CASE STUDIES
American Airlines is a major global airline with $50 billion in annual revenue, servicing 350 destinations in 48 countries.
CHALLENGES:
Drive cultural change in complex 170-person organization across 4 cities, providing higher-level, lower cost customer support for 30,000 travel agency and corporate partners.
KEY RESULTS:
TEAM REVITALIZATION. Streamlined processes, leading to a 30% increase in operational efficiency.
1
CRISIS MANAGEMENT. Led team empathetically and emphatically through traumatic 9/11 event.
2
CHANGE MANAGEMENT. Seamlessly integrated acquired TWA sales support organization, maintaining service levels and performance while preserving morale.
3
“Under Steve's dynamic leadership, the Sales Support organization at American Airlines saw noticeable and measurable gains in efficiency and effectiveness. As a manager, his inspirational coaching and organizational skills motivated his direct reports to exceed their goals and objectives. The business acumen and other skills I acquired while reporting to Steve have served me very well over the years...he was one of the best managers I have ever had.”
Chris Spilker | Senior Manager | Digital & Brand Communications
Capital One Auto Finance is a leading player in the U.S. auto lending market, providing over $40 billion in auto loans annually.
CHALLENGES:
Dramatically improve performance of last-place sales division, then- in broader role- successfully integrate 3 acquired competitors' sales organizations.
KEY RESULTS:
CULTURE BUILDING. Fostered transparency, inclusivity, and a culture of trust, strengthening team cohesion and long-term success.
1
LAST-TO-FIRST METRICS. Led a dramatic turnaround that focused on consultative selling, discipline, and accountability.
2
COMPENSATION PLAN REVAMP. Designed a creative, performance-based compensation plan, resulting in a 61% production increase in just 3 months.
3
MERGER PROCESS LEADERSHIP. Orchestrated a bold talent selection and integration strategy following the acquisition of three competitors, ensuring a smooth assimilation and sustained performance gains.
4
“Steve is one of the finest executives I have ever worked with. [He] led our national field sales team through a time of significant growth and expansion. Our sales organization doubled in size during this time… [He] brings strong discipline, intellect, organizational skills and a sound performance management discipline to the field. He is well liked among his peers as well as those who worked for Steve. Steve will challenge the status quo but doing so in a way that is enjoyable and fun.”
Larry Rodriguez | CEO / President | High Performance Optics, Inc.
Celebrity Cruises is an award-winning, luxury, global cruise line with a fleet of 15 ships that generates over $13 billion in annual revenue.
CHALLENGES:
Transform morale, professionalism, and performance of fledgling new sales and service organization into the beacon for the parent company's family of brands.
KEY RESULTS:
DRAMATIC KPI IMPROVEMENT. In two years, grew revenue by 52%, repeat sales/loyalty rate by 26%, while lowering cost-of-sale by 20%.
1
SALES PERFORMANCE BREAKTHROUGHS. Achieved 40% improvement in web conversion rate and 91% increase in onboard cruise sales within the first year.
2
COMPENSATION PLAN REVAMP. Designed a creative, performance-based compensation plan for a young, evolving sales force, resulting in a 61% production increase in just 3 months.
3
“Steve is one of the most professional partners I have ever worked with. He has an unusual ability to have real relationships with his customers and be a "sales guy" while also being very financially oriented. This combination makes him very marketable and if I could, I would hire him again!”
Dondra Ritzenthaler
CEO | Azamara Cruises
Park West Gallery is one of largest privately held art galleries in the world, conducting over 15,000 annual fine art auctions on 100+ cruise ships across six continents.
CHALLENGES:
Accelerate sales growth, analytical discipline, and employee engagement, and enhance the team's reputation with its cruise line partners.
KEY RESULTS:
REVAMPED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE. Realigned compensation and recognition programs around key performance metrics, leading to record-breaking results and improved employee engagement and morale.
1
GLOBAL BUSINESS EXPANSION. Developed a customized strategy for Asia, transforming an underdeveloped region into a market leader within six months.
2
ENHANCED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE. Implemented process improvement disciplines, reducing client complaints by 22%
3
“I reported to Steve for 2 years. During that time he instilled a level of structure, measurement, and accountability that truly transformed our organization. He was always there to counsel, dig in to help and was also extremely supportive. He clearly knows when it's appropriate to praise just as much as when he needs to be tough. Steve is a polished professional that has an uncanny ability to study "the numbers" and swiftly grasp a situation. Given my role is left-brain focused, I learned a lot from Steve's right-brain insight and mentoring.”
John Lichtenberg | Vice President | Marketing