PRO Buying Group
(Progressive Retailers Organization)
Northbrook, IL. 1995 - 2006

$1.8 billion retail member-owned company founded in 1985, PRO Group is comprised of the industry’s most progressive and award-winning audio, video, custom-home installation, and mobile specialty retailers, including Abt Electronics, Crutchfield Corporation, Magnolia HiFi (now a division of Best Buy), Tweeter Home Entertainment, and Bjorn’s AV. Members blend exceptional customer service and high sales productivity per location, with an emphasis on leading-edge technologies. Sales of the 16 independently owned retailers, with 225 locations, will approach $2 billion in 2006.

President & COO
P&L responsibility for all operations, including vendor relations, administration, as well as working in collaboration with retail members and leading program negotiations with over 50 vendor partners. Served as company’s primary voice to the consumer electronics industry, plus hosted overseas product design and strategic planning trips with key members and vendor partner decision makers.

• Provided the vision, leadership, and innovation that grew sales 200%, versus industry average of 95%, while achieving international recognition for “higher end, specialty audio and video retailing.”
• Navigated the Group through 10 retail mergers and through a period experiencing more than 30% sector price deflation.
• Achieved new-product, first-year market share of over 20% through strategically positioning US and Asian vendor partners, resulting in PRO’s growth to an industry-leading position. Introduced state-of-the-art technologies such as Flat Screen TV’s, HDTV’s, High Definition DVD’s, and other new technologies.
• Developed comprehensive systems for monitoring multiple levels of Vendor-Group-Member relations, including forecasting, year-to-date progress towards incentives, and reconciliation procedures for tracking financial settlements.
• Drove company to industry-leading position for best practices idea exchange and education through assuming active operating management role and facilitating workshops in merchandising, marketing, sales management, and financial operations.
• Championed member growth by combining memorable in-store experience with on-line, phone, and in-home customer touch points.
• Minimized PRO’s operating costs through collaborating with experts within the member companies as well as through utilizing outside consultants with expertise in different disciplines.
• Developed and implemented educational program where nearly all PRO members, over a 5-year period, attended a unique leadership program developed in conjunction with Ken Blanchard. Attendees included both Principals and Store Managers.
• Played key role in developing new generations of retail merchandisers/buyers through elevating their negotiating skills and international business acumen.
• Performed extensive travel to the Far East, plus hosted annual or semi-annual buying group sessions with Asian suppliers in Japan, Korea, and Shanghai.