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Business Director

Top Management

Innovative, sales leader, with entrepreneurial mindsight.  Proven track record of revenue, margin, and inventory goal achievement, through Go to Market process excellence. Ready to take big game tested, 4th quarter, game on the line experience to help develop and lead a dynamic team with a blend of art and science. Passionate about starting with diversity and inclusion as the foundation, looking to the future in how teams approach the business with analytics, and omni-channel strategy, while still embracing personal relationships, fun and connection.

Focus on strategic accounts and new business development, taking existing relationships to a new space while identifying and developing new retail partnerships, expanding the company's brand presence.  Spirit Leatherworks has been the exclusive 3rd party licensee for Nike Belts/Golf Belts since 2005, while Will is known for rugged luxury, high quality leather goods.
• Utilizing personal network, was able to foster new business ventures with Dick's Sporting Goods, Hibbett, WSS, Zumiez, and Big 5 in less than 4 months.  Connectivity with all key Nike retail partners.
• Revitalized nike.com business.  2x'd online assortment and beat sales plan by 10%.  Landed product in Company Store for the first time since 2019.

Managed team of 6 Key Account Executives. Responsibilities included CRM strategy, PNL management, short- and long-range sales planning, goal setting for revenue targets and product demand planning accuracy, on Footwear, Apparel and Accessory business. Five direct reports in LA calling on WSS, Big 5, and Zappos and 1 report in Portland calling on Fred Meyer and REI. Responsible for $200M+ in annual revenue.
• Led team of 6 AEs and LA Key Account partners through trials and tribulations of multiple pandemics.
• Played pivotal role in growing the relationship between WSS and NIKE leadership, resulting in acquisition by Foot Locker.
• Helped development of multiple AEs into job promotions on Strategic National account teams.
• Increased net Invoice Sales +12% despite facing several operational product delivery challenges.
• Led cross-functional Retail Brand enhancements and product assortments that gave access to sport for underserved communities in Los Angeles. Provided neighborhood youth new access to recreational sports and community events.
• Curated LA Marketplace merchandising plans, driving customized, good, better, best product distribution strategies.

Key Accounts Sales Director LA/West

Drove strategic, vertical Go to Market process for the Field Sports category, through customized product merchandising and marketplace management. Led cross functional account facing meetings, with Strategic Partners the likes of DSG, Eastbay, Academy, Hibbett, and Scheels, accounting for $450M+ in annual revenue across Apparel, Footwear and Accessories.
• Created and delivered seasonal tools to Global Sales Force via live presentations and produced recorded videos for key account planning meetings, enabling team to align and all pull in the same direction against strategic initiatives.
• Spearheaded NIKE Market Share gains across all team sports, netting out at 60%+ Share across portfolio.
• Drove digital transformation program to revolutionize Brand Marketing process with Dick's Sporting Goods, improving collaboration and on time delivery of content. Led directly to double-digit omnichannel sales increase.
• Negotiated 3-year partnership to become DSG's exclusive provider of Performance Baseball Apparel. Doubled Apparel bookings from $16M to $32M in one year.  Created first shop and shop focused on Softball and the Female athlete.

Category Sales Director - Football, Baseball & Softball

Handled cleated, team apparel and accessory business on DSG, lead revenue earner on team equating to $130M annually.
• NIKE Pittsburgh office lead on team sports, eyes and ears keeping a pulse on the industry for the corporate category team, and facilitator of quarterly Integrated Strategic Meetings that produced best-in-class toe to head assortments.
• Developed quarterly team DSG competitive analysis exercise which helped influence corporate product engine on price points and products to elevate, separate and differentiate Dick's Sporting Goods. Led to market share gains and 4-year CAGR of double-digit net invoice sales increases.
• Winner - NIKE Sales Team of the Year Award - 2013, led by Market Place Transform project, enhanced retail brand efforts, elevating ease of access to sport categories and how consumers shop.

Strategic Account Executive - Dick's Sporting Goods

Managed Training, Baseball and Football Categories, Footwear, Apparel and Equipment on Sport Chalet, Big 5, Zappos and Chick's. Grew $40M portfolio for 4 consecutive years, netting out at a 14% increase.
• Winner - NIKE Sales Team of the Year Award - 2011. Lead AE on LA team implementing holistic marketplace management in territories. Shifted from focusing on regional account portfolio to the broader marketplace inclusive of National Accounts, influencing future assortments and product distribution in the Southern California Marketplace.
• Worked cross functionally with Brand and In-Store Marketing team, elevating consumer shopping experience in LA Key Account strategic city locations.
• Helped organize and lead product clinics and sport summits with NIKE tech reps and LA Key Account partners.

Key Account Executive

Managed closeout apparel and footwear process for external accounts the likes of Nordstrom Rack, Ross, and Marmaxx, as well as internally with Nike Retail, Factory Outlet Stores.  Responsible for negotiating cost average closeout deals on residual DC inventory that are a win-win for company and customer.
• Winner - NIKE Operational Excellence Award - 2007, driven by negotiating $240M in closeout footwear deals to hit NIKE's 4th-quarter revenue goals.

Inventory Sales Manager - Closeouts

US Footwear Sample Coordinator

Gregory Derago is a Business Director at Will Leather Goods/Spirit Leatherworks/NIKE in Los Angeles, CA.

Gregory Derago

Gregory Derago

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Indiana University of Pennsylvania