Senior Operations & Sales Management Executive

MARK S. DAMAS
708-772-6404 708-839-8935
markdamas@comcast.com Willow Springs, Illinois
Highly Successful, Innovative, Technically & Financially Astute
Senior Sales, Operations & Logistics Executive
A Courageous Leader and Decision-Maker Valued for Building Retail Service Organi
zations, Developing Management Teams, and Significantly Improving Operational &
Logistical Performance for Multi-Billion-Dollar Chain-Wide Enterprises with over
1,000 Locations
* 25+ years Capturing Competitive Advantage by Optimizing Financial and Organiza
tional Integrity, Delivering Strategic Business Solutions, Exceeding Company Goa
ls, and Creating Positive Work Environments Conducive to a Successful Market Bra
nd and Position
* Distinguished Career in all aspects of the Multi-Unit Restaurant Sales, Servic
e, & Hospitality sector - competitor analysis, market assessment, site selection
, capital securement, facility design & construction, menu and recipe developmen
t, catering, staffing, and training
* A Strong Detail Oriented Leader
* Who takes full responsibility for bottom-line factors such as company vision,
goal-setting and budgets, building revenues, and long range strategic & logistic
al planning
* A catalyst for change with a potent blend of expertise in technical knowledge,
problem-solving, and tactical planning
* Who streamlines operating processes and implements cost reduction initiatives
to address weaknesses and optimize profitability
* A passionate and seasoned team-builder whose strong communication skills creat
e a clear picture of a company's history, trends, and goals
* Recognized for designing career performance and development strategies to guid
e diverse multicultural workforces to increase productivity, retain key personne
l, and reduce labor costs
* Who forges key relationships with customers and partners by offering high qual
ity product and service at unquestionable value without sacrificing quality
Select Accomplishments
* Significantly increased annual company revenues by $24 million by launching ad
ditional units in a growing market
* Coordinated the sales growth and personnel productivity for multiple locations
with up to 35 managers and 700 employees for a nationwide chain with revenues u
p to $20 million
* Grew sales 54% to $4.3 million within 10 years, maintaining a consistent sales
growth of 3% annually and positioning brands as the highest grossing in the Mid
west
* Expeditiously raised substantial funds by initiating a companywide program to
provide support in the wake of an employee catastrophe, laying the groundwork to
launch a companywide trust fund
* Established a $1 million companywide trust fund to insure work-related catastr
ophes within six months, partnering with cross-functional teams to develop gover
ning policies and guidelines
* Grew annual revenues from $0 to $450k by launching a catering-hospitality unit
* Secured the necessary capital funds to enable launch of 8 business units for a
nationwide restaurant chain with revenue over $400 million
* Drove holiday gift certificate revenues from $75k in year one to $250k in year
three by saturating the market with a community-wide marketing program
* Improved annual revenues by $125k over four years by instituting a cross-train
ing program within 30 days and multitasking assignments across multiple location
s to lessen the need for personnel during off-peak periods
* Saved an additional $60k annually and reduced labor costs by creating an opera
tional restructuring plan within 90 days of initiative that was implemented comp
any-wide
* Significantly increased average guest check sales and reduced training costs b
y 15%, employee turnover by 50%, and service labor costs by implementing a new t
rainee comprehension program within 45 days of initiative
* Slashed employee turnover by 60% and reduced waste costs by 40% by designing a
new career development program to promote from within, enacted within 30 days o
f initiative, which focused on promoting self-worth and training, and retaining
workforce diversity
* Enabled the opening of an independent 240-seat, 7,500 square foot full service
metropolitan restaurant in just 12 months, conducting a holistic range of funct
ions from assessing the marketplace, to negotiating financial and real estate co
ntracts, managing design and construction, formulating advertising strategies, b
uilding a personnel team, to creating the menu and recipes
* Partnered for seven years with a local radio station for free publicity, then
utilizing resources from 15 company stores, managed equipment and logistics to f
eed 3,000 customers within 3 hours at an outdoor off-site lakefront event
* Analyzed competitors and the marketplace to create a grass roots marketing str
ategy within six months that increased brand recognition and long-term sales gro
wth
* Evaluated and selected Managers In Training for nationwide company placement
* Adhered to OSHA regulations by maintaining monthly and quarterly inspections a
nd requiring managers to address compliance issues within 24 hours
Career History
Windy City Grill & Tap - Orland Park, IL 2005 - Present
Owner, Chief Operating Officer
Outback Steakhouse - Orland Park, IL 1994 - 2005
Managing Partner
Chi Chi's 1985 - 1994
Area Supervisor - Rockville, MD & Gaithersburg, MD
General Manager - Orland Park, IL & Aurora, IL
Previous Experience
Operations Director, Barney's Market Club / Ireland's Restaurant - Chicago, IL
Manager, Tony Roma's - Dallas, TX
Education & Development
3 years toward Bachelor of Science, Chemistry concentration - Knox College at Ga
lesburg
* Proficient in Conversational Spanish
Primary Expertise
* Accountability Management * Advertising Strategization - TV, Radio, Newspapers
, & Magazines
* Brand Recognition & Positioning * Budgeting & Forecasting
* Business Development & Retention * Business Metrics
* Business Plans * Career Development
* Change Agent Catalyst * Communications & Presentations
* Competitor Analysis * Contract Negotiations
* Cost Containment Initiatives - Food, Liquor, & Labor * Crisis Management & Pro
blem Solving
* Culinary Recipes & Menu Development * Distribution Management
* Diverse & Multicultural Workforces * Entrepreneurship
* Facility Selection, Design, & Construction * Financial Report Compilation
* Financial Securement & Transactions * Fundraising
* Growth Strategy Development * Key Client Development & Retention
* Leveraging Multiple Skill Sets, Operations, & Resources * Logistics Organizati
on & Management
* Long Term Sales Growth * Management & Leadership Development
* Market Assessment & Strategy * Market Awareness, Positioning, & Penetration
* Mentoring & Coaching * Mergers & Acquisitions
* Operations Analysis, Management, & Optimization * Organizational Analysis, Des
ign, & Development
* OSHA Regulations & Compliance * Partnership Development & Leveraging
* Performance Management * Personnel Recruitment, Staffing, & Retention
* Portfolio Sales Management * Process Performance & Productivity Streamlining &
Improvement
* Profit & Loss Management & Optimization * Project Management
* Purchasing * Real Estate Transactions
* Retail Sales Management * Retail Services
* Revenue Generation & Optimization * Sales Growth & Performance
* Start Up Launches * Strategic Business Planning & Services
* Strategic Vision * Team Collaboration & Building
* Technical Knowledge - Software Selection & Implementation * Training and Train
ing Manuals
* Turnaround Leadership * Vendor Management
Professional Affiliations
* Orland Park Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
* Illinois Restaurant Association