ames, and dozens+ more. Job responsibilities: . Responsible for creating forecast profiles and making appropriate system adjustments to maintain service levels. . Performed new item set up and maintain. . Procured product for replenishment, promotions, and special buys. . Supported all customer and store requests for product. . Tracked purchase orders through the supply chain.

Managed a variety of DaimlerChrysler health and safety programs at the Kokomo Transmission and Casting Plant. . Reported daily OSHA recordable injuries to Plant Leadership at morning staff meeting. . Worked closely with Engineering and Union Officials to trouble shoot machine logic and design problems, so fixes could be implemented. . Placed medically restricted employees in jobs consistent with their restrictions. . Participated in first step grievance process with labor relations and the union concerning health and safety issues. . Investigated recordable/ non-recordable injuries to determine work relatedness and provided solutions for prevention. . Produced and reported on daily metrics including incident rates, lost work days, and recordable injuries. . Championed the plant ergonomics program and increased monthly fixes by 85 percent.