• Audited and systematized payments for all company benefit plans, which resulted in healthcare provider credits worth 10% of the annual healthcare costs. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Negotiated new medical/dental/RX plans, saving more than 30% on associate costs per employee. For more information, click here.

• Directed the development of retention programs to keep key corporate and store personnel as the company entered into and emerged from Chapter 11. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Worked cooperatively with outside counsel in successfully combating an EEOC complaint. For more information, click here.

• Closed the Chicago market as part of the Chapter 11 process and successfully "outplaced" entire management teams from six stores. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Forged relationships with several immigrant associations and established a tailoring school to meet company’s need for well-trained tailoring associates. For more information, click here.

• Analyzed existing stock and sales reports and established sales trends to alleviate store stock imbalances that were the result of a store volume distribution system. Through this analysis, the stock mix was quickly brought into line with individual stores sales trends, improving sales, reducing markdowns, and helping identify sales opportunities. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Convinced merchants to agree to change the fashion-forward merchandise presentation format to a more traditional approach at a test store in an outlaying area. The test store saw an immediate jump in traditional sales of more than 20%, and the merchandise presentation change went company-wide. For more information, click here.

• Fashioned the processes and culture to identify management willing to relocate and employees with promotion potential to address company expansion, which enabled 80% of the new stores to open with an in-house manager. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Recruited and staffed key positions during a Chapter 11 process including the VP of Marketing and the EVP of Merchandising.

• Developed procedures for use in all terminations, which resulted in a reduction of company unemployment insurance rates in all states over the next couple of years. In Illinois, the state with the largest payroll base, the tax rate was reduced by 15%. For more information, click here.
  
  
• Put a fully integrated payroll human resource management system in place to support company growth from 900 to more than 1,800 associates.

• Implemented sales-per-labor-hour as a budgetary and payroll expense control, resulting in a 27.5% reduction of gross payroll expenses as a percent to sales. For more information, click here.

• Selected and installed a new payroll system, which saved the company more than 60% on its annual processing costs. For more information, click here.

• Created and implemented a store communications manual, reducing the amount of paperwork being sent to the store by more than 20% and increasing productivity by facilitating better planning and eliminating unnecessary work while reducing payroll costs.

• Developed and implemented field management training programs that included: “Union Free” (which helped the company address efforts to unionize its tailor shops and stores); “FMLA & ADA Compliance;” and “Performance Management.” Also developed training programs for time management and organizational skills.
  
  
• Refined and developed the management team that was used to open the New York market.

• Coordinated the company’s first national store managers' meeting in three years all in-house, which ended with a highly successful three-day affair, including presentations, training, motivational speakers, entertainment, and moving 300 people to various functions without a major problem.

• Developed field communications manuals and task management to ensure effective workflow in the field. Developed and implemented operational policy and procedures manuals, detailing all aspects of store operations from opening the building to closing at the end of day.
  
  
• Directed the activities of nine stores, achieving store growth of more than 10% for two straight years, until promoted.