Aimee DeGroff

14035 S. Marketview Dr., #E-203, Bluffdale, UT 84065

(310) 490-0923, aim_eeeee@yahoo.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/aimeedegroff

EXPERIENCE

Academic Programs International (API), Austin, TX

11/11 – Present – Financial Services Associate – Overseas Accounting

  § In charge of expense reports from all Overseas Resident Directors in various currencies – reviewing and correcting monthly

reports, checking figures/receipts and entering the data via OER/FileMakerPro (FMP) and in QuickBooks (QB)

  § Training via Skype / Google Hangout for the web-based Overseas Expense Reporting system (OER)

  §

  § Creating instructional manuals for various tasks and processes

  § Use 30 point check list to review and process invoice payments and wire transfer requests from overseas in multiple

currencies, while budgeting, forecasting and keeping track of FX account balances

Project management - ongoing integral role in OER development, improvement, testing, and daily maintenance

  § Manage all wire templates set-up for sending FX wires for all currencies and vendors

  § Reconciling 50+ multi-currency accounts and converting to USD amounts, checking exchange rates, etc.

  § Reconciling bank statements via QB, rounding FX adjustments to multi-currency bank accounts

  § Creating/editing/entering Journal Entries, General Ledgers, PO's, checks, etc. in QB

  § Forecast all paid and remaining payments of Tuition and Housing for all sites per session

  § Year-end projections of remaining expenses for all sites

  § Follow-up correspondences and phone calls

  § Running various reports (FMP, Excel, QB, etc.)

  § Data Entry in FMP

  § Manage all record keeping files (soft and hard copies)

  § Log and track various records of A/P, A/R, etc.

  § Set-up and maintain shared Google Calendar, shared Google Docs

Venette Corporation, Los Angeles, CA/Austin, TX

02/11 – 07/11 – Consultant

  · Short term project working with Red Bull, the Brand, developing and creating strategic business plans and marketing

promotions in various categories of consumer goods

  · Identify, manage, and build relationships with potential partners and vendors; work as main contact for all communications,

artwork submissions/requests, proposals and contracts

The Dialog Group, Austin, TX

4/09 – 4/10 – Consultant

  · Working with clients to identify and develop profitable revenue and brand-building opportunities through licensing, product &

brand management, and strategic marketing

Aimee DeGroff / aikumee, Austin, TX

10/08 – Present – Owner/Designer/Artist

  · Showcasing and selling my photography, hand-painted wooden boxes, jewelry, hairclips, wraps, etc. at First Thursdays as well as

various events and festivals in the greater Austin area

  · Organizing various seasonal juried artisan marketplace by recruiting other vendors, creating layouts/floorplans, collecting

vendor fees, etc. within legal limitations and accordance of property owner

  · Ensure that all required federal, state and local tax filings are prepared, filed and paid accurately on a timely basis

MGA Entertainment, Van Nuys, CA

12/07 – 7/08 – Director of World Wide Licensing and Brand Management

  · Oversee the worldwide licensed product approval/brand management team re: state of business, approvals/submissions and day

to day dealings with licensees

Aimee DeGroff Resume (page 2)

  · Obtain and compile annual and quarterly licensee forecasts for each property by licensee

  · Develop, direct and manage marketing initiatives and cross promotional programs to support Consumer Products at retail and

drive incremental placement

  · Train and work with the licensing team on a monthly basis to obtain sell thru reports, analyze the data and provide a report

  · Ensure each licensee complies with all of the terms of the contract such as royalty reporting, forecasting, compliance,

advertising and promotions

  · In charge of online approval and styleguide system from format creation, QA & bug testings, instruction manuals, training team

members before and after launch date

  · Create and distribute a domestic quarterly newsletter informing the licensees of top-line business successes – both internal

and licensed, marketing/cross promotional and entertainment initiatives

  · Maintain licensee/org chart by assigning the appropriate brand manager/coordinator as contracts are signed

  ·

  ·

Provide suggestions on a seasonal basis for additional licensees needs and trends for each properties style guide

  · Attend product review meetings to ensure brand consistency and aesthetic is being upheld and direction remains consistent

Provide an overview to the sales team on product categories with minimal placement with suggestions on other competitive

companies who have the placement

ACI International, Los Angeles, CA

7/03 to 12/07 - Director of Licensing/Product Development and Marketing

  · Act as liaison with the licensors, product development, vendors, design, factories overseas, sales reps, CSRs, to ensure that all

brand and product specs. are met throughout each cycle of the development process to ensure compliance with licensor

requirements and timeline

  · Supervise product development coordinators as well as overseeing/managing all aspects of the licensed line development

  · Develop and execute strong marketing and product strategies, product line plans, merchandising plans and promotional

programs

  · Work with retailers and vendors to develop/create and execute promotional products for special events, launching of

movies/DVDs, etc.

  · Oversee/manage designers on product concepts, packaging, advertising and signage programs used at retail/retailer events,

tradeshows, and licensor events

  · Develop/supervise all signage, marketing materials and premiums for ACI’s booth at WSA

  · Understand market trends and competition to innovate the product category and to identify new licensing opportunities

  · Travel to local retail stores to review products and competition as well as attending trade shows

  · Converse and travel to key retailers and licensors to build and maintain strong relationships

  · Work with licensors on style guides, special request of artwork and product line on a creative level

  · Develop and continuously improve and refine ACI’s approval process

  · Supervise retail mailings, marketing materials

  · Generate sell-thru reports by retailer and by style

The Firm/Pony Corporate, Beverly Hills, CA

9/01 to 3/03 - Creative Director, Product/Project/Account Manager and Marketing Manager

Licensing/Product

  · Managed all product development, approvals and submissions of all categories such as apparel, accessories, toys, stationery,

plastic goods, novelty food and gift items, etc. for television and movie properties such as Arthur, Vin Diesel’s XXX, Lil’ Pimp,

Darkness Falls and apparel, accessories, and footwear for Pony, the athletic/fashion brand

  · Develop and implement licensee plans on product designs/ideas, line sheets, style guides, and launch implementation

  · Managed approximately 40 licensees / agencies

  · Assisted in growing the Pony business to $18 million in retail sales for 2002

Marketing

  · Managed multi-media marketing campaigns to drive retail sales and awareness through outdoor / POP initiatives nationwide

  · Oversee, research, create, and archive all marketing materials/images including all editorials, advertising to promote brand

awareness

  ·

Product placements to celebrities which appeared in magazines, TV programs and featured films

  · Coordinated Special events/parties to secure retailers, PR agencies, other publications/newspapers

  · Managed special events and trade shows

  · Managed planning and implementation of all promotional merchandise for special events/A-list parties, celebrity clients’

requests

  · Managed Pony website, including content, updates and design to drive visits and brand awareness

Aimee DeGroff Resume (page 3)

Creative

  · Managed strategic development and tactical execution of ad campaigns, including print, online, POP, billboards and retail

collateral

  · Designed seasonal brand books/catalogs

  · Developed mock-ups and product concepts of all promotional merchandise

  · Art directed and managed team of external vendors/manufacturers and freelance graphic designers on all projects from

concept development through execution

  ·

Directed photography of special events/parties, billboards, MAGIC booth visuals

Disney Internet Group/Disneystore.com, N. Hollywood, CA

6/00 to 7/01- Assistant Line Producer

  · Managed scheduling and uploading of daily homepage of DisneyStore.com – switching out offers, items etc. to refresh interest,

drive traffic

  · Accountable for daily maintenance of the entire online store, image database and links using HTML and Java

  · Coordinated product assortment input within tight deadlines through proactive partnership with merchandising team

  · Held responsibility for art direction of all Disney catalog product sample photography to be uploaded to the website

  · Coordinated all liaison between cross functional groups to ensure smooth interface between online and offline teams such as

merchants, inventory planning, creative, editorial, engineering, QA, marketing, customer care, Ops and production

Disney Direct/Disney Merchandising/Catalog, N. Hollywood, CA

10/99 to 6/00- Merchandising Assistant

  · Managed liaison between creative/merchandising/outside vendors to coordinate development of promotional merchandise for

Disney catalog

  · Researched and created presentation collateral for catalog drops for top sale items

  ·

Produce merchandise concept document for business development

  · Assist in approval of catalog cover art and merchandise spreads from a creative viewpoint

Disney Consumer Products/Licensing-Retail Business Development, Burbank, CA

3/97 to 10/99- Licensing Coordinator

  · Coordinated store checks with licensed retailers, for example reviewing merchandise assortments and studying

displays/fixtures

  · Trafficking art/product approvals between creative, licensees/manufacturers and retailers

  · Coordinate/gather gift bags, products, guideline booklet/binders, collateral, decorations for retailer/licensing events

  · Coordinate weekly promotional notifications for distribution

EDUCATION

Pasadena City College

  · Computer operations

  · Business Management

  · Advertising

  · The Arts

SKILLS

  ·

  · Highly skilled in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Quark, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, FilemakerPro, Quickbooks

  · Internet, various scanners, iView, TOAD/Oracle, CuteMap, MapMaker Pro, FTP Voyager, Access, Textpad, Now up to date,

Jetform, Maximizer, Tax Tools, Group Wise

Proficient on both Macintosh and PC platforms

  · Sketching, drawing, painting and making jewelry, cards and wrapping paper for personal use and enjoyment

  · Bilingual (Korean)

References available upon request