Craig Coleman
I’m a results-driven executive retail leader with a proven track record of driving revenue and profit growth, optimizing sales, and enhancing product assortments across diverse categories. As a visionary strategist, I specialize in leading teams, developing talent, and executing high-impact merchandising strategies. I’m known for building and nurturing high-performing, cross-functional teams, guiding them through change, and helping them overcome challenges to deliver exceptional results. I’m passionate about creating innovative solutions and am always customer-obsessed in every decision I make. I take pride in forging strong, collaborative relationships and branding partnerships with senior executives to elevate market position, profitability, and consumer satisfaction. I’m committed to driving product excellence and delivering compelling assortments that meet customer needs and drive business outcomes.
● Led planning, buying, and developing housewares, tabletop, toy, and decor categories. ● Attained $1B in annual sales through E-Commerce, store, lease, and vendor direct models. ● Achieved peak profit for 2 consecutive years with strategic inventory and pricing optimization. ● Coached and developed a team of 60 colleagues and 8 directors. ● Developed the talent pipeline for the organization of highly engaged and effective leaders. ● Created and collaborated with senior executives across a broad range of industries. Leveraged negotiation skills to ensure mutual success. ● Crafted marketing and pricing strategies to engage customers with clarity. ● Launched Toys R Us collaboration to roll out an incremental $200M category to all stores and online. ● Excelled in managing Covid to deliver record profit and peaks with agility and optimizing limited resources. ● Managed private label team to develop and source multiple categories with domestic and international suppliers across an international supply chain. ● Actively engaged and traveled to trade shows and market events to build network and promote our brand, source new suppliers, and strengthen vendor relationships.
● Orchestrated planning, forecasting, and managing boys, girls, and infant apparel and accessories. ● Achieved $.9B in sales and $30M in profit growth. ● Inventory management. Optimized resources to increase productivity and assortment positioning across omnichannel retail with omnichannel strategic initiatives. ● Developed and integrated a powerful and agile team and structure of 20 colleagues and 4 directors. ● Managed climate nuances of a national store footprint and assortment architecture of trend and basic balance of apparel. ● Defined and delivered location and demographic-specific opportunities with data-driven pos analysis. ● Analyzed market trends and business opportunities to develop strategy and drive financial performance
● Administered planning, forecasting, size optimization, and regional maximization of women's apparel. ● Delivered $.7B in sales and across size and category nuanced product categories. ● Led team through omnichannel inventory integration and assimilation of digital channel. ● Optimized vast national field planning team to manifest location-specific opportunities by driving strategic alignment and execution. ● Increased efficiency and organization of a team of 15 colleagues and dotted line responsibility of a 60-localized planning team.
● Spearheaded planning, forecasting, size, and climate optimization of contemporary sportswear. ● Delivered $.5B in sales and profit with trend and location focus with contemporary brands. ● Led a focused team of 15 colleagues plus a warm weather-specific team across every brand and category of women's apparel. ● Influenced product development of trend products and selection to maximize assortment productivity and consistent customer experience.
● Led a company-wide pilot to integrate the regional department stores into one national nameplate. ● Optimized and streamlined 6 different regional assortments, marketing calendars, and pricing strategies into a national strategy. ● Rallied vendor base to align with long range vision and support of dramatically disruptive business model. ● Developed distinct and compelling assortments with a focus on enhancing assortment productivity.