The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company

Tony Rushing Sales Manager

KY/IL/IN/MO/TN

2012 Award Criteria: Rookie of the Year

Awarded to new SM with the best all around performance:

• POS results versus Budget Store Count and Ranking

• Great customer service

• Competencies (understanding and learning) in product knowledge, territory management, etc.

• Selling success (Mining the Middle)

• Outstanding merchandising and display activity

• Start date between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012

2012 POS Results & Store Metrics

CUSTOMER 2012 2011 Variance Store Qty % of total Stores

HOME DEPOT 1,166,838.33 1,082,747.71 7.77% 5 9.09%

LOWES 3,369,725.05 3,330,180.94 1.19% 12 21.82%

WALMART 5,251,188.58 4,819,660.04 8.95% 38 69.09%

TOTAL 9,787,751.96 9,232,588.69 6.01% 55 100.00%

NUMBERS PERFORMANCE POS 2012 VS 2011

Sales District DMM CYTD POS $ PYTD POS $

YTD

Var% Rank

145 SM-Tony Rushing DM-Jason Ditsch $9,787,752 $9,232,589 6.0% 20

183 SM-Edward Brown DM-Jason Ditsch $9,378,775 $8,909,608 5.3% 24

184 SM-Justin Middleton DM-Jason Ditsch $12,182,166 $11,813,757 3.1% 50

148 SM-Lisbeth Naylor DM-Jason Ditsch $12,006,372 $11,842,628 1.4% 66

147 SM-Doug Alexander DM-Jason Ditsch $10,810,002 $10,725,820 0.8% 72

146 SM-Drew Thompson DM-Jason Ditsch $11,358,998 $11,479,254 -1.0% 96

149 SM-Shane Adams DM-Jason Ditsch $9,101,724 $9,275,087 -1.9% 101

188 SM-Joe Ley DM-Jason Ditsch $9,945,187 $10,207,966 -2.6% 104

182 SM-Douglas Riley DM-Jason Ditsch $8,755,213 $9,117,631 -4.0% 112

Midwest SM Ranking by YTD % Increase

June 19

July 31

Drought Monitor

On May 8th Paducha DMA was in severe drought

Customer Focused Partnering for Success

Implemented open dialogue with Store Managers, District Managers in a territory

that had traditionally seen little to no communication due to geographical size.

Worked with store personnel to anticipate and capture sales as the season

evolved including securing display space and additional orders through weekly

communication to all stores.

In-store Training

Initiated training events for store personnel with certified Horticulturalists and MC’s

with over eight years experience

Participated in multiple vendor days throughout the season and across all retail

partners

Emphasized In Store Events

Held counseling events across 5 separate districts weekly

Provided accounts with Registered Horticulturalist in store to

counseling

Cultural Attributes Cultural Attributes-

Passionate: Enjoy what you do. Spread your enthusiasm. Motivate and inspire others

Tony has certainly been a breath of fresh air in his territory. He began with no experience in the lawn

and garden category but showed a tenacity for learning that has rubbed off on his merchandiser’s and his fellow

sales managers. He brought merchandising and sales skills with him and applied those to our products. During his

first few months Tony worked closely with Doug Alexander and Ed Brown, veteran sales managers in District 22,

and both were spurred on by his energy for capturing display space and dropping any top stock!

Who we are

Collaborative: Involve others. Seek out additional knowledge and expertise. Work towards mutual solutions.

He shares all of his KDM’s with other Sales Managers, even a few outside the North Region, and has

worked in collaboration to ensure unity across the KDM’s area. He has participated in multiple MTM’s with DM

Keith Speer and SM Amy Booth of the Southeast Region including Lowe’s and Wal-mart KDM’s. Tony partnered

with D22 teammate Ed Brown to build fall orders for Reggie Wheeler’s HD District 250 and adjust the Grass Seed

POG for next season. He is always seeking out knowledge from senior members of our District.

How we grow

Diversity: Value the unique thoughts and opinions of others. Work together with mutual respect.

Seeing the value in his lead MC’s tenure, Tony has relied on the over 10 years of experience to learn

best practices at the store level. He worked with John, the lead MC, to develop an order sheet that could be used

in Lowe’s to quickly take on hands and write orders at the shelf. This enabled all MC’s in Tony’s territory to use a

uniform method to monitor inventory and positively interact with store personnel regarding orders. It helped show

each store’s personnel that his MC’s were there to make the store better, not just move Scott’s products around.

Competencies Personnel/Territory Management

Tony began the season with 4 returning MC’s. Hired 5 new MC’s and completed all on the job training

and boot camps in February.

He used 1 Lead MC in largest DMA, Evansville, and continuously monitored his progress and worked

on development.

Performed weekly walks with the Lead MC and gave feed back on areas of improvement.

Each of his MC’s was required to use and understand the in-store resources, First Phones at Home

Depot, computer systems at Lowes and Telxon’s at Wal-mart to ensure all stores had sufficient

inventory to drive POS.

Open Lines of Communication

He used email and daily phone calls, as well as in store walks with each MC

Weekly Checklists were used as templates for his in store execution

Tony worked with his lead MC to develop order sheets as guides to take on-hands and place orders in

Lowes accounts through LVMI with store KDMs.

Bi-Weekly MTM communication with his KDM’s throughout his territory

MTM Results Lowe’s

Shared 5 different District Managers

Successful sales calls for Spring Lay downs, Summer Register Space and Fall Lay downs

Secured additional orders through KDM’s to build additional displays, Outdoor Registers in West Kentucky and Cart Starts across the territory

Partnered with fellow Sales Managers to drive success at all stores.

Home Depot

Partnered with new District Manager to improve associate knowledge with advertised counseling events each weekend throughout his territory.

Secured incremental fall lay downs and additional orders to fulfill demand across his district ($35,000)

Worked with fellow sales manager to add items to the Grass Seed POG for 2013

Wal-Mart

Met with Store Managers to establish relationships where none had existed before

Improved communication at store level with KDM’s inside the accounts with bi-weekly meetings

Secured Action alley and Catch the Season Wall displays utilizing the Regional Plan developed at the RMM level through commitment from Market Managers

Tony Rushing- Displays

Lowes 630

Evansville, IN

Lowes 722

Murray, KY

Lowes 722, Lawn & Garden Show

Murray, KY

Lowes 679

Evansville, IN

HD 1979

Marion, IL

HD 2314

Paducah, KY

HD 3033

Poplar Bluff, MO

HD 2003

Evansville, IN

WM

Paducah, KY

WM

Paducah, KY

WM

Evansville, IN

WM

Murray, KY

WM

Evansville, IN