Michael Agneta
Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager · Fanatics, Inc.
Saint Johns, FL
In My Own Words
Husband and father, with interests in outdoor recreation, technology, travel, and Philadelphia’s professional sports teams. Small stream fly fishing enthusiast with a love for small blue lines and their resident wild trout.
Seasoned merchant manager with experience in the disciplines of assortment planning, merchandise purchasing, vendor relations and negotiation, category management, online marketing, and personnel development in a high growth, fast moving, and ever changing cross functional e-commerce environment. Creative thinker with the ability to effectively oversee and organize large product assortments while utilizing analytical skills to maximize profitability and customer experience. Current role as Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager handling the National Football League (NFL).
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tenkara Angler, a lifestyle website and the United States’ first regularly published print magazine about tenkara, a technique of fly fishing originally developed in Japan.
Work Experience
Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager
Fanatics, Inc.2011 – Present
Leads organization of 7 reports handling the online product offering for the National Football League. Drove sales volume growth from $100 million to over $750 million annually while maintaining margins well more than 50%. Develops and implements both top down and bottoms up assortment strategies to maximize contribution margins and divisional profitability.
Owns Open-To-Buy and all assorted financial metrics - Sales, Gross Margin, Contribution Margin, Markdowns, Stock Turn, Inventory, Aged Inventory, and Profitability
Cross Functional leader - Primary partner with First- and Third-Party Vendors, Marketing, Social, Paid Search, Customer Service, International, & Warehouse Operations teams regarding league-specific business initiatives, particularly special events and hot markets
Drives key item strategies to maintain inventory levels of core items by maximizing high in-stock percentages and driving increases in online conversion rates and incremental top line growth
Lead of Fanatics’ $100M “Segmented Merchandise” growth strategy designed to recruit and create collaborations with well known consumer products brands in the licensed sports space
Developed skill sets of ten direct reports to a position of promotion within the company, including one Buyer to DMM.
Prior responsibilities also included NASCAR Omnichannel, (Annually $10M online, $30M physical retail), Strategic & Emerging (launched multiple eSports leagues as well as the Kentucky Derby, PGA, & USGA)
Director, Divisional Merchandise Manager
GSI Commerce1999 – 2011
Oversaw organization of 11 reports in 3 licensed sporting goods divisions as well as one inventory replenishment specialist. Combined sales volume totaling over $225 million annually, until merger with Fanatics in 2011. - Category responsibilities included: NFLShop.com, NASCAR.com Superstore, QVC - Owned Open-To-Buy and all assorted financial metrics - Sales, Margin, Markdowns, Stock Turn, Inventory, Aged Inventory, and Business Development Funds (cooperative advertising) - Worked with customer service to maximize customer experience - acting on customer feedback, reducing return rates, and collaborating with social media outlet(s) - Grew core businesses by maximizing opportunities through business-to-business relationships (via Amazon Marketplace) & print catalog services Divisional Merchandise Manager, Sports & Recreation Assumed responsibility of six direct reports in 3 sporting goods divisions as well as two in the entertainment vertical. Combined sales volume totaling over $80 million annually. Coordinated extensive vendor relationship network to create value for GSI's retail partners through innovative marketing, merchandising, and assortment plans. - Category responsibilities included: Team Sports, Action Sports, Outdoor Recreation, Exercise & Golf - Created standardized program for online circular and reciprocal vendor link integration. - Leveraged assortment strengths into various direct import/private label/special make-up opportunities - Worked in tandem with interactive group to develop productive email, paid search, and vendor rate card campaigns - Developed skill sets of four direct reports to a position of promotion within the company - Promoted to Director, February 2008 Other Positions Held, GSI Commerce: - Senior Buyer, Team & Action Sports Divisions (2004-2007) - Category Manager/Buyer, Team Sports Division (2002-2004) - Associate Category Manager, Team Sports & Games (2000-2002) - Merchandiser (1999-2000)
Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Widener University1995 – 1999
Graduating Class Salutatorian Cumulative GPA: 3.92 Major GPA: 3.95
Projects
Tenkara Angler
https://tenkaraangler.com/Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Tenkara Angler
Tenkara Angler is the fixed line fly fishing community’s hub for smart information and entertainment. We cover angling lifestyle, destination, tactics, gear, art, conservation, as well as wonderful creative essays. With an editorial staff of over 50 years of combined fixed line fly fishing experience, as well as hundreds of “community-sourced” articles from anglers across the globe, this is your resource for all things tenkara and fixed-line fly fishing.
