Wendy D Ferguson1401 S. Joyce Street, Apartment 1804 Arlington, VA 22202 703-416-4129 (H) 404-983-7967 (C) wndyfrg@gmail.com

I am a recognized and accomplished multi-disciplined expert capable of integrating the world of analytics, creativity and design into business solutions. As a Masters Candidate at Georgetown University I am merging my expertise in strategic marketing with new media communication and technological innovation to collaboratively problem solve within our shared digital culture and shifting business landscape.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

THE HEALTHY LIVING COMPANY, Arlington, VA 2006-2010Market Research Manager, Structured Decision-Making Modeling Experienced at uncovering and identifying value-driven insights and actionable strategies

that inform, inspire and drive innovation and compelling ideas  Researched programmable decision-making models that involved an awareness of neural

physiology and an individual’s intrinsic motivation.

FRITO-LAY, Dallas, Texas 2005-2006Product Manager, Health & Wellness Innovation Successfully proposed and received $4MM in marketing funds to launch and commercialize a

new category of snackable fruit and vegetable products. With incremental sales estimated at $450MM, this new business opportunity was positioned to become the next Megabrand within the Frito-Lay portfolio of snacks. 

Led a team of cross-functional experts and divergent subject matter experts in the production and design of a distinctive brand architecture and communication strategy that shared our consumer’s personal values. 

Championed a revolutionary go-to-market strategy that included a multi-channel launch, a branded permanent merchandiser, an inventive pricing model, new packaging and a transformative operating process.

STRATEGIC MARKETING CONSULTANT, Atlanta, Georgia 2004-2005 Wrote the strategic marketing plan for one of the first highly interactive on-line IT training

firms.

CIBA Vision, a NOVARTIS Company, Duluth, Georgia 2003-2004CONTRACT Brand Manager: NIGHT & DAY contact lens Led the Company’s fastest growing and priority brand, NIGHT & DAY, to a record year in

revenue and gross margin, $90MM and $76MM, +130% and +167%, respectively. Directed the 2004 integrated strategic planning process to capture revenue growth of +58%

and market share of 3.9%. Authored a new NIGHT & DAY brand architecture and communication strategy to support

Category Leadership initiatives within the professional and channel marketing teams. Produced and executed the 2003/2004 competitive response to an impending product launch

from J&J. The plan received an incremental budget of +$18MM for consumer and trade media and a new product extension in the summer of 2004.

THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, Atlanta, Georgia 1997-2003Project Manager (10/02 – 5/03) Directed a cross-functional executive management team in the redefinition of sponsorship

marketing, effectiveness of asset management and the identification of new revenue streams for The Coca-Cola Company. This initiative was to eventually become the highly successful Coke Rewards Program.

Senior Brand Manager: Fanta (10/01 - 10/02) Direct responsibility for launching Fanta, The Company’s second largest brand with global

sales of $4 billion, in the U.S. market after a 15-year hiatus. Achieved first year sales of $250MM and contributed over 50% of the Company’s total incremental global growth.

Launched a multi-cultural creative campaign that drove awareness and profitable volume, won the 2002 David Ogilvy award for the Americas and achieved the highest advertising index scores within The Coca-Cola Company portfolio.

Introduced a flavor extension in August 2002 to thwart a competitive threat.

Executive Assistant to Senior Vice President of Consumer Marketing (8/00 - 10/01) Advanced the Senior Vice President’s leadership agenda and initiatives to build sustainable

organizational capabilities (e.g., assisted in the reorganization of the N.A. consumer marketing division, developed and published the division’s new Knowledge management system, led a national cause marketing initiative that partnered Coca-Cola classic, the Harry Potter franchise and Reading is Fundamental, and assumed a leadership role in the annual strategic planning cycle).

Senior Brand Manager: Diet Coke and caffeine free diet Coke (2/00 - 8/00)Brand Manager: Diet Coke and caffeine free diet Coke (10/99 - 2/00) Direct responsibility for the diet Coke portfolio, or 25% of the total North American business

while managing 4 direct reports. Volume gains of 3% were achieved on a base of $1.6 billion in sales.

Initiated a $650K vision research project to re-define the brand platform and update the Brand’s communication strategy.

Managed the agency relationships and development of a $40MM national TV campaign and award-winning print creative.

Launched diet Coke with Lemon, the first line extension off of a Coca-Cola trademark since diet Coke itself in 1983. The brand quickly became the #1 incremental volume driver for North America.

Commercialized diet Coke Holiday packaging for 2000, this packaging was used again in 2001 and 2002.

Motivated a team of cross-functional experts through an analytical immersion that uncovered new business insights and led to a year of innovation and growth for the diet Coke franchise.

Associate Brand Manager: Diet Coke and caffeine free diet Coke (8/99 – 10/99)Associate Brand Manager: Diet Coke, cf diet Coke, Nestea, Minute Maid Lemonade, Hi-C (2/97 8/99) Responsible for the entire Adult Portfolio of products in Coca-Cola Fountain, 26% of the

division’s brand portfolio and 53% of its total incremental volume in FY99. Achieved volume gains of +4% in FY98 and +2% in FY99

Secured a $225K occasion-based research budget to study the incremental benefit of activating diet Coke at lunch in casual dining outlets. The results led to a +4% increase in volume while reducing non-revenue generating beverage consumption in outlet.

Project Manager on a $250K R&D initiative tasked with deciding whether or not to reformulate diet Coke in Fountain given a competitive threat.

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SARA LEE HOSIERY, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1994-1997Assistant Brand Manager: Hanes Too, Hanes Too Plus, Profiles, Great Legs (8/96 – 2/97) Re-launched the Hanes Too brand franchise with (5) new products, contemporary packaging

and a customer marketing strategy built on flexibility and customization, portfolio sales climbed +11% over prior year.

Responsible for selling Great Legs into a new National Chain driving sales volume up +90% YAG

Assistant Brand Manager: Donna Karan Hosiery (10/95 – 8/96) Achieved sales of $25MM in 1996 up +15% to prior year and +26% in new product revenue. Launched The Nudes by Donna Karan, a break-through line extension that contributed +25%

to annual sales. Launched Donna Karan Essential Toner and Donna Karan Bottom Lifter, the #1 selling items

in 1996. Responsible for semi-annual launch of 10 new fashion products in 8 seasonal colors. Managed all consumer communication: OOH, Print, POS and Packaging. Brand awareness

grew +18% in FY96, up from 15% in prior year.

Senior Business Analyst: Business Development (9/94 – 10/95) Led numerous strategic projects for the SVP of Corporate Development, including

formulating strategies to enhance ROIC, re-engineering the Company’s new product process and investigating the development of brand name retail stores.

BANK OF AMERICA, Charlotte, North Carolina 1992-1994Corporate Bank Officer (10/93 – 9/94)Corporate Bank Credit Analyst (7/92 – 10/93) Responsible for financial reporting and cash flow analysis, constructing forecasting models

and performing internal/external company evaluations on clients with $100MM+ in sales.

JGF, Limited, Charlottesville, Virginia 1989-1990Assistant Vice-President Co-Founded a venture capital firm specializing in mid-market company acquisition.

JC Penney, Colonial Heights, Virginia 1987-1989Merchandising Manager Managed a $1MM women’s accessories business to gross profit targets while leading 14

direct reports.EDUCATION

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, Washington, D.C. 2010 - 2012Graduate School of Arts & Sciences: The Communication, Culture and Technology ProgramMasters of Arts Candidate, Technology, Business & Economy Cluster Curriculum focused on an interdisciplinary human-centered approach to problem solving

within our shared digital culture and shifting business landscape.

GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL & DEVELOPMENT STUDIES, Geneva, Switzerland 2010Trade, Technology and Development, June – August 2010 Studied with practitioners and academic experts in the field of international trade policy to

understand the implications of a global information economy and its impact on developing countries’ economies.

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HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, Cambridge, MA 2000Marketing of the Mind Laboratory Seminar with Gerald Zaltman, Fall 2000 Studied the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique, a research/communication methodology

used to examine an individual’s unconscious belief system and its impact on consumer behavior.

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA – Charlottesville, VA 1996

Strategic Marketing Management Seminar, Darden School of Business, September 22-27, 1996 Consumer-centric leadership program focused on developing effective, value-creating

marketing strategies

WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY – Winston-Salem, NC 1992Masters of Business Administration, Babcock School of Management, Full-time student, 1990-1992 Recipient of Charles H. Babcock Scholarship, an academically merited scholarship Oxford University for European Business Program, Oxford, England, summer 1991 East Asian Management Studies, Tokyo, Japan, summer 1991

VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY – Blacksburg, VA

1987Finance, Cum Laude, Pamplin College of Business, Full-time student 1983-1987 Pamplin College of Business Outstanding Young Alumni Award, 1996-1997

SPECIALTIES Value Creating Specialties Strategic Planning & Implementation, Competency in Envisioning New Solutions through

Innovation, Brand Management, New Product Development, Translating Consumer Insights into Relationship-Building Strategies, Influence through Collaboration, Project Management, Expertise in Corporate Finance, Accomplished in Merchandising Management, Digital Technology, Social Media and Solving Complex Ambiguous Problems.

Technical Expertise SPSS, XHTML/CSS, WordPress, Photoshop, iMovie, InDesign, Semantic Web, Microsoft

Office

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