MICHAEL ALBERT
1728 Harper Avenue Redondo Beach CA  90278
michaelalbert@pobox.com 310-968-1045
 
SKILLS SUMMARY

 Sales & Business Development • Marketing Strategy and Implementation
• Branding, Advertising & PR • Distributor and Broker Solicitation & Management
• Product/Packaging Development • Special Events • Getting It Done

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
 
Market Expansion: Extended regional boutique CPG gourmet food manufacturer to national & Canadian retail and foodservice distribution and placement, securing major retail & foodservice accounts, e.g., Costco, UNFI, SunOpta Wegmans, Central Markets, Safeway, Whole Foods, Melt Gelato, Juice It Up! and Robeks plus hundreds of small chains and independents; launched & brand managed new Belizza product line to retail and foodservice channels, #2 in its category. Privately labeled products for national brands. (Caffé Classico Foods)
Marketing Management: Created $75M in revenues growing start-up casino. (Hollywood Park)
Start-up Operations: Successfully launched world’s first Web-based free communications service to realize targeted exit strategy of acquisition two years ahead of schedule.  Recruited 1,200 user-NGOs representing a 32M membership and over 250,000 individual subscribers.  (Fax4Free.com)
Strategic Planning: Conceived core value proposition and launched first mobile cosmetic medical clinic. (Body Renaissance)
Multicultural/Special Events: Produced and staged 200+ special events including concerts, sporting events, beauty pageants, trade shows, product testing and sampling, etc. for mainstream and multicultural audiences.  Attendance:  500 to 30,000 (Hollywood Park)
Industry Leadership: Recent president of the American Marketing Association, Southern California

WORK EXPERIENCE

SEMPER EXCELSIUS (formerly Albert & Associates), Redondo Beach, CA                                 Jan 1997 – Present
Sales and Marketing Conquistador & Wallah/Fog Pilot   
Solve strategic and tactical marketing and sales challenges working for both sides of the sales fence:  product/service providers and their advertising & marketing agencies.
Currently
•    Sales and Marketing Advisor for Open Blue Sea Farms, an eco-friendly, open ocean aquaculture seafood enterprise in Panama – sales strategies, positioning and presentations to major retailers, premium restaurants, distributors and brokers
•    USA re-launching of high profile UK TV Chef’s premium specialty food products
Previously
•    Creative strategy and copywriting (print/website/email) for 4A advertising agencies
•    Conceived and implemented marketing & selling programs for raw foods and ingredient broker + created firm’s first brand product line (Brazil Chill) using company’s ingredients, working with external production and QA management teams
•    SWOT and research assignments conducted for VCs and investors for early stage enterprises
•    Led the North America advertising agency and media buying agency searches for Toyota’s Scion Division

Open Blue Sea Farms, Redondo Beach, CA + Panama                            December 2007 – January 2010                   
Vice President, Sales & Marketing                                          
•    Conceived and created marketing, sales and branding positioning, bridge and Series A funding projects for the world’s largest free-range open ocean aquaculture farming enterprise. Market research, media relations, web presence and investor communications completed the scope of the project. Successfully solicited partners in high end, premium restaurants and upscale retailers and their food distributors and brokers in the U.S.  Branded firm's initial seafood, cobia, in an industry dominated by commodities
 
Caffé Classico Foods, Concord, CA                   August 2003 – April 2007                    
Vice President of Sales/Director of Promotions                                           
•    Led sales expansion of specialty food CPG gourmet brand outside of the Bay Area to throughout USA & Canada
•    Developed and managed Belizza Sorbet product brand line (acai and other exotic, healthy/functional fruits)
•    Built and managed national (USA & Canada) distributor and broker networks + designed, managed and conducted successful trade show programs (Fancy Food Show, Natural Products Expo, Distributor and Retailer Shows)
•    Managed internal and external marketing resources, including product packaging, POP, video, website and sales support materials
•    Built and managed 7 record-breaking retail sales food demonstration & sampling teams, training and retaining a staff of 70+

Body Renaissance, Redondo Beach, CA                                                      August 2001 – August 2003
VP Marketing & Operations/Founder
•    Developed sales, marketing and operations infrastructure for first mobile cosmetic medical treatment center
•    Initiated new revenue stream through nurse training program
•    Established new firm that generated $500K in revenue during first year of business
•    Increased sales revenue 20% and referrals 25% each quarter with continually optimized retention and referral programs

Rare Medium Group, Marina del Rey, CA                                                December 2000 – August 2001
Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Sales     
•    Served as sales, marketing and business development leader for $4B Internet professional services provider
•    Managed $24M marketing budget
•    Prospected new key clients for online promotional programs, including CBS and Sony
•    Created sales and marketing plans for new corporate venture 
•    Implemented data mining systems to match customer data with targeted advertising messaging for increased revenue
•    Developed customer recruitment, loyalty marketing, and affiliate programs through direct and indirect marketing channels

Jfax.com/Fax4Free.com, Los Angeles, CA                                        May 1998 – December 2000
Director of Marketing
•    Publicly held online messaging leader realized growth through acquisition of online, free faxing service
•    Responsible for Fax4Free’s marketing, advertising, PR and user acquisition
•    Recruited 1200+ nonprofit corporate users with membership base of over 32 million + 250,000 individual users
•    Built strategic alliances with leading online firms Clear Channel, FOX, Fansonly.com, Wired and UCLA, SF Giants baseball organization

Hollywood Park, Inglewood, CA                                                       September 1993 – June 1997
Director of Marketing
•    Directed marketing, advertising and promotions for first hotel/casino complex in Los Angeles and world’s first racetrack casino
•    Created, managed and monitored $3.5M marketing budget
•    Managed internal ad agency and marketing department staff of eight in addition to 24/7 concierge staff of 60+
•    Conceived and produced over 200 major special events, including world’s largest poker tournament
•    Attained ranking of third largest casino of 256 statewide through targeted marketing
•    Increased multicultural attendance to over 60% of customer base with integrated, in-language marketing campaigns to Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Thai, Persian and Indian communities, using TV, radio, PR, print, special event and promotional tactics

EDUCATION

City College of New York, New York,
•    BA (Psychology), cum laude
Sandler Sales Institute, Irvine, CA
•    President’s Club
Social Media Magic University
•    Certified Social Media Specialist Nov 2009 (latest continuing education course)

RECENT RECOGNITION

•    EARTH AWARDS - Awarded "Honorable Mention" - international competition for Open Blue Sea Farms, January 2009
•    CINEMA PROSPERITE video competition - 2nd Place for Open Blue Sea Farms, December, 2008

MEMBERSHIP

•    American Marketing Association
•    Chefs Collaborative
•    Gourmet Business Professionals
•    Retail and Whole Food Network
•    Sustainability Working Group
•    The Sustainable Seafood Network

ONLINE PROFILE

•    http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelalbertinla

WEBSITE/BLOG

•    http://www.openblueseafarms.com (latest client site created)
•    http://www.semperexcelsius.net (company site)
•    http://semperexcelsius.ning.com/ (company blog)
•    Twitter @michaelalbert