Kristina Vadala
Recently relocated from NYC to Berkeley for a much needed change of scenery. Worked for Tommy Bahama for 91/2 years and am currently interested in sales, marketing, and product development opportunities at an apparel company.
| Headline: | Innocent Bystander |
| Work status: | Living The Dream |
| Industries: | Food and Drink, Retail |
| Skills: | Business, Design, Guerrilla marketing, Leadership, Marketing, Product design, Retail, Sales |
| Location: | Berkeley, CA |
| Interested in: | Career advice, Consulting opportunities, Employment opportunities, Helping friends, Joining a startup, Learning about entrepreneurship, Meeting new people, Professional opportunities |
| Tags: | apparel, climbing, marinelayer, mojamix, product development, snowboarding, wholesale sales |
| Schools: | Fordham University |
FULL BIO
I grew up in idyllic Demarest, NJ and in 1999 graduated from Fordham Universitiy with majors in Art History and Philosophy. I began work for Tommy Bahama's wholesale apparel division that summer as a sales assistant but quickly moved up the ladder and eventually became responsible for over 25 million dollars a year of wholesale sales. My experience with Tommy Bahama includes sales, marketing, product development, and merchandising. I am currently consulting for two start ups in the Berkeley area: Mojamix.com, a customized cereal/granola website and marinelayer, and apparel company specializing in amazing fabrics and fit.
WORK EXPERIENCE
| Employer: | Tommy Bahama |
| Position: | Account Executive –Men’s Sportswear |
| Time period: | December 2000 - Present |
| Description: | • Lead salesperson in New York showroom.
• Responsible for the 100 top specialty stores in the Northeast and all department stores including Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks, Lord and Taylor, and Macys. • Integral in the sales growth in the Northeast and responsible for $30 million annually. • Analyzes and improves assortments and buys through retail math skills. • Works closely with design, merchandising, and sourcing team to build and improve product. • Gives sales and merchandising seminars regularly. • Plans and works multiple in store events every year at golf courses, specialty stores, and department stores. • Plans team building events with sales force. |
| Employer: | Tommy Bahama |
| Position: | Account Executive –Men’s and Women’s Sportswear |
| Time period: | December 1998 - November 2001 |
| Description: | • Responsible for 300+ men’s and women’s specialty stores in the Northeast.
• Re-organized sales office to improve efficiency and customer service for specialty store accounts. • Helped to significantly grow the women’s business. |
| Employer: | Philips Van Heusen |
| Position: | Design Internship-Geoffrey Beene Menswear |
| Time period: | April 1998 - July 1998 |
| Description: | • Regularly created merchandising and retail boards.
• Used CAD to work on product design. • Successfully helped to reorganize the design department. |
| Employer: | Donna Karan International |
| Position: | Sales and merchandising assistant |
| Time period: | April 1997 - July 1997 |
| Description: | • Worked with domestic and international account executives in New York showroom during DKNY men’s resort ’96, DKNY men’s resort ’97, DKNY women’s resort ’97, and DKNY men’s spring ’98 markets.
• Worked with DKNY Kid’s merchandising team during resort ’97 market. |
EDUCATION
| University: | Fordham University |
| Time period: | 1999 |
| Degree: | Art History , BA |
INFORMATION
| Hobbies: | • Snowboarding
• Running: has been an active member of the New York Road Runners Club since 2001. • Painting • Ornithology |
| Awards: | • New York Marathon 2004, 2006; Big Sur Marathon 2003
• Michael J. Breslin III Scholarship for academics, athletics and leadership in 1998. • Elected Vice President of Fordham University Class of 1999. • Elected President of Northern Valley Regional High School, 1993-1995. |
Kristina's Contacts (6)
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Ben Biddle
Berkeley MBA looking to use disruptive innovation for social change and better business
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Kevin Casey
Founder of New Avenue
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Jacob Rios
Music and social media, Berkeley MBA, Mayfield Fellow, Rice University BSEE, Accenture, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
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