BERNT E.

RUEDIGER
603 562 5737 mobile 603 924 4350 residence
38 High Street, Peterborough, New Hampshire, USA 03458-2405
brb9d612@westpost.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/berntruediger

OBJECTIVE Seeking a SALES MANAGEMENT position.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
* An accomplished leader with successful broad-based specialty B2B experience wi
thin Paper, Nonwoven Textile and Metal manufacturing organizations, including in
novative executive roles in Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Business Gro
up, Trading and Consulting.
* Established strategy, set objectives, defined policy, integrated businesses an
d delivered sustainable results.
* Possess a high level of integrity, an energetic, optimistic attitude and a ten
acious entrepreneurial work ethic.
* Extensive travel experience in; Canada, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Me
xico, Scandinavia, U.K. & U.S.
* A proven track record as a decisive strategic thinker with sound judgment, ini
tiative, passion for diagnostic sales, collaborative continuous improvement, and
demonstrated significant successes in:
* Leadership, Organization and Strategic Planning
* Presentation, Promotion Communication
* Sales, Marketing, Merchandising, Positioning
* New Products, Markets, Business Development
* Pricing, Negotiation and Profit Improvement
* Analysis, Brand Experience, and Strategic Alliances
* Driving critical tactical initiatives
* "Route-To-Market" implementation
* "Value Proposition" communication

EXPERIENCE
2010 - Present VICE PRESIDENT SALES, AMERICAS - Pittsfield ID Technologies, LLC
., Pittsfield, NH
Privately held full service global provider of Brand Identification and Brand as
sociated Technologies to the apparel, footwear and soft goods industries.
* Positioning this labels and technology products manufacturer by promoting thei
r; woven and printed brand labels, woven size tabs, hang tags, RFID embedded lab
els, EAS anti-theft labels, brand identification anti-counterfeit labels, and RF
ID systems & solutions throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Central America.
* Report to the Owner / President.

2008 - 2010 PRINCIPAL, The Scandia Group, Peterborough, NH.

Provided sales, marketing and business development contract consulting to manufa
cturing and service organizations.

2004 - 2008 SALES MANAGER, NORTH AMERICA - SAPPI, Warren Release Papers Group,
Westbrook, ME.
Business unit of the $1.7 billion SAPPI Fine Paper, North America, Boston, MA su
bsidiary of the $ 5.9 billion South African Pulp and Paper Company, Ltd., Johann
esburg, South Africa (world's leading coated paper producer) global forest produ
cts multi-national conglomerate, manufacturing; coated fine, specialty, and tech
nical papers, and chemical cellulose.
* Led the complex sales of flat and textured surface transfer release paper grad
es employed in the production of end-use applications throughout the U.S. and Ca
nada including:
Cast coated PVC synthetic leather fabrics for automotive, marine, aircraft and t
rain transportation (seating, interior and trim components).
Luggage and upholstery.
Cast coated PU fabrics for fashion (shoes, apparel and accessories).
Embossed decorative (decor) laminates and "architectural glass" composites for r
esidential, office, retail environments (flooring, furniture, countertops and ca
binetry) and aircraft interiors.
Engineered films, foams and high-tech composites (vinyl decals, adhesive transfe
rs, siliconized membranes and rubber vulcanizing).
* Reported to the VP Sales, Technical Specialties / Director, Release Sales - Am
ericas.

2003 - 2004 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR - Esleeck Manufacturing Company, Inc.

, Turners Falls, MA (now Southworth Company, Agawam, MA).
Privately held manufacturer of premium fine, specialty web and converted sheet p
aper products (100% Cotton Bond watermarked fine stationary, archival, art and i
llustration, business communication, technical and specialty grades).
* Positioned this paper mill organization by promoting their converting, core co
mpetencies & capabilities, and identifying and commercializing several new busin
ess opportunities.
* Reported to the VP Sales & Marketing.

2001 - 2003 SALES ACCOUNTS MANAGER, Office Products and Technical Specialties -
FiberMark, Inc., Brattleboro, VT (currently FiberMark Holdings, LLC., headquart
ered in West Springfield, MA).
$400 MM manufacturer & converter of specialty fiber-based materials comprised of
1,500 employees and 14 facilities positioned within the U.S. and Europe, servin
g the technical, office products, publishing and packaging markets.
* Sold and marketed "pressboard" specialty paper grades (latex saturated, cellul
ose pulp and synthetic fibers) and capabilities.
* Developed new business from the Office Products and Technical Specialties Divi
sions to the technical, office products (cover, classification, expandable folde
r, records management), educational, electronics (chip carrier), pharmaceutical,
exhibit/display, furniture, and construction markets.
* Launched a major high-margin business in the electronics components delivery p
ackaging market, generating a $1 MM run rate in 2001, with a projection for $10
MM annual sales by 2004, at margins 85% greater than the facility's average.
* Champion of the ISO 9001-2000 standard protocol implementation and registratio
n.
* Business Lead Team Member.
* Delivered a 20.6% sales increase vs. the 2001 budget!
* Reported to the VP Marketing & Sales.

1988 - 2000 VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING and SALES - Troy Mills, Inc., Troy, NH.
$45 MM closely held producer of nonwoven needlepunched synthetic fabrics and mol
ded composites, 550 employees, and two U.S. manufacturing plants.
* Led the global marketing, sales and business development of nonwoven needlepun
ch entangled fabric solutions to the automotive, apparel, contract furnishings,
filtration, and technical industries.
* Held P&L responsibility, increased sales, directed product development, launch
ed and commercialized new products, diversified and rationalized both the produc
t and market mix, and generated significant profit and business stability.
* Managed, trained and developed direct; sales representatives, merchandise and
product managers.
* Hired and led independent manufacturers' representative sales agents.
* Defined the company's marketing and business strategy, implemented organizatio
n restructure, justified capital investments, identified strategic partnerships
and acquisitions.
* Champion of the ISO 9001-2000 standard protocol implementation and registratio
n.
* Represented Troy Mills by serving eight terms as an (INDA) Association of the
Nonwoven Fabrics Industry's Board of Directors member.
* Corporation Officer and Business Team member.
* Reported to the Owner / CEO / President.

1986 - 1988 MARKETING MANAGER, NONWOVENS - Hollingsworth & Vose, Inc., East Wal
pole, MA
$225 MM privately held manufacturer of technical & specialty papers, filter medi
a, nonwoven fabrics, and advanced composites.
* Directed the marketing and sales of advanced fiber nonwoven dry-laid and wet-l
aid engineered materials produced within manufacturing plants located in the U.S
., Mexico and Europe into apparel interlinings, commercial and residential furni
shings, computer flexible diskette, filtration and industrial markets, generatin
g $35 MM in annual revenues.
* Managed, trained and developed merchandise/product managers and independent sa
les agents.
* Represented Hollingsworth & Vose, Inc. by serving two terms as an (INDA) Board
of Directors member.
* Business Lead Team Member.
* Reported to the VP Marketing & Sales.

Prior to 1986 served as:

SALES MANAGER, NORTH AMERICA, apparel fasteners
METALS TRADER, primary non-ferrous metals
PURCHASING MANAGER, fusible alloys and primary non-ferrous scrap metal
s
SALES REPRESENTATIVE, air and liquid flow regulating valves, fittings
and measuring equipment
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER, children's apparel
MANUFACTURING DEPARTMENT MANAGER, clinical thermometers

EDUCATION
BS Business Administration, The University of New Hampshire, The Whittemore Scho
ol of Business & Economics,
Durham, NH. Omicron Delta Epsilon Honor Society member.

ADDITIONAL TRAINING and ACTIVITIES

* Participated in the University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation / Northeast
PIMA / MPPA sponsored "Paper Days", 2008 and 2009.
* Received Lean Six Sigma / Kaizen "Greenbelt" training, 2007.
* Attended the University of Maine's "Pulp and Paper Summer Institute" / Univers
ity of Maine / Orono, ME, 2001.
* Received ISO 9001-2000 standard protocol training, & participated in two manuf
acturing organizations' ISO registrations, 2000 and 2001.
* Attended the Karrass "Effective Negotiating" seminar, 1997.
* Attended several Trout & Ries Marketing Seminars, 1990 and 1992.

* Participated in the Johnson O'Connor Research Foundation's Aptitude Testing, 1

996.
* Participated in several INDA "Nonwoven Technical Training Courses", 1986 - 200
4
* Attended numerous AAFA, AAMA, AFS, AF&PA, IFAI, INDA, NTA, SAP, NC State Unive
rsity, TAPPI, TC & UMP&PF associations' sponsored Technical Seminars.
* Eagle Scout, and Order of the Arrow member, Boy Scouts of America.

ADDENDUM OF KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

LEADERSHIP and ORGANIZATION
* Developed the marketing and selling skills of marketing, sales, product and cu
stomer service managers via mentoring and training activities. Result: develope
d the leadership and profit improvement expertise of these individuals, enrichin
g their future contribution potential to the organization.
* Positioned the company for reorganization into strategic P&L business groups.
* Created and implemented a strategic marketing/sales plan. This was accomplish
ed by leading both the existing direct sales representatives team and personally
establishing an independent sales agents organization to sell existing products
, and communicate customer and market requirements information for new product s
olutions to an enlarged customer base. Result: generated $5 MM annual revenues
of incremental apparel business group sales.
STRATEGIC PLANNING
* Led a successful redirection transition of a manufacturing organization from s
elling an established narrow product portfolio to a domestic customer base, to m
arketing and developing broad product solutions for global multi-business market
s/customers.
* Participated with Executive Committee colleagues in redefining and reorganizin
g the company from a traditional functional structure into market responsive ind
ependent business groups. Results: diversified the company's business portfolio
from a 97% dependence upon selling automotive interior fabric products to a 55%
automotive and 45% commercial businesses mix. Enlarged the sales distribution
network and increased the customer base. Generated additional sales, earnings a
nd stability.
NEW PRODUCTS and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
* Launched a sublimation transfer-printed needlepunch nonwoven fabric patterns c
ollection to the apparel industry. Result: created an additional $3 MM of annua
l revenue and improved the profitability by 25% within the apparel business grou
p.
* Identified and managed the development of texture enhanced fabrics for the hou
sehold, pet and equine industries. Result: generated additional $2 MM annual re
venue of home furnishing business group sales.
* Negotiated business partnerships with two leading customers within the filtrat
ion and fastener industries. Result: positioned the company to participate with
these partners in developing and launching needlepunch entangled nonwoven fabri
cs for proprietary end use applications, which generated $4 MM of new revenue.
PRESENTATION, PROMOTION and COMMUNICATION
* Planned, developed and led intra-company sales, new product, market summary an
d corporate business status presentations.
* Scheduled, organized and led corporate delegations in exhibiting the company's
products, services and capabilities at industry trade fairs in the U.S., Canada
, Mexico and Europe.
* Developed accurate sales/marketing forecasts and operating budgets. Result: t
he communication of reliable forecasts and budgets enabled the operations, suppl
y chain, R&D, and HR functions to schedule cost efficiently, thereby jointly imp
roving the corporation's profitability.
* Managed the marketing and sales departments and business group's expenses with
in budgets, while increasing sales and market share.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Current / past member / participant within a variety of industry associations in
cluding :
(AAFA) American Apparel and Footwear Association, (AAMA) American Apparel Associ
ation, (AFS) American Filtration & Separations Society, (AF&PA) American Forest
& Paper Association, (FIA) Footwear Industries of America, (IFAI) Industrial Fab
rics Association International, (INDA) Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Indus
try, (MMPA) Maine Pulp & Paper Association, (NTA) National Textile Association,
Northeast (PIMA) Paper Industry Management Association, (RI) Rotary Internationa
l, (SAP) Sales Association of the Paper Industry, (TAPPI) Technical Association
for the Worldwide Pulp Paper & Converting Industry, (TC) The Textile Club, (UMP&
PF) The University of Maine Pulp and Paper Foundation.