DAVID THOMPSON 
4882 Kron, Irvine, California 92604



TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
Leadership ~ P&L Reporting ~ Merchandizing ~ Sales
Performance Development ~ Loss Prevention ~ Coaching ~ Team Building


Retail Manager with more than 15 years of progressive experience in the retail
industry. Proven ability in building, coaching and leading top-performing teams
committed to achieving sales goals while committed to exceptional customer
service. Known for ability to turn around underperforming stores by utilizing
excellent training and development, organizational and communications skills.
Demonstrated expertise in recruitment, hiring, visual merchandizing, inventory
control and human resources. BA, English, Sonoma State University.



KEY TRANSFERABLE SKILLS


Mentoring Customer Relations Recruiting
Communications Inventory Control Budgeting
Program Development Human Resources Training Delivery



EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS


EXPRESS - Columbus, Ohio 1997 - Present
Express is $900M men’s and women’s ready to wear retailer that has an age target
market of 18-40 year olds. Its reputation in the retail world is an excellent
one, having been up until last year one of the brands of the Limited, Inc.

Co-Sales Manager - Orange County, California (2002 - Present)
Responsible for visual merchandizing, talent management and customer service for
various store locations in Orange County. Manage day-to-day operations,
scheduling, recruitment, hiring, new employee orientation and training. Provided
talent management including employee coaching, mentoring and team building.
Supervised sales staff on floor and handled customer service and cashiering. 

• Devised and implemented a recruiting, hiring and training plan that hired 50
new sales staff for the holiday season, resulting in the most highly successful
holiday season in three years.
• Developed a store work schedule for part time staff that distributed the
number of work hours based on employee sales productivity, resulting in immediate
turn around in both productivity and payroll control while letting
underperforming employees self-select out of retail sales.
• Trained stock team in proper merchandize flow processing techniques and sales
team on how to replenish sales floor when product was sold, contributing to
increase in sales in last two quarters
• Initiated team building initiatives with store staff to adapt to management
style of new store manager including direct communications to new manager when
directives were unclear or confusing, resulting in an empowered team that
developed positive relationship with new boss.

Store Sales Manager - Cerritos, California (2001 - 2002)
Responsible for all aspects of store management at the Cerritos men's location.
Provided management direction for the business including store operations and
P&L. Managed a staff of three Department Managers and an Associate Sales staff of
15 people.

• Reduced inventory loss by terminating sales associates suspected of theft,
hiring and educating staff on internal and external theft prevention, resulting
in lowering inventory loss from 10% to 2% of total sales for the fiscal season,
1998.
• Developed and trained associates in methods of external loss prevention,
resulting in 50% reduction in customer based theft, the lowest loss rate in that
store in four years.
 
DAVID THOMPSON Page Two

EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS (Continued)


Store Manager - Mission Viejo, California (1998 - 2001)
Responsible for general management of the Mission Viejo men’s location to
include day-to-day operations, P&L, training and hiring.

• Reduced inventory loss by terminating sales associates suspected of theft,
hiring and educating staff on internal and external theft prevention, resulting
in lowering inventory loss from 10% to 2% of total sales for the fiscal season,
1998.
• Coached sales staff to develop a exemplary customer service attitudes during
mall extensive construction at holiday season, resulting in making revenue goals
and beating highest volume store in District in two of four Saturdays in
December, 1998.
• Managed and delivered the Express Management Training Program, resulting in
successful training of four new Co-Managers and two Key Holders for the
District.

Co-Sales Manager - Laguna Hills, California (1997 - 1998)
Responsible for all aspects of the retail business including merchandizing,
operations, talent management and training in this initial management development
position.

AERPOSTALE - Concord, California 1995 - 1997
Aeropostale is a $20M men’s and women’s ready to wear retailer that was formerly
owned by Federated Department Stores.

Assistant Manager
Responsible for opening and closing the store, customer services, sales, loss
prevention and visual merchandizing.



EDUCATION


BA, English, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California

COMPUTER PROFICIENCY
Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook