BRIAN S. ZWEIG, M.B.A., Principal
CONSULTING
Business Opportunities Management Consulting (Defreestville, NY): Founded in 1998, the firm has been helping businesses in the following areas:
• Development and implementation of business plans
• Securing of funding for expansion and start-ups
• Development of new products and markets, including international distribution
MANAGEMENT
Certified Marketing Services (Kinderhook, NY): Provides retail merchandising and information collection services to manufacturers, retailers and the entertainment industry.
Executive Vice President (1994 – 1998)
• Developed and implemented 5-year business plan. Met plan financial targets in 3 years by achieving a greater than three-fold increase in sales and profits.
• Implemented state-of-the-art computer management and data collection system to assign and track projects being handled by firm’s 15,000+ people in the field. Included installation of computer hardware, networks, office software and new phone system.
• Strengthened organization by hiring experienced senior-level managers in Operations, Information Systems and Human Resources. Implemented company HR policies and improved benefits program.
Garden Way Inc. (Troy, NY): Manufacturer and marketer of outdoor lawn and garden power equipment.
Acting Manager of Retail Marketing (1986 – 1987) and Product Manager (1987 – 1994)
• Bottom line responsibility for $125,000,000/yr. tiller and walk-behind mower lines.
• Developed and implemented marketing strategies that resulted in a ten-fold sales increase in mulching mower line (to 100,000 units/yr) and 500% increase (to 20,000 units/yr) in min-tiller sales.
• Implemented cost reductions in mulching mower line for $750,000/yr savings with improved quality.
• Led successful market introduction of various mower and tiller product lines, including products developed for foreign markets.
• Managed retail marketing department and riding product line through corporate reorganizations.
Charles Freihofer Baking Co. (New Paltz, NY): Regional baking company manufacturing and distributing breads, cakes and cookies.
Regional Marketing Manager (1982 – 1986)
• Responsible for merchandising, retail promotion and store relations in the company’s largest sales region ($11,000,000).
• Used sales analysis to increase retail space, making the region the company’s fastest growing in sales.
EDUCATION
M.B.A. from AMOS TUCK SCHOOL AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE – 1982
B.S. in Applied Economics and Business Management from CORNELL UNIVERSITY – 1980
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Member: Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce, Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Global Business Network, Capital Region World Trade Center
Board Member: Tech Valley Global Business Network
Former Board Member: Schenectady County Community Business Center, Rensselaer County Agriculture & Farmland Protection Board, Rensselaer-Taconic Land Conservancy (past President), Pen & Palette Not-for-Profit Corporation (funds cancer research)
Founding Partner: Tech Valley Angel Network