THE ACADEMY OF BUSINESS STRATEGY - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
RICHARD CLARK (EGP)
EXECUTIVE GLOBAL PARTNER (EGP)
RELATED LINKS
Richard Clark – Certified Business Specialist (CBS) Professional Articles
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: Los Angeles CA (United States of America)
HISTORY
The land of Golden Opportunity, Los Angeles (translated, “The Queen of Angels) was founded and settled by Mexico upon orders from Spain. Regardless of rule – Spanish, Mexican, United States – Los Angeles’ arid farmland, was sought after and immediately went under seed to crops and wine. Los Angeles had its part in the Gold Rush, known as “Queen of the Cow Counties”; it fed the Gold Rush Country from its giant herds of cattle. By 1900, still small, with its population of some 100,000, Angelinos set out to develop the City giving its rival San Francisco competition with its port facilities, railway terminal, banks and factories – the Industrial Expansion. The Railroad, discovery of Oil, the Movie Industry and the Garment Industry became the commerce of the early 1900’s. The Port of Los Angeles played a big part in World War I, with the establishment of the first Submarine Base. During World War II, Los Angeles produced aircraft, war supplies and ammunitions. After World War II subdivision housing, fuelled by cheap land prices, became an industry in and of itself, exploding in 1950 and lasting all the way into the 60’s.The not-to-be forgotten Aerospace Industry and Research has also had a rich history in Los Angeles. The amount of Scientists and Engineers here in Southern California was the largest population in the world before the downsizing started in the early 1990’s.With the suburban sprawl came the dispersion and resulting competition for commerce, first to the Westside followed by the rest of the suburbs. However, downtown’s growth was not to be thwarted and went into a redevelopment period of its Central Business District. Between 1975 and 1990 some 40 high rise office buildings were erected – most foreign owned. By 1991 Los Angeles became “the” Financial Center, second only to Tokyo.
CURRENT POSITION
Los Angeles County is 4,084 square miles. With its 10,000,000 residents, it would be the eighth largest state in the nation. It is ethnically diverse and the population is predicted to grow some 20 percent over the next two decades. Hispanics are the largest segment at 47 percent, followed by White at 29 percent, Asian and Pacific Islander at 14 percent and African American at 10 percent. 28 percent of the population base has a Bachelor’s Degree or more. The Population base follows Industry. The top five leading Employment Industries are: Tourism and Hospitality, Manufacturing (largest in the US), Professional and Business Services, Direct International Trade, Entertainment and Wholesale Trade. The “new economy” is now Technologies. The leaders: Bio-Medical, Digital Information and Environmental. Creativity is the driver fuelling the Technology of Video Games and Film Production. Supporting the International Trade are three ports: Port Hueneme, Los Angeles and Long Beach and three Airports: Burbank, Los Angeles and Long Beach. Expansion of these facilities continues along with the ever-widening expansion of the Freeway System. The Metro System has saved hours of commuting for many while others wait for its expansion. Los Angeles is known for its quality of life living up to its well-deserved alias, Sunny Southern California with its average temperature of 63 degrees. Recreation abounds with its beaches, mountains, professional sports, arts, amusement and landmarks. The current state of the economy is still depressed with the adjusted unemployment rate of 12.6 percent with Health Services and Fashion Apparel showing increases. Industrial vacancies increased throughout. However, container traffic at the Ports is well ahead. Passenger traffic at the combined airports is up, and hotels are showing increased occupancy. Film Production has double digit increases. Single family housing permits remain unchanged and multi-housing permits are up to 30 percent. The Median home values (adjusted) are tenths of a percent ahead.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
The 2010 bright spots in the Los Angeles Economy withstanding, overall Unemployment is expected to continue in double digits (12 percent range) with slight improvement by the end of 2011. Unfortunately, the nationwide attention to Unemployment, while serving as a leading economic indicator (at least for the Press), can have a deleterious effect upon consumer confidence obstructing spending, particularly for Big Ticket items. Most forecasts indicate 2012 as the year of the Recovery (across all sectors) as the fourth quarter’s 2010 increases, across the sectors noted, weren’t widespread enough, nor undetermined if they will sustain, to fuel what would be termed a full scale economic recovery. Construction, Manufacturing, Retail Trade and State/Local Government were the hardest hit Employment Sectors for 2010 with Government expecting to continue to suffer in 2011. The fourth quarter 2010 bolster in Retail Sales (strengthened by increased Real Personal Income and Consumer Sentiment), if it holds into 2011, will turn Retail Related Unemployment around. New Housing Permits and resulting Construction will lag mostly into 2012, when spending commences for increased permits issued in 2011. The Foreclosure mess withstanding continues to impede housing, particularly resale even with record low mortgage rates. Aerospace is a continuing concern in the Defense Sector as Government Contracts peaked in 2010 with spending continuing to decrease through 2012.However, the economic bright spot as noted earlier is the increase in International Trade and the resulting Expansion and heavy Construction underway to accommodate current and future traffic levels. The Los Angeles International and other Airports, Los Angeles Intermodal Container Transfer Facility and the Port of Long Beach Harbour projects will strengthen the distressed Construction Industry. These goods then need to be moved by Truck and be stored in Industrial Warehouses. Commercial and Non-Residential Construction (State-Local Government) is not expected to revive until 2012. Consumer Spending for Goods and Services will drive the Economy for 2011 along with Business Investment in Equipment and Software. Exports are expected to be a highlight for 2011 – worldwide, but especially to the Pacific Rim. Interest Rates are expected to remain at all time lows with the Feds grappling with pressures of inflation against the still, depressed economy – particularly as Federal Government Stimulus Packages end without hope for extensions and all eyes now turn upon the National Deficit. In addition, Tourism, Hospitality, Film Production, Technologies in and out of Entertainment, Health Services, some Manufacturing Sectors (i.e., Apparel) will continue into 2011 and 2012 as highlighting the growth sectors. Office Rents are expected to continue to decline for 2011 and 2012 with double digit rent rate decreases. Stabilization and Recovery will follow Employment. Further challenges to Office Space occupancy are the reprocessing taking place as businesses downsize in square footage replacing dedicated office space with cubicles. Hotels have eaten into Office Space now dedicating vacant rooms into temporary offices. Industrial Rents, following the growth sectors noted, are expected to increase some six percent in 2011 and by the end of 2012 have increased some 10 percent. While Los Angeles County has been hit harder than other Counties within the State and Nation, what bodes well is the opportunity. Like the rest of the State and Nation, Los Angeles is poised for growth, recovery and prosperity albeit months if not years away. The foundation is here. Southern California is fittingly called the “The Land of Golden Opportunity”. Los Angeles is the home of the nation’s largest Port, the second largest Industrial Market in the Nation and the largest Manufacturing Center in Los Angeles. Couple that with Climate, Tourism and Recreation one simply need position them self here to reap the rewards that are around the corner.
PERSONAL DETAILS:
Richard Clark
Global Partner status (Associate – Executive – Senior): Executive
Country of registration: United States of America
City of registration: Los Angeles CA
SERVICE SKILLS:
Marketing – Brand Development
Marketing – Inbound, Outbound, Guerrilla
Marketing – Conversion, CRM
Internet: Website Design & Development, SEO, Blogs, Landing Pages, Social Media, SEM, Affinity
Creative: Advertising, Graphics, Collateral Materials,
Merchandising: Buying, Product Development & Design, Visual Presentation
Business Development
Sales Management, Training
Financial Management: Goals, Planning, Budgeting, Metrics, Dashboards
Operations: Human Resources, Customer Service, Fulfilment, Procurement, Logistics & Flow
INDUSTRY SECTOR EXPERIENCE:
B2C, B2B
Inside & Outside Sales
Big Ticket, Small Ticket Sales
Product & Service Sectors
Advertising Services
Big Box Department Store
Business Owner Retail, Specialty Retail
CPG
Manufacturing, Wholesaling, Distributing, Interior Design, Wine, Hospitality, Restaurant, Events, Home Improvement
15 years Non Profit Fund Raising & Production
QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT:
Certified Business Specialist -The Academy of Business Strategy
40 Years Business Management
Fortune 500 Corporations: Intensive Workshops
In House Advertising Agency-8 Year Apprenticeship
16 Years Events: Creation, Planning, Management, Production
40 Years Trade Show Experience: Attendee, Exhibitor Creative-Planning-Production
Opened 60 Business Facilities-Stores, Restaurants: Creative-Planning-Project Management-Construction
Experience with 10 Different Companies/Employers
15 Years Non-Profit Volunteering: Board Membership-Fund Raising-Event Production
4 Years College: Cal State University Northridge-Los Angeles Pierce College
CLIENTS OR EMPLOYERS:
Architectural Ceramics
Franciscan Winery
Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery
Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery
Stroheim & Romann
Federated Department Stores
LANGUAGES
English
PERSONAL PROFILE:
Creative, Reliable, Leader, Intelligent are some of the adjectives used to describe Dick, along with his Professional presentation. Self-supporting since the age of 13, his focus has always been straight ahead and becoming the best he could be. Working his way through High School and College, his work experience, ethic and developing “street-smarts” became his self-education. He’s driven to succeed and early on he began leaving behind a legacy punctuated by transcending limitations and reinventing himself. In his Freshman Year in College at Cal State University Northridge, he was invited to work at a local Department Store, The Broadway located in a suburb of Los Angeles. Within a year, he was promoted to Night Manager of a Group of Departments. Three Years into working at The Broadway, while continuing his education at Los Angeles Pierce College, he was invited to join the Merchandising Management Training Program. Within weeks, he was promoted to an Assistant Buyer in the Men’s Store and transferred to the Corporate Headquarters located in Los Angeles. His Career continued to spiral upward and within a year was promoted to the next highest level of Assistant Buyer moving to the Home Store side of The Broadway. Seven years later he was promoted to a Buyer in the Furniture Division. Its here, as an Assistant, is where he learned, its one thing to skyrocket up the Corporate Ladder and quite another to “dig-in”, develop and mature. This is the period where he learned to continuously outperform himself year after to year challenging his self to annualize to his previous efforts with a continual stream of new and innovative accomplishments. When promoted to Buyer, he was the then youngest Buyer in the Department Store. Every two years he was promoted. Enticed away by a high end Home Furnishings Store to become the Vice President of all Creative and Merchandising, The Broadway was unwilling to let him go and created a similar Vice President Position for him in the Furniture Division; they made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Dick was then groomed by the former President of Neiman Marcus (who was transferred into The Broadway to facilitate the trade-up) reinforcing the fact that they weren’t about to loose the years of investment in him by letting some competitor suck him away. While they were demanding and receiving their R.O.I., he became the highest paid (while being the youngest) Vice President within the store. Dick has an eye for quality, design and high end. The Broadway, in its early years, was not the higher end of its competitors: May Co., Bullock’s and Robinson’s. Within a few short years The Broadway developed into a Fortune 500 Corporation purchasing Department Stores and Specialty Stores – among them Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman’s. The Broadway set out for a tremendous upgrade. It was the Corporate (Carter, Hawley, and Hale Stores) belief that the Furniture Division set the tone for the entire rest of the Store in Quality and Image. Dick’s job was to create “it”. Setting his eye on the “giant”, Bloomingdale’s Furniture in New York, Dick outdid them. He designed a Fabric Collection in New York, made it an exclusive for The Broadway and launched the first entire Home Furnishings Fashion Collection where every department within the Home interpreted this Fabric Collection into Product. Raising The Broadway’s Share of Market by some 26 percent, he went onto become the Merchandising Vice President for every department in the Home Store. 19 years, 60 new stores and earning the first Net Profit for the Furniture Division in some 15 years later, (and slated to become the President of the Weinstocks Department Store chain – Sacramento in two years), Dick resigned for personal reasons. He opened a very high end Furniture and Furnishings store in an affluent suburb of Los Angeles. The Brand was an exclusive line of high-end Wicker and Rattan, much of which he designed. Sales were to the Trade and Public and his store featured Interior Design, which Dick did most of for his clients. His collection took hold; some 30% of sales were a minimum of 35 miles from the Store. Unfortunately, his partner’s interests turned in another direction and expansion plans were thwarted; Dick divested himself from the Business. Recruited away from the B2C world of Retail into the B2B Design World, Dick soon found himself the Regional Western Sales Manager of one of the highest end Fabric Lines, Stroheim and Romann/JAB. Located at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles, in charge of 5 Western States plus the Los Angeles Showroom, he had the largest volume responsibility in the Company. Over 1,000 Residential and Contract accounts, he zeroed in on Architects with his team developed Hilton Hotels Corporate to be his Number One account. Dick found himself living in the remote North Coast of California in the town of Mendocino. He started selling in a Fine Jewellery and Art Glass at a high-end Gallery. Within a year the owner literally asked him if he wanted to run her two businesses; she moved. At the end of a year, as General Manager of Personal Expressions and Temptations, he made the first profit in the company’s 12 year history. Living up to his Over Achiever reputation, he increased the turnover to 13x a year and employed all the fancy Retail/Inventory Management/Financial Education from The Broadway. Among everything else, Dick also audited the Books, made the Payroll Taxes and completed the yearly Income Tax Returns for the Companies. Life changed; Dick moved to Marin County and answered a blind ad for a Retail Expert. Francis Ford Coppola wanted someone to build him a retail business. Dick opened Coppola’s renovated Winery and Tasting Room in Rutherford, CA. He created an Events Business, Wine Club, E-commerce and opened two Restaurants (not knowing anything about the restaurant industry, being a quick study, he learned it in six months) for Coppola. As Vice President of Retail Operations, in five years his big thinking created a $10,000,000 business from zero. Dick was responsible for Project Management, Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Operations, Finance and Profits. In his first year he delivered an EBITDA of 37 percent. Unbeknown to Dick, Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery in Sonoma, CA was undergoing a complete tear-down, rebuild of their Tasting Room and had been watching Dick’s progress at Coppola’s. Recruited to give them a repeat performance, as Director of Hospitality, within three month’s of opening made the first profit and within six month’s was annualizing at the rate of $1,000,000 in revenues. Agustin Huneeus, Jr., head of Franciscan Winery in St. Helena, CA, a Division of Constellation Brands, the largest Wine & Spirits Corporation in the World (Corona Beer), a Fortune 500 Corporation along with the distinction of being Fortune’s, “Most Admired” too had been watching and hearing about Dick’s career accomplishments. He recruited Dick to become his Director of Visitor Centers for three of his Wineries. Laid off from all three wineries with an Unemployment Rate of some seven percent in Sonoma County, in 2007 Dick moved to Washington, DC and with the unemployment rate of one percent (at the time) landed a Director of Marketing position with a 26 year old high end Tile Dealer, Architectural Ceramics with Retail Stores and B2B – B2C customers in the Metro DC, Metro NY, MD & VA areas. Here, he also left his mark, creating a very visible high end Brand Recognition while instituting Guerrilla Marketing, Creating two new websites, Training the Sales Team in Account Management and being in charge of Sales and Brand Marketing, Advertising, Events, Corporate Meetings, Trade Shows, Websites, Landing Pages, SEO, Social Media, Marketing and Collateral Materials, Graphics, Photography, Project Management (related to Marketing and new Sales Initiatives), Affiliate Account Management, Public Relations and Press Releases both Online and Offline, Goal Setting, Annual Plans, Budgets, Metrics, Dashboards and Financial Accountability. In eight months he launched a new company division with a new logo and brand identity. Responsible for merchandising and developing the new product line off shore, he and his team created the collateral materials, package design, merchandising samples in time where he launched it at the annual trade show in Chicago. Once again he lived up to his reputation of being On Time and On Budget. In Dick’s Out-Of-The-Box Thinking, he conceived and created a Green Environments area in each of their Showrooms to include Green Product, merchandising, and point of sale education on the Green Products, utilizing the principles of FAB (Features-Advantages-Benefits), signage and brochures. He launched the Green Environments with a major industry educational event to include the Press (local shelter magazines + ABC Television). Dick was Laid Off after three years when the Recession hit the hardest in Metro DC. He’s a natural teacher and mentor; the teams he recruited, trained and nurtured took over without him not only here, but in his three previous winery positions. He recently relocated back to Southern California, where he was raised. Dick also has a philanthropic side; he’s devoted and donated some 15 years to Non-Profit Charities raising millions of dollars for local charities including his contributing efforts in opening the first Children’s AIDS Organization in Los Angeles.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Los Angeles, USA
Mendocino, USA
Napa/Sonoma Valleys, USA
Metro DC, USA
Europe, Orient
Global Partner preferred location
City: Los Angeles CA
Country: United States of America
CONTACT
To contact Richard Clark (EGP), please forward an email to the Academy of Business Strategy.
RELATED LINKS
Richard Clark – Certified Business Specialist (CBS) Professional Articles
