John "Kent" Depe has a history of achieving significant accomplishments in sales, purchasing, and marketing roles. Some of his key achievements include increasing sales by 280% in one territory and generating $4.2 million in annual profits from a new product line. He designed systems like vendor requirements that increased efficiency and helped a company scale from $85 million to $350 million in annual sales. Depe also took on new responsibilities outside his normal role, such as securing a major new client that provided $150 million in annual sales.

1. YOUR BEST RESUME – John “Kent” Depe – 11/15/08
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Did you help increase sales?
Harker’s: (Territory Sales Manager) I increased sales in a pre-established territory
280% in a 2 year period. This was an assigned territory in NW Oklahoma selling food
products to restaurants. I achieved this by helping the customer market their products
better through in store and local advertisements, adjusting menu prices, and selling
them unique as well as more profitable items including unique plate presentations. I
also increased Harker’s gross margin per pound to one of the highest in the company.
- Note: Harker’s has sales of $160 million annually.
• Did you generate new business, attract new affiliations with new organizations in
your field?
Saladino’s: (Director of Purchasing) I increased vendor interest and participation
towards the selling of goods through Saladino’s. This was accomplished by building
relationships with vendors not familiar with Saladino’s or not willing to sell to Saladino’s
in the past. This increased efficiency, effectiveness and profitability at Saladino’s.
- Note: Saladino’s has sales of $350 million annually.
• Did you save money?
Harker’s: (Purchasing & Product Manager) Through research and development with
manufacturer/vendors, I created a unique item similar to another new item in the
market place through unique production ingredients to save costs and well as a very
competitive price. I then trained 200 sales representatives, 22 sales managers, 4 sales
directors and 1 sales vice president how to sell the family of products verses the
competition. Results of effort created gross profit earnings of $4.2 million annually.
Separately, I created and secured a unique trade-mark brand name called “Chicken
Fries”.
- Note: Harker’s has sales of $160 million annually.
• Did you design or institute new systems or processes?
Saladino’s: (Purchasing Manager) When hired in 2003, Saladino’s company sales
were $85 million annually. I built the purchasing department for the future by creating
“Vendor Operating Requirements” resulting in the vendor’s becoming self managed
reducing Saladino’s operating costs with no financial investment, more efficient
purchasing department as well as Saladino’s warehouse efficiency, vendor deliveries
as well as product pick-ups (vendor Freight on Board a.k.a “FOB”). I grew the
department associates to 11 total, 9 buyers and 2 cost/price coordinators.
- Note: Saladino’s has sales of $350 million annually.

2. • Did you meet impossible deadlines through your extra efforts or those of your
team?
Saladino’s: (Director of Purchasing) Saladino’s was awarded the “Hometown Buffet”
distribution business in Southern California, Hometown Buffet’s largest market. The
business represented $150 million in annual sales. As demanded in the written
contract, Saladino’s had 60 days to begin full time daily deliveries. On the first day, I
gathered my entire purchasing staff and created a back-wards time line to determine
the required length for each required step to meet the 60 day time line. New vendor
communications were completed in 1 week. Product deliveries began to arrive in 3
weeks. I meet with all other department manager to assure we were prepared. On the
60th
day, Saladino’s delivered goods as required earning high praises from Hometown
Buffet senior management. The short 60 day lead time also saved Hometown Buffet
financial losses due to their prior distribution partner.
- Note: Saladino’s has sales of $350 million annually.
• Did you finish a major project within budget?
Foster Farms: (Product & Marketing Manager) Foster Farms CEO directed me to
created a “Commodity Processing Program” with the U.S.D.A. (United stated
Department of Agriculture) to process turkey products that the U.S.D.A. provides to all
California schools, into usable/servable items such as sliced turkey breast meat, turkey
bologna, corn dogs, hot dogs, etc. I worked closely with the U.S.D.A. as well as Foster
Farms’ research and development, processing production, live production (turkey
farms) departments. I lead the team and successfully completed the task. This was a
re-entry in to the commodity processing arena for Foster Farms after an 18 year
absence. Increased profit results occurred in every Foster Farms department as each
department’s throughput increased due to this program.
- Note: Foster Farms has sales of $1.6 billion annually.
• Did you assume new responsibilities that weren’t part of your job?
Foster Farms: (Product & Marketing Manager) Foster Farms was not selling a specific
commodity product group to Wal-Mart Mexico. I was working in the Foster Farms
“foodservice” division but the Wal-Mart opportunity was through the “retail” division
currently being managed by other Foster Farms associates. I inquired and located the
Wal-Mart buyer eventually selling 110 truckloads of the specific commodity product
group the first year. The 110 truckloads of product increased productivity and
profitability through every department at Foster Farms.
- Note: Foster Farms has sales of $1.6 billion annually.
• Did you train anyone?
Harker’s: (Purchasing & Product Manager) Foster Farms had 200 sales
representatives that were trained at the corporate office . This training length was 1
week each and occurred once per month (12 times per year) . I was responsible for
product training as well as price training of the 800 items sold by Harker’s.
- Note: Harker’s has sales of $160 million annually.

3. • Did you supervise any personnel?
Saladino’s: (Director of Purchasing) When I began my career at Saladino’s, company
sales were $85 million and I had 1 associate reporting to me. I was directed by the
company president/owner to increase staff in preparation for the upcoming company
growth. I delayed hiring new associates for approx. 1 year because I recognized that I
first needed to make the department more efficient and created an new efficiency tool
for the department known as “Vendor Operating Requirements” resulting in the
vendor’s becoming self managed reducing Saladino’s operating costs with no financial
investment, more efficient purchasing department as well as Saladino’s warehouse
efficiency, vendor deliveries as well as product pick-ups (vendor Freight on Board a.k.a
“FOB”). I grew the department associates to 11 total, 9 buyers and 2 cost/price
coordinators. The department became self sufficient as the department worked as a
solid team verses individuals reporting to a director, a very successful model.
- Note: Saladino’s has sales of $350 million annually.
• Did you have the authority to hire, fire, evaluate performances of personnel?
Saladino’s: (Director of Purchasing) I was responsible for determining the need, title
and budget for new as well as current associates in my department. I was responsible
for each and every step of the interviewing process including being the first contact to
communicate interest. This allowed me to get to know candidates right away and filter
for in person interviewing purposes. Success rate was very high. I also trained each
new associate I hired including weekly meeting to mentor the associate. I was known
as the department “coach”. Executive management upheld my hiring, placement and
training decisions. I was also responsible for each associates 90 day introductory
performance evaluations as well as annually performance evaluations. I also had the
authority to fire if needed.
- Note: Saladino’s has sales of $350 million annually.
• Did you have control of inventory?
Saladino’s: (Director of Purchasing) I was responsible for inventory values, future
investments as well as inventory turns at Saladino’s. Inventory values were in excess
of $15 million. I was also responsible for inner-warehouse transfer’s values and
efficiencies between Saladino’s warehouses. I worked closely with my department
subordinates as well as other department associates and leadership to control
inventory.
- Note: Saladino’s has sales of $350 million annually.
• Did you represent the company in the community?
Harker’s: (Purchasing & Product Manager) I represented Harker’s in the community
during quarterly Chamber of Commerce functions. Occasionally I would speak to civic
leaders as well as community members updating them on current and future plans at
Harker’s. This aided in the stability of Harker’s from a staffing needs as well as
reputation.
- Note: Harker’s has sales of $160 million annually.

4. • Did you receive any company awards for achievements?
Harker’s: (Purchasing & Product Manager) Harker’s desired to increase profitability of
items sold to schools. I working closely with a manufacturer partner and created a new
product concept as well as trade-mark called “Honor Rolls”. I also created point of sell
materials to advertise the product concept to the parents, to encourage their kids to
participate in the product. Sales and profits exceeded expectations as Harker’s was
the ONLY company offering the product. I personally earned “Product Marketer of the
Year” award. I also helped a small manufacture become much larger as the product
success also grew their company.
- Note: Harker’s has sales of $160 million annually.