Randy Gier

Current

• Advisor to the Office of the CEO at TracyLocke

Past

• Chief Consumer Officer at Dr Pepper Snapple Group
• EVP Marketing and R&D at Cadbury Schweppes
• Chief Marketing Officer at Yum! Restaurants International

• Chief Marketing Officer at Pizza Hut
• Chief Marketing Officer at KFC
• Vice President Brand Management at Frito Lay
• VP/General Manager - Pepsico Supermarket Foods at Frito Lay
• Director Potato Chips at Frito Lay
• Brand Manager, Diet Pepsi at PepsiCo
• Brand Manager, Diet Pepsi at PepsiCo
• Field Marketing Manager at Pepsi Bottling Group
• Associate/Assistant Brand Manager at Frito Lay
• Financial Analyst at Frito Lay
• Small Business Consultant at Deloitte Haskins and Sells
• Various at Dairy Queen

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Education

• The University of Chicago - Booth School of Business
• University of Missouri-Kansas City

Recommended

2 people have recommended Randy

Connections

333 connections

Industry

Food & Beverages

Randy Gier’s Summary

Randy is a deeply experienced executive who is at his best when charged with leading a team to re-energize a business.

He has a proven track record of success growing many of the world's greatest brands and companies (Frito-Lay, PepsiCo, KFC, Pizza Hut, Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple to name a few).

He is a decisive strategic thinker who combines his analytical and financial training with his consumer and marketing orientation to deliver profitable growth.

His experience includes international responsibility (109 countries) and multiple business disciplines (Finance, Marketing, R&D, and General Management).

He understands how to drive against big, strategic ideas that are backed up by the process and discipline needed to execute with excellence.

Above all, Randy is a high energy leader who inspires people to achieve more than they thought possible. People enjoy working for Randy because of his ability to "listen then lead". He is always interested in and respectful of other people's point of view, but will drive the team forward aggressively.

Randy takes great pride in the number of successful "c-level" executives he has helped develop and mentor over the years.

Randy Gier’s Specialties:

Leading change, Making money, Getting brands thought about and talked about, Innovation, People development, Competitive & Consumer strategy

Randy Gier’s Experience

• Advisor to the Office of the CEO

  TracyLocke

  (Public Company; Marketing and Advertising industry)

  2009 — Present (1 year )

  Right now, I'm just learning the agency business and doing whatever it takes to make this place World Class.
  Great people, great heritage, great clients and brands. Hoping to be the catalyst in the mix that helps it explode!

• Chief Consumer Officer

  Dr Pepper Snapple Group

  (Consumer Goods industry)

  March 2004 — September 2008 (4 years 7 months)

  Responsible for Marketing and R&D for $6.5 billion beverage company. Accountable for building the volume, profit and brand equity for a portfolio of 68 brands across the US, Mexico, Canada and Latin America. Profit and sales growth consistently outpaced the industry. Consolidated four companies into one cohesive organization w/ a unified culture, focused strategy and aligned delivery of results. Established clear portfolio strategy to maximize growth and profit. Lead industry in providing differentiated functional and flavored beverages. Developed culture focused on being “Better, Faster, Smarter” than our larger, more heavily resourced competitors. Elevated advertising to world class standards. Drove performance across all Marketing disciplines: Media, PR, Market Research, Merchandising, Innovation, Licensing, and Promotions. Established brand level P&L accountability. Reorganized R&D to create an open technology structure, expanded capabilities and innovation pipeline.

• EVP Marketing and R&D

  Cadbury Schweppes

  (Public Company; DPSG; Consumer Goods industry)

  March 2004 — September 2008 (4 years 7 months)

  Same position as above. Company was spun off from Cadbury to form Dr Pepper Snapple Group, a NYSE listed, Fortune 300 company, on May 7, 2008.

• Chief Marketing Officer

  Yum! Restaurants International

  (Restaurants industry)

  August 2002 — March 2004 (1 year 8 months)

  Responsible for leading concept, product, and marketing strategies for 13,000 YUM! restaurants outside the U.S. consisting of five concepts in 109 countries with 39 regional marketing teams and a central staff. Challenged to establish and elevate the importance of same store sales growth in a system that was 100% focused on new store expansion. Established process and discipline to deliver consistent same store growth. Drove insight based marketing approach and “beat year ago” planning process. Created concept growth layers for each brand and a robust, global product and program pipe line. Coached and trained 39 company marketing teams plus franchisee marketing teams to deliver growth; achieved 90% success rate including 18 of the 20 largest country declines reversed inside of 12 months

• Chief Marketing Officer

  Pizza Hut

  (Consumer Goods industry)

  September 1997 — August 2002 (5 years )

  Responsible for all aspects of Marketing for the largest pizza chain in the U.S.; challenged to establish performance consistency in a business/brand that had experienced roller coaster year over year performance. Achieved 17 of 19 quarters positive same store growth. Developed and launched a series of successful new product introductions including The Big New Yorker, The EDGE, The Sicilian, Twisted Crust, The Insider, P’ZONE, and The Dish. Built state of the art media and coupon analysis and planning on a “cost per pizza” framework. Pioneered growth layers with online ordering, gift cards, loyalty, and check building programs. Drove detailed calendar planning process based on specific, quantifiable business drivers. Kept this high impulse brand in the news through high profile, pop culture stunts such as first delivery of Pizza to International Space Station, high profile election "hanging chad' ad, Hillary Clinton spoof, tax rebate special, and celebrity endorsements.

• Chief Marketing Officer

  KFC

  (Public Company; YUM; Restaurants industry)

  July 1995 — September 1997 (2 years 3 months)

  Responsible for re-establishing the relevancy of the KFC concept in an increasingly health conscious world; brand had experienced years of decline focusing attention outward on the consumer and competition versus inward on franchisor/franchisee issues. Identified and focused organization on five consumption barriers. Evolved the product line and service system to address the barriers. Created system galvanizing programs across all consumer touch points. Achieved positive same store sales growth and recorded per store sales and profits

• Vice President Brand Management

  Frito Lay

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1994 — 1995 (1 year )

  Re-invigorated a legendary brand portfolio by understanding consumer opportunities, attacking barriers and balancing sales force, customer and consumer needs; during tenure Frito-Lay experienced its fasted period of growth in over two decades. Established “icon branding” strategy. Developed “Big Event” marketing for key brands including Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Doritos’ alternate halftime show, Fritos/Reba/country music, and RoldGold/Jason Alexander/Olympics. Successfully launched dozens of new products expanding the usage occasions of key brands. Developed tight partnership with sales and operations team in all phases of planning and execution.

• VP/General Manager - Pepsico Supermarket Foods

  Frito Lay

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1993 — 1994 (1 year )

  Responsible all aspects of this start up business for Frito-Lay including Finance, Operations, Sales, Marketing, R&D, Human Resources, and Legal. Strategic imperative was to build a successful business system that would open up a distribution network through retail warehouse system operating in parallel to Frito-Lay’s legendary DSD system. Created a “virtual company” via a small team of internal employees managing a network of third party operators in Sales, Manufacturing, and Distribution. Established Taco Bell meal and snack “kits” as the backbone product line to launch the company. Successfully expanded to 35% of the U.S. distribution footprint. Recommended sale of the business (for $50MM to Kraft) to support change in Frito-Lay strategic focus.

• Director Potato Chips

  Frito Lay

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1991 — 1993 (2 years )

  Responsible for growing Frito-Lay’s potato chip portfolio and winning in the largest segment of salty snacks. Grew potato chip share from 29% to 44% in three years through product quality overhaul, revised sales and discounting strategy, and amped up marketing programs. Eagle Snacks (Anheuser Busch), Borden and Keebler all exited the salty snack business. Dramatically increased direct profits of potato chips, and indirect profits of corn portfolio. Re-established growth track for the portfolio and company.

• Brand Manager, Diet Pepsi

  PepsiCo

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1989 — 1991 (2 years )

  Repositioned Diet Pepsi from a drink designed for women watching their figures to a mainstream soft drink to be enjoyed for it's taste via the now famous Ray Charles “You got the right on baby… Uh Huh!” campaign

• Brand Manager, Diet Pepsi

  PepsiCo

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1989 — 1991 (2 years )

  Helped the brand regain its soul by establishing the brand’s own values versus talking through celebrities or purely as an alternative to Coke. “Shady Acres” ad won a gold lion and Cool Cans shook up the market. Mentored by some of the best minds in business and marketing including Roger Enrico, Alan Pottasch, David Novak, Brian Swette and Rick Rock.

• Field Marketing Manager

  Pepsi Bottling Group

  (Public Company; PBG; Consumer Goods industry)

  1987 — 1989 (2 years )

  Direct P&L responsibility working as part of a cross-functional team of regional business leaders. Developed front line marketing experience and marketing "gut" through rapid, real world program development & execution. Worked in a bottling operation and learned first hand the importance and details of operational integration.

• Associate/Assistant Brand Manager

  Frito Lay

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1986 — 1987 (1 year )

  Classical Brand Management training!

• Financial Analyst

  Frito Lay

  (Public Company; PEP; Consumer Goods industry)

  1985 — 1986 (1 year )

  Yes, I started my post-MBA career in Finance! An important grounding for which will always be grateful.

• Small Business Consultant

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  (Accounting industry)

  1983 — 1985 (2 years )

• Various

  Dairy Queen

  (Public Company; Food & Beverages industry)

  1976 — 1982 (6 years )

  This is how I got through college - opening & managing a Dairy Queen - after working in one since I was 15.

Randy Gier’s Education

• The University of Chicago - Booth School of Business

  MBA , Finance , 1983 — 1985

  Early graduation despite working full time as a business consultant with Delloitte Haskins and Sells.

  Activities and Societies:

  Graduated Summa Cum Laude

• University of Missouri-Kansas City

  BBA , Finance , 1979 — 1982

  Activities and Societies:

  Graduated Summa Cum Laude, Wall Street journal Student Achievement Award winner, Inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, Student Congress representative for the business school

Additional Information

Randy Gier’s Groups:

•    Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Network

Randy Gier’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

• career opportunities
• consulting offers
• new ventures
• job inquiries
• expertise requests
• business deals
• reference requests
• getting back in touch