Surfing

Senior Director, Retail

Top Management

As a 20-year veteran in the fields of consumer insights, marketing, research, and communications,  I've worked with many premium and mass-market brands across a broad spectrum of projects and services, including enterprise-level strategy consulting, standards development, retail process consulting, targeted analysis of consumer behaviors, marketplace and competitive landscape assessments, and nationwide speaking tours.

My key skills and areas of experience/expertise are: Customer Experience Optimization • Market Research & Analytics • Internal & External Communications • Product Development • Brand Management • Marketing & Advertising Strategy including Digital, Social, & Experiential • Training & Consulting • Large-Audience Speaking Tours & Executive-Level Presentations • Contest & Incentive Management • Event Coordination including National Meetings & Conferences • Project Management including Cost & Budget Control

I live in San Clemente, CA with my wife and two daughters.

• Secure and oversee high-yield consulting projects and proprietary engagements, directly contributing to consecutive years of record-setting revenue and profit: $30M and $10M in 2014 > $32M and $11M in 2015 > $35M and $12M in 2016 
• Portfolio includes industry-leading Sales Satisfaction Index® (SSI) and Customer Service Index® (CSI) studies, for which management requires ongoing development and presentation of findings to executive-level audiences at numerous automotive manufacturers and retail conglomerates
• Build and maintain relationships with key clients for ongoing business development – frequently travel to personally interface with Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Kia, Mazda, Subaru, BMW, MINI, Volvo, Hyundai, Genesis, Audi, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, and Infiniti  
• Regularly launch and lead work streams to develop new products/services and continuously improve existing products/services
• Visit Europe & Asia offices to spur business growth 

• Secure and oversaw high-yield consulting projects and proprietary engagements, directly contributing to consecutive years of record-setting revenue and profit: $30M and $10M in 2014 > $32M and $11M in 2015 > $35M and $12M in 2016 
• Portfolio included industry-leading Sales Satisfaction Index® (SSI) and Customer Service Index® (CSI) studies, for which management required ongoing development and presentation of findings to executive-level audiences at numerous automotive manufacturers and retail conglomerates
• Built and maintained relationships with key clients for ongoing business development – frequently traveled to personally interface with Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Kia, Mazda, Subaru, BMW, MINI, Volvo, Hyundai, Genesis, Audi, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, and Infiniti  
• Regularly launched and led work streams to develop new products/services and continuously improve existing products/services
 

Director, Retail

• Oversaw global research events to advocate the voice of the customer in product and feature development
• Managed global market equations for future compact vehicle programs in China, India, and Brazil – scope included competitive landscape assessment, volume and revenue forecasting, content strategy, pricing strategy, fixed and variable marketing budgeting, and ongoing strategy discussions with executive leadership at headquarters and regional offices (Asia-Pacific, South America)  
• Developed studies and process improvement proposals to address present-day marketing challenges – authored white papers exploring new product directions


Marketing Manager, Global Small Cars

• Conducted multi-city research initiative canvassing thousands of customers to understand the needs and wants of vehicle owners
• Assessed brand positioning strategy, marketing strategy, and marketplace opportunities – created brand identity and launched advertising guidelines across nationwide network – executed multi-media brand-building advertising campaign in twelve metro markets  
• Overhauled consumer website – increased site traffic 1791%
• Opened +300 new Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers, far exceeding historical pace and surpassing industry milestone of 500 total stores in operation  
• Posted same-store annual sales growth with network revenues exceeding $375M  


Marketing Manager, Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Centers  

• Managed weekly editing and publishing process for all corporate communications to US field force of 700 managers and employees 
• Identified and resolved disconnects between field objectives and assignments/tools – created ‘Retail Central’ action guide as mobile, all-in-one field reference – decreased administrative time 9pp, increased consulting time 14pp – increased field sales 1.9% in year of launch 


Field Communications Manager

• Led West Coast field team (10 district managers, 10 field service engineers, 20 zone managers) to Ford Extended Service Plan® (ESP) sales penetration of 50%, 5pp higher than prior year and 19pp higher than national average – highest absolute penetration in nation
• Launched ‘Lincoln Mercury California President's Day ESP Sell-a-Thon’ – generated incremental sales of 750 contracts  
• Created Southern California Finance & Insurance (F&I) Teamwork Training Conference to improve ESP knowledge and selling skills among +50 top managers from Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada  
• Opened four new Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers in greater Los Angeles in a single year 
• Developed strategy for negotiating $1.04M advertising investment from Quick Lane store owners – strategy was subsequently adopted by HQ for national deployment


Business Development Manager

• Managed team of field service engineers to launch ‘Reacquired Vehicle (RAV) Reduction Pilot’ at eleven Ford & Lincoln Mercury dealerships in greater Los Angeles – Generated 23% year-over-year reduction in RAV incidents and incremental savings of $403K in RAV-related costs

Cost Manager

• Led team of zone managers and field service engineers to retail success with Ford & Lincoln Mercury dealerships in Southern California and greater Las Vegas  
• Gained 100% dealer support of retail service advertising and promotional campaigns 
• Generated $1.1M incremental sales and 36:1 return on investment from ‘Quality Care Credit Card’ consumer initiative
• Produced record-setting sales of 20,000 tires in a single day during ‘March Tire Sell-a-Thon’  


Service Strategy Manager

• Conquested Global Parts Distributor (GPD) and Hewlett Packard commercial fleet service accounts, resulting in +$400K incremental annual revenue
• Opened first Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center in metropolitan Los Angeles, generating +$700K incremental annual revenue 
• Enrolled 4 Ford dealerships in Motorcraft® Bulk Oil Program, securing purchase loyalty for all automotive lubricants and chemicals


Retail Marketing Manager

Marketing Analyst

Customer Service Specialist

Product Management Associate (internship)

Stewart Stropp is a Senior Director, Retail at JD Power, Global Automotive Division -- Corporate Headquarters, Orange County CA.

Stewart Stropp

Stewart Stropp

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