Donald Townsend

Passionate and strategic senior sales/category management/marketing executive who delivers multimillion-dollar growth, margin improvement and profitable and efficient trade dollars for global Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Excels at strengthening sales processes, product promotion and placement, client relationships, attracting new business and expanding market opportunities. Assembles and mentors top talent, instills a culture of success at all levels and creates roadmaps for succession and sustainability. Possesses a natural talent for fostering collaboration, influencing and building consensus among all internal and external stakeholders. 

The Jason Group Integrated Sales & Marketing, Eastern Pennsylvania

Maintain connections with industry leaders in sales, merchandising, marketing, public relations, manufacturing, and qualitative research to provide integrated sales and marketing solutions to start-up and underperforming companies in transition.                                                 

PRESIDENT / PRINCIPAL,  2006 – Present

Developing strategic business units in the FMCG, CPG, Health and Wellness and Organic-Natural-Gluten Free-Raw-Vegan industries together under one umbrella holding company, with investments with private equity investing companies, commercial real estate and acquisition opportunities.

Shiloh Farms / PureLiving and SimPur Organics at Garden Spot Group, New Holland, PA

One of the first natural/organic product lines in US and a pioneer in the industry since 1942.

VICE PRESIDENT Sales and marketing, 2012 – 2013

Actively recruited by owner to lead Natural/Organic and Gluten Free product sales and marketing teams to strengthen their current position in the Northeast with their breath of product offerings, and develop plans to take their Shiloh Farms brand national. Accountable for US sales and marketing, P&L, forecasting, category management, advertising and PR. 

• Launched 140 new items and 2 new brands: PureLiving Organics (Food) and SimPur Organics (Household Cleaners).

West Chester University, West Chester, PA, University of Delaware, Newark, DE and St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA.  Three world-class universities teaching graduate and undergraduate courses. 

Strategic Marketing professor, 2001 – Present

Instruct graduate and undergraduate students in the school’s Strategic Marketing programs in the university‘s Business and Masters/MBA program.

SC Johnson (formerly Sara Lee Household & Beverage), Racine, WI

A $9B manufacturer of household consumer products in the FMCG and Specialty Industry.

Business Development Customer Marketing, KIWI Integration Shoe Care, 2011 – 2012

Retained, following SC Johnson’s acquisition of SLH&B, to spearhead integration of all sales and marketing operations. Led direct reports and national broker and held P&L accountability.

Director North American Mass Sara Lee Household and Beverage, Exton, PA

Global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality, brand-name products, acquired by SC Johnson in 2011.

Director North American Mass, Shoe and Foot Care, 2010 – 2011

Requested, by President of the Americas to head and ready group for sale to new ownership and rectify problems that occurred among some mass accounts. Accountable for customer-centric team alignment, distribution, merchandising, pricing, promotion, retail coverage, new item implementation and P&L for Wal-Mart, Target, Meijer and Kmart.

• Persuaded Wal-Mart to move “shoe care center” to the front of department, negotiated joint $48M retail sales goal, grew off-shelf sales 27.3% and placed 14,600 off-shelf displays to gain awareness and trial during peak seasons.
• Created and designed the “Shelf of the Future” custom merchandising system. 
• Grew Shoe Care at Wal-Mart 15.3% in USA and 6.3% in Canada; Target by 8.8%, Meijer by 12.9%, and Hardware by 16% and delivered incremental $12M sales prior to divesting the brand.

Director, Global Brands Category Management, Shoe and Foot Care, 2009 − 2010

Chosen, by global President of Sara Lee International to simplify and implement KIWI Category Management review standards at the Top 25 Global retailers. Accountable for full global P&L and $16M investment budget.

• Revitalized category brand and 33,409 total new merchandising sets by strengthening global fact-based selling skills.
• Elevated brand through global ‘Shoe Aid for Africa’ promotion that collected and delivered 200,000 pairs of shoes to needy and first to deliver two containers of water/blankets/shoes to Haiti following the earthquake.

Director, Trade Marketing and Customer Centric Teams, 2005 – 2008

Brought back to Sara Lee to lead Trade Marketing once again and to deliver major change in the management of the Top 10 North American accounts. Developed processes that enabled collaborative efforts to improve inventories, categories, SKUs and packaging, among others to positively impact profitability, margins and customer relations.

• Developed strong trade relations, lowered inventory, reduced case packs, and grew consumption in mature category by spearheading customer-centric teams with Wal-Mart (US, Puerto Rico and Canada), Target, Kroger, Meijer, Safeway and Canadian Tire.
• Negotiated permanent end-cap displays, rationalized slow moving SKUs and added 25 new items at Meijer, growing total sales 35% and units 9.8% 
• Delivered $32M incremental sales and reduced SKUs 10% and obsoletes 55% through new trade marketing initiatives.

Unique Industries, Inc., Philadelphia, PA

One of the largest manufacturers/distributors of party supplies in the world, with $255M in annual revenue. 

National Sales Manager, 2003 – 2005

Actively recruited by president to fill void within leadership structure and reorganize sales organization, prepare for future and drive sales. Maintained accountability for US sales, trade marketing and customer service operations, P&L, forecasting, category management, advertising and PR.

• Grew sales 16.1%, strengthened fulfillment and improved profitability by reorganizing, sales, marketing and customer service to industry standards, automating store levels orders, implementing forecasting by SKU, creating a business development process for FDM, club, party, dollar and convenience channels and improving communications with “The Party Planner,” a client sales newsletter.
• Sold company’s first distribution to Target, Kmart and Wal-mart attaining 98 SKUs at Target, 87 SKUs at Kmart negotiating 35-store Party Center test at Wal-Mart and captured first-time business at Costco, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, 5 Below, McLane, and Walgreen’s.

Sara Lee Household and Body Care, Exton, PA

A global manufacturer of household and personal care products. 

Director Sales, 2001 – 2003

Charged with improving relations at Target, while leading the Target/Kmart Mass Merchandiser and Fleming Wholesale Team. Directed an $18M business through three brokers for headquarter calls, retail coverage, category plans and new item implementation.

• Grew Target sales 66% and profit 14.5% by identifying and counteracting competitive threat, filling key distribution voids and gaining incremental space through use of first-ever broker coverage.
• Sold first off-shelf display, grew sales on combined accounts 41% and displaced 82 competitor SKUs.
• Grew Kmart sales 86% by negotiating placement of 1,500 permanent pharmacy sidekicks.

Director, Trade Marketing, Household Cleaners and Air Care, 1999 – 2001

Recruited to develop trade marketing department to facilitate launch of new European developed products into the US while fostering innovation on current product lines. Accountable for category management, syndicated data, space planning and research. Built team and department from scratch, formulated go-to-market plans and directed $157M business.

• Launched eight new products and grew sales by $17M.
• Negotiated first price increase at Wal-Mart in nine years, increasing company and client profit $1.5M and $4.5M respectively.

Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, MI 

Producer of cereals and convenience foods, manufactured in 18 countries and marketed in more than 180 globally.

Project Lead, Process Improvement Category Management, 1997 – 1999

MBA Fordham University, Marketing Management 1987-1989

St. Joseph University Asst. Professor of Marketing and Sales Strategy 2019-2023

University of Delaware, Business Administration