Rich Kaiser

Category Manager / Product Line Manager · Oregon Tool

Southern, CA

In My Own Words

I’m a Dynamic Execution and Results Driven Professional with Extensive Sales, Marketing, and Product Experience.

I have an outstanding track record of exceeding goals and surpassing expectations. I’m a self-motivated, organized professional who thrives on creating and implementing detailed business plans that maximize opportunities, market penetration and overall brand growth.

Work Experience

Senior Global Product Manager

Oregon Tool

2022 – Present

• Spearheaded the end-to-end product lifecycle management for a portfolio of international products, driving revenue growth of 10% year-over-year through strategic market analysis and consumer insights. • Collaborated with engineering, marketing, and sales teams to define product vision and 3 year roadmap, successfully aligning diverse stakeholders to ensure seamless product launches across multiple geographic regions. • Conducted competitive analysis and market research to identify emerging trends and growth opportunities, leading to the development of new product lines that are targeted to capture 10% market share over the next 3 years. • Cultivated relationships with key global partners and stakeholders, negotiating partnerships to drive innovation and increased product visibility in key markets. • Lead training and development initiatives for sales and marketing teams to enhance product knowledge, resulting in an increase in effective product messaging and improved sales performance.

Product and Quality Manager

Revant Optics

2020 – 2022

• Collaborated with Marketing and Finance teams to gather customer insights, develop annual revenue plans, and create pricing strategies that drove a 32% year-over-year revenue increase through successful product launches. • Managed the entire product lifecycle from ideation to launch, creating a 36-month product roadmap and overseeing project management to ensure timely execution. • Conceptualized and managed brand/product collaboration opportunities, using market assessments to identify trends and drive product innovation

Category Manager / Product Line Manager

Spy Optic, Inc.,

2017 – 2020

Responsible for the Sunglass and Rx frame/lens programs in their entirety from product to profit for all sales channels: International, Military, Wholesale, Key Accounts, Domestic, Optical, SMU, and Sun Specialty • Perform market research plus Internal data analysis to pinpoint brand opportunities, position and product needs. • Deliver clear direction and needs to product development team for product creation, work hand in hand with product development through the development process to ensure product needs are met. • Work with Sales to align product and marketing with sales strategies & tactics to ensure revenue goals are achieved. • Responsible for clear and concise product release and marketing communication to internal and external teams. • Create and execute the marketing story, strategy, plan, and tactics by product release as well as work cross functional to develop overarching yearly / seasonal campaigns and messaging. • Work with the creative team on everything from big picture brand messaging to individual product copy. Responsible for POP/POS messaging and overall effectiveness. • Drive social media content creation and direction • Work with sales, product, and finance to establish pricing strategies for wholesale, retail, closeout, SMU and Amazon business. Manage product margin expectations and develop ann

Global Sales Director

AIRBLASTER

2016 – 2017

Strategize, Develop and Implement overall brand sales plans short and long term including product direction, consumer segmentation, market opportunities, growth expectations, budget spends & overall short and long term revenue targets and sales team structure. Manage US & Canadian sales representatives as well as international distributers across Europe, Australia, Japan, China & Russia. Also manage brand direct to consumer (ecom), off-price/closeout channels. Develop and drive all sales related brand needs, sales meetings, trade shows, internal and external sales tools, catalogs, pre-book/at-once programs, dealer partnerships, rep retailer & ecom Sales contests/promotions, Pop etc.…

National Sales and Development Manager

RAEN Optics

2015 – 2016

Create five-year revenue plan, develop, strategize, and implement category strategy to achieve revenue targets, market growth and overall performance expectations. Develop National sales team blueprint & expectations. Higher, manage, coach, mentor and assist sales team in achieving individual and organizational sales goals. Lead cross-functional team to capitalize on market opportunities and to drive company design, marketing, merchandising and overall brand direction for the Optical and Sunglass specialty eyewear market segmentation.

Account Manager

Oakley, Inc.

2002 – 2015

Dynamic development & management of all sales directives, marketing initiatives, customer service and associate rep execution within a diverse multi-channel multi-market territory. Achieved Apparel & Footwear rep of the year for growing sales and brand market penetration. Excelled brand “new technology” penetration to new market categories through deep product/category analyses to effectively communicate short and long term opportunity to retailers Pioneered and successfully launched new brand categories (footwear, electronics, women’s apparel) within a congested retail landscape. Continuously sur-passed sales goals and door/product placement targets. Established strong, trusting, honest, authentic, mutually beneficial business partnerships.

Sales Marketing Assistant

VOLCOM

1998 – 2001

Assisted in managing "grass routs" shop athlete team of 100 + athletes nation wide Created custom in-store pop and window display materials and campaigns Developed and Implemented in-store event marketing activations within the CA action sports market