The following are a handful of examples of the work managed by David Carrithers.

Start-up Development and Launch

Business: Affinity Center International

Requirement: Develop all aspects of a loyalty business focused on the association market.

Steve Maritz contacted David with the request to explore the possibility of a start-up business focused on the association market. The concept was based in the principles of loyalty programs and incentive reward programs. These type of programs have been greatly successful in the consumer, employee and sales markets over the past 100 years. The idea was to apply these best practices into rewarding membership and building loyalty based on career and/or industry association.

Project Included:

• Development of business, operations, technical, marketing and sales plans
• Attain funding via Maritz board and new development committee
• Build management team and launch within six months
• Design, build and operate loyalty point banking system
• Design processes and systems to support 5,000+ associations
• Break even to profitability within in 3 to 5 years
• Complement other Maritz business activities in the association space

Results:

• Successfully launched on time, on budget with 30+ associations at launch growing to over 300 associations within the first 12 months of operations
• Built association loyalty management platform including co-marketing to members, point based loyalty bank account system, transaction system tied to rewards platform, affiliate marketing platforms, credit card platform, and direct mail system
• Loyalty program called AchieveLinks with over 3 million members, purchasing over $1 million a week via the program
• Over 2,000 merchant brands included in the program including Walmart, Office Depot, Home Depot, Marriott, etc.
• Ability to launch a fully co-branded member access portal with purchasing, point account, rewards, shopping within 45 minutes of direction to set up and launch an association program
• Standard credit card offering successfully developed and launched, in addition custom card programs for the Soybean Association and other larger groups launched, along with development of small business program

New Reward Product Development

Business: Maritz – Individual Awards Division – EY Cheques &Card, Your Choice Card

Requirement: Address Loss Of Revenue & Increased Costs Via New Products & Technologies

The largest incentive corporation in the U.S. required the creation of the first long-term business plan and new product development process for their awards business to address market competition and increasing costs. This required a complete review of the existing business operations, systems, financials, market conditions, etc. Based on these findings and those from idea generating sessions, a multi-approach solution was created. This included new systems to manage the business going 100% paperless, creating the industry’s first debit and stored-value card products, new discount travel certificate products, and the industry’s first award earner magazine and a three-year business plan.

Project Included:

• Business plan authored
• Led project manager on all activities and aspects of these projects
• Collaborated with senior management and 300 individuals, including a top bank, MasterCard and others.

Results:

• New systems were implemented on-time
• Generated a significant cost savings
• Allowed for the support of a paper based certificate business
• Increased sales from $20 million to over $100 million in one year.
• Successful launch of the new card products, which generated sales over $100 million in the first year.
• The business plan, product development process and planning process became adopted as a standard within the organization.

Consumer Program Development

Business: Mars

Requirement: Designed, Bid & Launched Multi-National World Cup Program

The nation’s largest candy manufacturer needed to carry out a multi-national (over 56 countries) program with over 5,000 individuals coming together for the World Cup games. This project included the planning, budgeting ($13 million dollars), bidding and implementation of a multi-lingual translation service via AT&T call center, program materials in over 8 languages, transportation to and from the event, housing during the event, branding of over 25 buses, and the conversion of a 1,200 room hotel into a theme event center for over two weeks. This project required working with over 100 specialized individuals to seamlessly implement this highly visible project, involving this manufacturer’s key global brands.

Project Included:

• Lead project manager brought in by management when the original team was not going to hit the deadlines.

Results:

Within 24 hours of becoming involved a plan of action was developed, a project plan was created and the project hit the deadline, which was three weeks away, to successfully scope, bid and begin the implementation the program. The manufacturer had a wonderful experience, and the individuals (including kids) from all around the world that came to the event, had a flawless experience to remember and connect to the brand.

Loyalty Technology Assessment

Business: WebMiles

Requirement: Concept, Scope, Define and Bid Loyalty Tracking Card System

A national loyalty company needed to move beyond a web-based offering and find a way to allow over one million consumers the ability to shop at national retailers and present a card that would track their purchases at the point-of-sale. This included the complete scope of the client’s requirements, designing the system, the processes and the budget.

After the client was clear in their desired results, they needed to have the technology bid out to a wide variety of potential vendors as well as compare all the options with the goal being to receive a clear recommendation on how to implement this new tracking system (a first in the U.S.)

Project Included:

Lead project manager who scoped out every aspect of this new offering, carried out due diligence on all vendors, wrote and processed all RFPs, response, questions and final comparison matrix. Worked with the client on the final selection, the scope and project plan, to allow the client to implement the new technology.

Results:

The client was very pleased with the results, which allowed them to continue to focus on their key business needs, while having someone else carry out the details and due diligence of this future competitive advantage.

Joint Venture Launch

Business: American Express Incentive Services

Requirement: Scope, Plan, Implement New Company For Fortune 50 Business

One of the world’s largest corporate card companies established a new joint-venture company with its largest competitor. The requirement was to scope, design, bid and implement a complete 200+ person business center within a tight deadline and budget constraints. This included all aspects of the business: desk-top set up, hardware, software, communications networks, phone and voice-mail systems, financial systems, building security, web servers and corporate web site, office cubical, furniture, building signage, marketing materials (brochures, business cards, letterhead), etc.

Project Included:

Lead project manager on all activities and aspects of this fast paced project, working with the new CEO and the two primary owners of the business, authored the operating plan, the marketing plan and the launch plan.

Results:

The new facility and systems were operational on time and on budget. At the core of this set up and launch was the fact that there were over 10,000 customers being brought together and supported by this new combined business. There were no business disruptions and the business successfully launched and supported $700 million in sales in a year.

Industry First Reward Card

Business: Maritz Exclusively Yours Card

Requirement: Invented, Planned & Launched $160 Million New Product Line

The nation’s largest motivation company needed to grow their business through new
product offerings. The first new product developed was the first co-branded MasterCard debit card in the U.S. This project required product development, scope, transaction systems design and building, set-up of a 150-person cardholder call center, auto-response systems, card materials design and production, banking systems design and implementation. This was a project that started from a rough concept to a final
marketplace offering within a six-month window. Included in this project were over 300
individuals from a variety of business units; outside vendors, bank, MasterCard, card
producers, etc.

Project Included:

Lead project manager and product manager on all aspects of this highly focused opportunity. Heading up all aspects from systems, to call center to product marketing on this number one priority project at the corporation.

Results:

Successful launch of the new product and business services to support a $160
million dollar business within the first year of operation. The launch had a hard deadline
of a National Sales meeting, with over 1,000 people in attendance.

New Product Launch

Business: American Cyanamid – Scepter Herbicide Launch

Requirement: Support Launch Of New & Revolutionary Herbicide Product

One of the country’s oldest agricultural chemical companies was launching a new herbicide product that allowed for one product to be used to kill over 50 different weeds. Since this product utilized different technologies and fewer products were required to have the impact needed, it was important that the communications to the target farmers were more than just high-level image TV spots and print campaigns. Product information, support literature, training videos, audiotape newsletters and a wide variety of Public Relations activities were needed. In time, this also evolved in a plan to combine the product with other products (creating the industry’s first combination product strategies) and the creation of a target dealer strategy, creating standards for Ag-Chem dealers nationwide.

Project Included:

Lead product information manager on all aspects PR, product publicity, trade shows and product literature working with over 6 different agencies and 50 people.

Results:

The herbicide product gained a 36% market share in the first year, and retained it for the next two years. The dealer base was reduced from 15,000 to 7,000 improving costs and performance of the ag-chem partners. Another outcome was a shift to a crop specific focus on application of products. The company moved from the number 5 position in the marketplace to number 3.

Hub and Spoke Business Model

Business: Large National Federal Contractor

Requirement: Increase JOC (job order contracting) sales outside federal market, to reach regional, state and local agencies

Challenges:

• Limited JOC knowledge by non-­‐federal agencies.
• Limited, experienced JOC staff, to expand.
• Overall business expansion costs
• Over ambitious local staff

A large national job order contractor desired to increase its market opportunities by expanding into the non-­‐federal government market. Although, job order contracting was prevalent with federal and department of defense agencies, most local and state agencies had limited or no experience with this form of construction management.

Several considerations had to be reviewed:

• What is the cost of expansion
  • Can existing staff handle new workload?
  • Are new hires required and are they qualified?
  • What is the feasible distance to handle new clients?
• Who are our target clients
  • Any and all opportunities?
  • Selected opportunities?
• What is the potential annual volume for each target opportunity?

As we looked at the vast amount of opportunities available, throughout the country, each market development representative listed all the opportunities within their respective markets. The lists reached thousands as all pertinent staff (Regional V.P.s, Project Managers and others) provided ideas and suggestions. Realizing the number of opportunities was unrealistic to perceive and impossible to manage, we developed an opportunity lens, which would narrow the number of considerations and assist with ‘Go, No-­‐Go’ decisions.

Utilizing Hub and Spoke business model, we developed two distinctive models that would insure projects could be effectively managed and clients supported:

1. Each office location was designated a Hub of operation
2. New opportunities, less than $4M had to be located within a 50-­‐60 mile radius of the Hub, although we would go further if the Hub was located in a rural area as travel time would be similar to an urban office.
3. In order to go after opportunities in which projected annual volume was less than $4M and outside the designated driving distance, we had to develop and be awarded an opportunity that could result in a multi-­‐year award averaging $4M/yr.
4. This would enable the opening of a new Hub office. Once established, we could then develop new opportunities within that hub and spoke. develop and be awarded an opportunity that could result in a multi-­‐year award averaging $4M/yr. This would enable the opening of a new Hub office. Once established, we could then develop new opportunities within that hub and spoke.

Results:

1. Successfully established and launched new regional Hub location in Chicago, IL after successfully winning contract with City Colleges of Chicago.
   • Multi-­‐year with anticipated annual volume of $4M to $8M
   • At the on-­‐set of the solicitation, we hired a local project manager and assigned them to another Hub office during the solicitor’s review stage, in order to train etc., with the expectation of the contract being awarding. A risky step, but one worth taking based on the company’s success ratio.
2. Utilizing awarded contract with CCC, was then able to market to other state and local agencies to ‘Ride’ the contract, developing additional ‘spoke’ opportunities within the region.
3. Within current Hub locations, utilized the ‘Rider Contract’ abilities of state and local agencies to increase market share with the addition of multiple municipalities, school districts and government agencies using the existing contracts.
4. Developed inroads to Federal Contracts and the establishment of a regional cooperative purchasing agreement.

Business Reboot

Business: National Scrip Center

Requirement: Rejuvenate A 15 Year Old Business Via New Products

The nation’s largest gift certificate and card reseller needed to find a way to differentiate itself from the other competitors in the market. Because all the players in this industry offer the same re-sold merchant certificates and gift cards it was important to develop branded products only found at this industry leader’s business. This required the creation of the first strategic business plan, new business and product branding, creation of a product development process and the launching of one new and industry exclusive product or offering a quarter.

Project Included:

Lead manager working with all areas of the business to define, plan and execute the strategies developed by the team, working closely with the board.

Results:

Authored the first business strategy plan, developed the industry’s first multi-merchant gift card, redeemable at over 200 merchants, securing 5 new exclusive relationships and developing 4 new exclusive product offerings within eight months. The combined efforts generated a 20% increase in business and over $20 million in sales from new products alone.

Marketing Development For B2B Products

Business: Air Products & Chemicals

Requirement: Launching A Series Of New Products In An Industrial Market

The world’s largest industrial gas corporation needed to improve their marketing and market image in the semiconductor industry, in an attempt to grow market share. This included the branding of existing products and new products, along with the development of a marketing plan for the business unit. New approaches included trade shows, sponsored seminars, rework of all brochures, print ads and the company’s first direct mail campaigns. The products included gas cabinets, ultra-high purity bulk gases, specialty gases, organo-metalic gases, inert liquids, services and single-source supplier strategies.

Project Included:

Responsible for the marketing planning, product information, packaging, communications and sales support for ten products and the fastest growing business unit at the company. Worked with the senior managers and the division president.

Results:

The business unit experienced growth in the 25% range and became the leading supplier of gases to the semiconductor market, including the industry’s first single-source supplier to 2 world recognized chip manufacturers, with sales growing past $600 million a year.