Zach Demers has over a decade of experience in sales, operations, and management in the restaurant, grocery, and distribution industries. He has held roles such as District Sales Manager for a sandwich company with $4.4M in sales across five stores, General Manager of a packaging distribution company's Northwest branch with $10M in annual sales, and Associate Team Leader for a specialty department at Whole Foods Market. Demers also has experience as Head Chef and Manager of a highly reviewed cafe in Inverness, CA where he oversaw a staff of 10 and increased sales by nearly 300% over three years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from UC Santa Cruz and an Associate in Science in Culinary Arts and

1. Zach Demers
3636 NE 73rd Street Ÿ Seattle, WA 98115 // 206-915-4720 // zdemers@gmail.com
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Strong entrepreneurial spirit with a decade of sales and operational experience in restaurants, grocery, and distribution. Others seek me out when they need
thoughtful and strategic solutions to problems. I work cross-functionally with ease and enjoy the challenges of fast-paced and variable environments that
require an emphasis on building meaningful and lasting relationships.
EXPERIENCE
Homegrown Sustainable Sandwiches Seattle, WA
District Sales Manager--Seattle 12/2015 – 09/2016
§ Directly oversee day-to-day operations and financial performance of five stores with $4.4M in sales
§ Identify, hire, and train Store Mangers and Assistant Store Managers as well as entry level employees
§ Ensure that all Company standards and systems are being met at all times including oversight of product launches and process changes
§ Audit store facilities and team performance with regards to Quality, Service, and Cleanliness
§ Work closely with SMs to develop and improve financial literacy, labor budgeting, team management, and hiring methods
§ Trouble-shoot and problem solve misses in key drivers of profitability including COGS, Labor, and Controllable Expenses `
§ Evaluate and coach performance of SMs towards excellence in all core functions of the business
§ Work closely with Regional teams to identify gaps in operational efficiency
§ Model and provide exceptional customer service at all times
Area Distributors Northwest & Majestic Sales Seattle, WA
Northwest General Manager/Regional Account Manager 11/2011 - 11/2015
§ Direct the Northwest branch ($10M in sales for 2015) of a California based packaging distributorship
§ Manage and build key account sales across Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia
§ Partner internally with purchasing, warehouse, and management teams to efficiently manage inventory and streamline distribution and
account operations
§ Identify and develop systems for improving operational efficiency and accuracy
§ Build and maintain strong sales relationships with key stakeholders at major accounts, including Whole Foods Market
§ Extensive interviewing, hiring and on-boarding experience
§ Deep knowledge of food service packaging, manufacturers, and brokers
§ Coordinate closely with accounts to create forecasting, merchandising, and product launch plans
Whole Foods Market Cupertino, CA/Seattle, WA
Associate Team Leader, Specialty Department 7/2010 - 10/2011
§ Managed and supervised a department of 15 people
§ Assisted in the interview, selection, training, development, and counseling of Team Members
§ Oversaw profitability, expense control, buying, and regulatory compliance
§ Developed and maintained creative retail merchandising in support of Company standards and goals
§ Consistently maintained the highest level of customer service at all times
§ Led department to achieve all-time one-day and weekly sales records in December 2010
§ Managed ordering and inventory process in all sub-teams to maintain or exceed targeted gross profit margin and sales targets
§ Worked with Team Leader to control labor costs and consistently meet or exceed established labor targets
Drake’s Beach Cafe Inverness, CA
Head Chef & Manager 6/2006 - 9/2009
§ Managed kitchen and wait-staff of 10+
§ Worked closely with Cafe ownership to achieve nearly 300% increase in sales over 3 years
§ Weekly menu planning, ordering, and inventory
§ Skilled in all aspects of recipe writing, testing, and costing
§ Experienced in all levels of food production and restaurant operations, from fine dining to quick-service
§ Supervised and mentored a high school-aged culinary intern
§ On and off-site catering and event planning for up to 75 people
§ Cafe favorably reviewed in numerous publications, including The San Francisco Chronicle, Sunset Magazine, The Marin IJ, The Pacific Sun, The
Contra Costa Times, and The North Bay Bohemian
EDUCATION
University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA
Bachelor of Arts, History 6/2006
Cabrillo College Santa Cruz, CA
Associate in Science, Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management 6/2006