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General Manager at The Gralen Company

Accounting & Finance

Michel is a well-rounded leader with a proven track record in General Management, specializing in aligning Brand Development with Business Operations for a wide variety of industry-leading sports, action sports, lifestyle, and Pet brands. Born in Mexico City and educated in the USA, Michel has developed a deep understanding of how shifting social, political, and economic environments affect business decisions and he has successfully led teams through the launch of entire business units and brands in multiple markets.

As someone who embraces challenges as a source for growth, Michel is also a marathon finisher, an avid surfer, snowboarder, sailor, MTB rider, and triathlete. He has represented brands on TV and World Championship events as brand ambassador and commentator. He holds a black belt in Shotokan Karate, multiple academic certifications, a Green Belt in 6-Sigma, and an MBA degree from the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine.

Expertise and Skill-set: General Management | Business Strategy | Operations | Domestic & International Markets | B2B and B2C Sales and Marketing | Brand Development | Commercial Calendar and Go To Market integration | Annual Operating Plan, Budget, and P&L | Advanced Excel | Foreign Markets and Global Trade | Contract Negotiation | Pricing and Business Models | Team Leadership & Development | Retail Merchandising | Retail Math | Product Merchandising and Segmentation | Channel Segmentation | Cross-functional Integration | Sourcing and Manufacturing | Logistics | Data Analytics | Digital Transformation | Systems Integration and Implementation | Project Management | Process and Data Driven

General Manager

•	Took over General Management of business unit by setting brand and distribution strategy, product costing and merchandising, and efficient integration into broad company operations.

General Manager at Gralen Company

•	Led the re-launch of the Katie's Bumpers line of pet products, including revisions to sourcing, pricing, and branding, that translated to better margins, distribution, and storytelling.

Brand Director at Katie's Bumpers

•	Key contributor to setting corporate strategy, including operating and financial plan in close collaboration with company leadership team.
•	Led the implementation of multiple digital solutions for business optimization covering multiple company-owned e-commerce sites, connectors to ERP system, and data analytics software implementation and training.

Vice President Of Business Development & Strategy

•	Established Sales forecasting, expense budgeting, and product planning and forecasting processes including seasonal and yearly review process.
•	Participated in end-to-end implementation of Netsuite legacy system through data clean-up and proper integration with third-party systems.
•	Managed warehouse staff and led the implementation of WMS system by improving existing processes using Kanban, Lean 6 sigma, and 5s concepts.
•	Worked closely with company President, CFO, and HR manager on the development and motivation of company staff through continued review and adjustment of company org-chart, job descriptions, positions and departments aligning with company goals.


Director, Business Operations and Strategy

Managed the Latin America Distributor business for all categories of the ASICS Sports and Lifestyle brands (Volume: $20m). Development and implementation of strategic initiatives in the areas of Sales, Marketing, Operations, and Finance. Extensive travel for market research, business model evaluation, contract negotiation, product presentations, sourcing and logistics evaluation, and events supervision. Responsible for revenue and margin maximization through strategic pricing; setting operational strategy, cross-functional integration throughout the organization, P&L and Budget creation and management.


Business Manager

Developed and Managed distributor/licensee business in Latin America for multiple brands: etnies, Emerica, Altamont, and ThirtyTwo. Established new distribution in Mexico and Brazil as well as local manufacturing in Brazil and Argentina. Double digit growth in key markets such as Costa Rica and Chile through the implementation of focused initiatives in all areas of the business. Oversaw the execution of large scale events in key markets such as Argentina and Costa Rica. Grew overall business in the region by 30%.

International Sales & Marketing Manager

Responsible for Sales and Regional Marketing of the REVO Premium Polarized Sunglass brand into the Sun Specialty, Optical, and Sports Channels throughout the Southern California territory from San Luis Obispo to San Diego. Primary focus on servicing existing business and establishing new distribution. Responsible for demand creation through the development and execution of grass roots marketing initiatives. Grew business 120% within assigned territory.

Southern California Sales

Acting-General Manager during the relaunch of Oakley Mexico, Inc. subsidiary. Accountable for the creation and implementation of Annual Operating Plan, Budget, and P&L reports. Successfully built and managed a team, covering various areas of the business, through the use of SMART goals and the implementation of KPIs.  Accountable for business and brand development into new markets and channels of distribution; oversight of marketing strategy implementation; team building and development; and overall business growth. Accomplished double digit growth due to successful cross-functional integration with parent company, establishment of solid business structures, and penetration into unexploited segments of the market. Additional tasks included the sale of company HQ building, scouting for and establishing a new office location, and the ultimate integration of the business into the parent company.

International General Manager

Managed sales and marketing programs for seven subsidiaries and distributors’ footwear business, with volume of $80 million.  Key contributor to product merchandising of the footwear category by providing specific market feedback in the form of margin requirements, SMU projects, local sourcing requirements, as well as channel and price segmentation.

International Assoc. Sales Manager

Managed all Direct Sales, Distributor, and Licensee business for Rip Curl, USA in Asia, Israel, Latin America, and S. Pacific region. Sales and Marketing strategy creation and implementation. Supply chain management for Licensee business. Set up sales shows in multiple countries. Range showings at national trade shows and other regional shows. Distributor and Licensee contract review and negotiation with multiple candidates. Accomplished 20% YoY growth on average.

International Sales Manager

Tech Department Management: wetsuits, eyewear, and watches (Volume: $10 million of $1 billion company). Sales and technical support for eyewear and watches for the eastern US and Puerto Rico. Domestic and International B2B2C Technical support as wetsuits specialist. Order files management and product allocation to a 90%+ order fulfillment.

Asstistant Business Manager

Managed over 300 accounts for six sales representatives in S.E. Asia and Latin America (Volume: $12 million of $900 million company). Order file management: Maintained a minimum of shipped to booked dollars ratio of 85% - 95%. Prepared and presented order and sales reports to top management and customers. Tradeshow attendance, company walkthroughs, phone and E-mail in both Spanish and English. Marketing: Assistance in the areas of sports marketing, merchandising, and events.

International Sales Assistant

Managed 200 domestic accounts (Volume: $5 million of $600 million company). Responsible for order file integrity and fulfillment through relationship building and systems operations.


Sales Associate

Michel Schnaas is a General Manager at The Gralen Company in Orange County, California.

Michel Schnaas

Michel Schnaas

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