GARY WILSON

gwd7f818@westpost.net
5662 Marigold Lane Warrenton, Virginia 20187
(540) 349-2072 GENERAL MANAGER
P&L / Sales / Customer Relations / Hiring and Training / Merchandising / Payroll
/ Pricing / Marketing Budgets / Loss Prevention / Cost Control / Process Impr
ovements / Growth Strategies
Relationship Management / Market Expansion / Inventory Control
Managed operations for large and small retail environments, implementing strateg
ies to maximize efficiencies, cut cost, improve customer satisfaction, increase
revenue and overall performance.
Key Skills: Strong business acumen with entrepreneurial spirit. Decisive, strat
egic and focused on bottom line performance. Exceptional interpersonal skills an
d effective team leadership. Diplomatic, ethical and reliable. Adaptable to ch
ange and calm under pressure. Ability to meet tight deadlines and optimize produ
ctivity. Strong administrator. Skilled at developing solutions that exceed tar
geted goals and objectives Realistic decision-maker, valuing excellence, profess
ionalism, quality and precision.
CAREER HISTORY AND HIGHLIGHTS
Owner/Operator, Marshall Dollar Stores. 2008 to 2010. Bought, displayed merch
andise, and managed advertising for family owned store.
General Manager, Staples, 2005 to 2008. $19B office products company. Managed st
ore operations with $6.5M budget. Directed P&L, payroll, sales, merchandising a
nd loss prevention functions. Oversaw performance of 25 sales associates and pr
omoted culture of quality customer service through consistent training and mento
ring strategies. Implemented process improvements to maintain efficiency and in
crease sales.
* Increased revenues 9% within one year through extended warranties and add-ons.
Company relied upon warranties and add-ons as significant revenue stream. Ana
lyzed sales process and determined that greatest opportunity for results occurre
d at Point of Sale. Developed and implemented comprehensive training program. R
evenues due to add-ons increased by 9% within one year.
* Grew inventory to meet customer demand, increasing revenue 67% for targeted ca
tegories. Size of store prevented requested merchandise from being stocked. Ana
lyzed product sales performance and identified slow moving merchandise. Worked
in conjunction with management to eliminate low selling and obsolete inventory,
replacing it with merchandise in demand. Enhanced customer satisfaction and inc
reased sales.
General Manager, Ames Department stores, 1996 to 2002. Discount retailer. Oversa
w daily business operation with $9M budget. Managed payroll, expenses, loss pre
vention, and merchandising functions. Provided training and development for 90
staff members. Coordinated strategic planning for profitable store operation.
* Seized opportunity to expand market reach, increasing sales $4M within 24 mont
hs. Sales were below expectations and store suffered $300K loss. Conducted exte
nsive market survey and determined distribution was not maximized. Collaborated
with District Manager and advertising to develop strategy broadening market seg
ment. Implemented new advertising campaign, successfully increasing customer ba
se and revenue.
General Manager, TJMaxx, 2002 to 2005. $17B apparel and accessories retailer. Di
rected store's marketing and sales strategies. Administered budget of $7.5M and
managed day-to-day operations including P&L, payroll, and merchandising. Mainta
ined training and development of 30 staff. Established display system without b
enefit of planogram to maximize efficiency, product exposure and generate revenu
e.
* Grew revenue 40% in two years. Opportunity existed to improve store's overall
performance. Conducted careful analysis of administrative, marketing and sales
strategies to assess efficiencies and productivity. Implemented tactical plans
 that produced lowest shrink in district. Initiated personnel development, prom
oting several hourly associates to managers. Drove performance levels to top ten
status as result of increased revenues.
Showroom Manager, Best Products, 1994 to 1996. Catalog showroom retail store. D
irected showroom operations and ensured optimal sales through appropriate invent
ory, showroom appearance and exceptional customer service. Developed and initia
ted training to 45 sales associates and managed budget of $14M.
* Instituted staff incentive program, instantly increasing productivity 350%. Sa
les closure rates were below company expectations. Implemented incentive compen
sation program encouraging competition between teams. Enthusiasm for contest in
creased productivity and exceeded sales expectations established for store. Ins
pired greater collaboration among staff.
District Manager, Drug Emporium - Oversaw 14 stores and 500 employees. Generate
d
$100M annually. Recruited and trained managers in merchandising and buying. De
veloped advertising campaigns for the district. Monitored inventory levels and
pricing.

EDUCATION / TRAINING / PERSONAL

BS, Industrial Administration, Iowa State University with a Major in Marketing a

nd Minors in Economics and Accounting.
Ongoing training to stay abreast of new industry technologies and methodologies.
Hobbies/Interest: Camping, fishing, hiking, boating and gardening
Titles of specific military duties: Air Intercept Controller, Air Strike Contro
ller, Combat Information Center Watch Officer, Combat Information Surface Watch
Officer, Officer of the Deck Underway, Assistant Legal Officer
Travel: Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, Caribbe
an
Awards/Special Recognition:
* Store Manager of the Month - Store Manager of the Month - For Ames Store, larg
est increase in sales for month.
* Store Manager of the Year - Performed best in 17 numerical categories (i.e. to
p sales for attachments and warranty as well as superior customer service.)
* United States Navy's Order of the Sextant distinction.