MICHAEL AOKI

Twinsburg OH 44087 440-773-3523(cell) aoki3025@gmail.com

Regional/District Manager Retail Operations Sales

P&L / Budgeting / Forecasting / Category Management / Marketing / Sales / Advertising / Pricing / Vendor Management / Cost Control / Shrink Reduction / Margin Improvement
Built high performance management teams and secured aggressive retail competitors positions as market leaders. Achieved demanding revenue goals and high customer satisfaction levels. Applied multi-product category management to drive revenue and profits. Partnered with suppliers in identifying power categories that built retailer brand image, attracted destination customers and increased sales through better pricing, product mix, and promotion. Allocated dollars toward highest opportunity markets, ensuring promotional spending made a bottom line difference. Original Pilot District to roll-out new My Macys concept coast to coast. National program in 2010. Increased vendor funding 20% to $12M annually through sales promotions for Albertsons and its suppliers. Jumpstarted flat Sav-on Drug sales through initiative boosting store revenue 10% and gross margins 2%. Strengthened Rite Aid Ohio district EBITDA 18% through strong management of sales and operating costs. Key Skills and Attributes: Creating millions in consumer sales. Opening new markets. Introducing innovative, high impact promotions. Negotiating major deals. Strengthening customer loyalty. Building collaborative retailer / supplier alliances. Building and leading effective teams. Managing large budgets. Achieving challenging goals quickly.

Key Achievements
Strengthened Rite Aid Ohio district EBITDA 18% through strong management of sales and operating costs. Planned and led comprehensive program to boost sales through effective inventory management and customer service, and to cut operating expenses through payroll control, energy management and improved charge card / gift card processing. Pushed already impressive performance numbers even higher, ultimately achieving a 5.5% sales increase to $6.4M, and an overall EBITDA improvement of $2.45M. Increased vendor funding 20% to $12M annually through sales promotions for Albertsons and its suppliers. The companys ability to hit aggressive new corporate budget numbers was in part contingent on significantly boosting co-op and ad allowance support from vendors. In exchange for expanded product support, ran ad campaigns strongly promoting cooperating brands. Negotiated terms that brought benefits to suppliers and Albertsons. Improved key product category sales through broader exposure and more attractive pricing while maintaining gross margins. Jumpstarted flat Sav-on Drug sales through initiative boosting store revenue 10% and gross margins 2%. Recognizing that individual employee performance is key to any improvement program, worked intensively with both store associates and their managers. Determined available skills, cross-trained associates in different jobs, created stronger performers, and ensured that those strong performers were assigned to positions with maximum impact.

Career Summary
District Planner, Macys, 2008 to 2011 Responsible for individual store sales, planning, analysis, merchandise assortments, turns, gross margins, space analysis, inventory & competition assortment analysis for a 12-store district in the Greater Cleveland market. Original pilot district for My Macys concept. The concept was rolled out to the entire company May 2010. District Manager, Rite Aid Corp, 2003 to 2007 Exercised P&L responsibility for sales, operations, merchandising, inventory, expense control, staffing and training for a 31-store, 450 employee district with this major retailer. Designed and led comprehensive performance improvement plans. Controlled $120M budget. Category Manager, Albertsons Drug Division, 2001 to 2003 Applied brand management strategy and business process principles to boost product category sales across the company. Defined product groupings, determined store placement, set and evaluated category performance goals, identified target buyers, determined best merchandising approaches, and tracked sales and margins. Negotiated prices, allowances, slotting and co-op funding with sales reps. Wrote advertising. Managed $150M budget. Regional SW Area Sales Manager, Albertsons Drug Division, 2000 to 2001 Oversaw 165 regional stores generating $700M in sales. Selected weekly ad items and prices. Reviewed and approved seasonal product selections to maximize product line appeal and sales. Conducted quarterly reviews with direct store delivery vendors. Earned appointment to high impact category management assignment reserved for the companys top performers. Prior Assignments: Market Manager and General Manager, Sav-on Drug. Special Projects Manager, Star Market. Sales Promotion Manager, Osco Drug.