During 1997 and 1998 I ran my own business doing marketing consulting.
I specialized in project management including budgeting, forecasting, direct mail, print buying, new product development and agency management for a variety of clients including Archibald Candy Corporation, Keebler Foodservice, Orval Kent Food Company, Cloud Nine Chocolates, Whole Foods Markets and White Wave, Inc.
The majority of my work was with Archibald Candy (better known as Fannie May Candies and Fanny Farmer Candies) and Orval Kent Foods.
At Fannie May I was brought in to handle Valentine's Day, one of the biggest holidays in the candy business. I was in charge of developing the look and feel of the line, analyzing the prior years assortment and adding and deleting products as warranted. I also evaluated the direct mail fundraising catalogs and instituted a wedding program.
Orval Kent is one of the country's leading manufacturers of refrigerated prepared foods for lunch, dinner or snacks, including deli-style salads, mashed potatoes and side dishes, fresh-cut fruit and desserts. At Orval Kent I directed an outside advertising agency in the development of a complete new line of collateral materials and was responsible for all print buying targeting the chef/foodservice operator. Additionally I oversaw a major packaging redesign and associated POP material.