Jason Contarino

Sales and strategic brand management for top footwear and action sports brands in the New England region. Past brands represented include Vans, Ukala by Emu, Holden Outerwear, Deeluxe, DC Shoes, Airblaster

Selected to drive sales growth and elevate brand presence in family footwear and lifestyle stores throughout New England. Built multimillion-dollar sales territory of 40 retail partners in multiple channels, including eCommerce, Sporting Goods, Department Stores, Athletic Specialty, and Fashion. Invested time in developing and maintaining strong long-term relationships with retail partners. Built trust with customers through honesty and authenticity. Applied strong analytical skills and utilized a collaborative approach to manage relationships, diffuse difficult situations. Managed end-to-end sales process, including customized assortment planning, merchandising, sell-in and sell-through analysis. Consistent YOY growth of territory; achieved by assisting clients in analyzing sell-through and inventory levels to support their purchasing process and foster more educated buying practices. Secured pre-season orders against a budget, managed distribution, developed strategic sales plans by matching account insights and goals with brand message and key product stories, and worked cross functionally to successfully deliver seasonal initiatives.

Managed the footwear, apparel and snowboard boot business across a diverse account base of 60 retailers, including action sports specialty stores, sneaker boutiques, athletic specialty and family footwear stores. Worked to increase sales, door count and profitability across all channels of distribution. Created directed assortments for each channel of distribution to maximize ROI. Concentrated on identifying growth opportunities that were beneficial for the brand and my dealers. Increased market share and brands’ strength through development of relationships within customer base.

Agency representing brands made up of hardgoods, outerwear, apparel, and footwear products throughout the Mid-Atlantic and New England Region. Brands included The Program*: Forum Snowboards, Special Blend Outerwear, and Foursquare Outerwear as well as Circa Footwear. Executed a shared organizational vision of a collaborative, customer-centric philosophy, through product expertise, best-in-class service and strong relationships. Executed regional brand marketing activations, regional product demos, and regional trade shows. Assisted in the processing of purchase orders from retail shops to manufacturers, ensuring accuracy, and appropriate assortments.

Buyer of Snowboard, Skateboard, Footwear, Clothing and Accessories. Purchase and maintain inventory for 3 locations, creating appropriate assortments for each location and demographic. Determined staffing requirements, directed daily store operations including staff and workflow oversight.