Brand Direction and Consumer Products Professional
Portland, Oregon Area
- Past
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- Vice-President at THERMA BLADE INC
- Business Unit Manager at ADIDAS-SALOMON NORTH AMERICA
- Consultant – Business Development at CEREBRAL TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS
- Global Brand Manager at THE HOCKEY COMPANY
- Marketing Director – RISE Ski Boots at MACPOD ENTERPRISES LTD
- Global Product Manager at BAUER/NIKE INC
- Manager, Product Development at ITECH SPORT PRODUCTS INC
- Teacher at FRASER VALLEY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
- Education
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- McGill University
- McGill University
- McGill University
- Connections
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30
connections
- Industry
- Sports
Michael Chiasson’s Summary
Accomplished business professional with superior team building and communication skills and history of achievement ranging from established to start-up environments. Strong entrepreneurial spirit with particular expertise for discovering core customer/distribution insights and leading the charge to market through an integrated approach to R&D, marketing, sales and operations.
Michael Chiasson’s Specialties:
Broad consumer products expertise and experience, including:
• Best in category product design and engineering
• Comprehensive sourcing and manufacturing
• Vertically integrated product development, sales, distribution, and marketing processes
• Communications: Public speaking/writing/teaching
• Consumer and trade related marketing platforms
• P&L, supply, and forecast management
• Product sell-in and sell-through planning and execution
Michael Chiasson’s Experience
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Vice-President
THERMA BLADE INC
(Sports industry)
August 2007 — May 2009 (1 year 10 months)
Recruited to lead the design, engineering and go to market strategy for a radically new product in the ice hockey industry.
- Served with executive team to shape a visionary commercial enterprise leveraging innovation, global partners and state of the art operations platforms
- Constructed and drove the design and engineering team and processes
- Oversaw capital expenditures, optimized cost-value proposition, and delivered R&D tax credit documentation
- Developed and negotiated multi-level manufacturing alliance and drove product quality, efficiency and profitability
- Implemented solid testing protocols and mechanisms for driving design innovation and reliability
- Designed and managed NHL Player Services platform and communications -
Business Unit Manager
ADIDAS-SALOMON NORTH AMERICA
(Sporting Goods industry)
2003 — 2006 (3 years )
Recruited to direct several business categories and pilot the North American launch of Salomon’s first Nordic Ski collection.
• Lead the business unit’s vision from both a product and marketing perspective.
• Build and nurture relationships with key specialty and chain accounts.
• Strategically drive the commercial performance of each unit and steer actions for sales optimization.
• Pilot the forecasting and supply plan process for respective business units.
• Serve as product specialist with Global group in France to help guide product development process. -
Consultant – Business Development
CEREBRAL TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS
(Sporting Goods industry)
2001 — 2003 (2 years )
Retained to design the launch platform for an innovative start-up developing a breakthrough sporting goods technology.
• Wrote business prospectus
• Lead the financing and corporate set-up process
• Wrote the design and technology briefs for product development
• Managed the creative process to identify core brand values, target consumer profile, and company identity. -
Global Brand Manager
THE HOCKEY COMPANY
(Sporting Goods industry)
1999 — 2001 (2 years )
Responsible for managing, on a global basis, the marketing budget and strategy for two top tier hockey brands.
• Lead an integrated business process designed to optimize the functional elements of marketing, sales and product development
• Drove the research, creation, and launch of a new corporate brand identity for JOFA
• Designed and managed the annual campaign for brand and product communications
• Negotiated the marketing sponsorship contracts with all 30 NHL Teams -
Marketing Director – RISE Ski Boots
MACPOD ENTERPRISES LTD
(Sporting Goods industry)
1998 — 1999 (1 year )
First full-time employee for innovative start-up that featured a breakthrough performance technology perfected by Canadian ski legend Steve Podborski.
• Managed the creative process to identify core brand values, target consumer profile, and company identity.
• Wrote sales & marketing plan with input from several key advisories panels including a Harvard MBA research group
• Researched market opportunities and established launch strategy
• Directed the creation and production of product support materials -
Global Product Manager
BAUER/NIKE INC
(Sporting Goods industry)
1993 — 1998 (5 years )
• Managed on a global level, a world renowned line of skating products for BAUER Inc., a subsidiary of NIKE Inc
• Led core development team in achieving new product performance paradigm for in-line skating. Awarded editors choice in three independent product reviews
• Managed the execution of product support materials for major global product introduction
• Worked closely with Canadian Olympic Speed Skating hero, Gaetan Boucher, to develop an ice speed skate on which five Olympic medals were won at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics -
Manager, Product Development
ITECH SPORT PRODUCTS INC
(Sporting Goods industry)
1990 — 1993 (3 years )
• Managed development process for athletic head and eye protective equipment
• Established protocols for product testing and validation
• Wrote and published industry standard for Protective Eyewear in football
• Served as executive voting member of Hockey Equipment Certification Council (HECC) -
Teacher
FRASER VALLEY TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
(Education Management industry)
1989 — 1990 (1 year )
• Taught high school physical education, French and science
• Coached rugby, basketball and track, and organized ski club
• Served on executive committee to develop bid to host Canada Summer Games
Michael Chiasson’s Education
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McGill University
Executive Training , Business Administration , 2000 — 2001
Executive Training Program including Executive Development and Advanced Management. Member of winning team in Computer Simulated Business Case competition
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McGill University
M.Sc , Biomechanics , 1991 — 1994
While employed full time, completed on part time basis the core curriculum towards a Master’s degree in Biomechanics of Sport. Performed thesis research on effects of head impacts in hockey related injuries
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McGill University
B.Ed , 1985 — 1988
- Activities and Societies:
- Bachelor of Education degree. Concentrations in Secondary Physical Education (Kinesiology) and French.
• Held several administrative positions with Gamma Lambda chapter of Sigma Chi Fraternity
• Member of Junior Varsity Hockey Team & Coach of Women’s Varsity Hockey Team
Additional Information
Michael Chiasson’s Interests:
• Bilingual French and English • Strong computer skills • Have traveled extensively for both work and pleasure • Active in many competitive and outdoor sports • Avid reader
Michael Chiasson’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
