Home Furnishing Consultant

Pat Hernandez
604 Harmony Lane
Pleasantville, CA 94588
(925) 555-1234

PROFILE

Multidisciplined professional offering 5 years of experience in the antique and specialty home furnishings industry. Experience includes public relations activities such as a lecture series and benefit that increased visibility. Background includes buying and merchandising for two locations, in addition to management of a $1 million plus retail store with co-responsibility for gross margins and profitability. Interacted with a diverse group of individuals from across the U.S., including architects and interior designers, antique dealers, furniture or hard goods agents, manufacturers, buyers, and wholesale managers. Computer skills include Microsoft Windows, Word, and Excel, as well as BusinessWorks. Very knowledgeable of the Internet.

EXPERIENCE

The Manning Furniture Emporium, Des Moines, Iowa
2000 - Present
Consultant
Provided consultative services such as buying architectural antiques in the Midwest, managing lecture series, maintaining open communication lines with employees to mediate problems, developing policies and procedures manual, updating Web site, and offering items for sale through online auctions.

The Manning Furniture Emporium, Houston, Texas
1995 - 2000
Store Manager
Purchased specialty home furnishings, including architectural antiques, reproductions, cabinetry, and hardware for two locations, while managing a $1.2 million, 17,000 square foot architectural antiques and reproduction retail operation. Represented lines such as Warren Hile, Arroyo, Crown City Hardware, Liz's Hardware, and Horton Brass Co. Selected items for display at the company's booth during preservation conventions, and antique and homebuilders' shows. Merchandised the store and developed unique presentations. Interacted with architects, contractors, interior designers, and the general public, as well as buyers, owners, and wholesale managers. Supervised an assistant manager and five other employees. Assisted in planning and controlling profit and loss, and gross margin.
• Initiated and implemented a monthly lecture series, and obtained qualified guest speakers that attracted up to 75 participants per session, including architects, designers, and professors.
• Initiated and organized a benefit for the Antique Alliance of Houston at the store.
• Worked with an account manager at Dynosoft to design the company's Web-site - required all staff to take computer design classes with the goal of improving sales over the Internet.
• Implemented a program that allowed staff to obtain continuing education in marketing and design.
• Grew the business by 140% in less than two years and significantly reduced expenses.
• Achieved 121% of quota for sales in 1999.
• Initiated and established a quota system that offered bonuses for exceeding goal and reduced staff turnover.
• Created new print advertising that appeared in Texas Monthly, Southern Living, and Cite Magazine.
• Assisted in the creation of brochures and catalogs.
• Originally hired as a sales associate until July 1996.

Simon's Furniture, Houston, Texas
1994 - 1995
Sales Associate
Successfully gained an excellent education of antiques and the marketplace.

PROFESSIONAL & PERSONAL AFFILIATIONS

National Historic Preservation Society, Preservation Alliance of Houston, The Printing Museum of Houston, The Des Moines Museum of Fine Arts.

EDUCATION

University of Houston
Interdisciplinary Studies
Planning to complete course study in Iowa
Emphasis on Art History - Completed 95 credit hours

PRWRA Sandy Hild - The Résumé Doctor - Theresumedoctor@aol.com - resumespecialist@yahoo.com - http://www.theresumedoctor.com