James J. Sutliff, Vice President

jsutliff@sdretail.com

Jim has managed projects covering virtually all areas of retail operations with specific focus in headquarters functions. He brings over 20 years of retail industry headquarters and store operations experience.

Jim has managed engagements that have included:

• Setting of labor standards, staffing requirements and the identification of improvement opportunities for all headquarters and store support departments in a $5 billion specialty retailer
• Developing a profitability assessment for improving store performance or closing locations as part of a restructuring for a $13 billion grocer; designed reconfigured regional field organization
• Identifying current environment opportunities and future state needs for a $1 billion college bookstore chain
• Total review of $120 million regional jeweler - covering stores, headquarters, finance, warehouse and merchandising - resulting in multi-million dollar cost savings and increased efficiency in stores and back office financial departments
• Reengineering and reorganization of manufacturer/retailer financial back office (Accounts Payable, Sales Audit, Payroll, Accounts Receivable) generating a 15-20% payroll reduction
• Store operations review of jewelry chain focusing on process re-engineering and creation of staffing requirements matrix
• Development of start from scratch financial support departments and functions for a telecommunications company entering retail distribution
• Re-engineering of credit operational departments for an in-house department store program
• Conducting a needs assessment for a multi-billion dollar drug retailer in preparation for the selection of a new Accounts Payable system
• Overall assessment of direct marketer's operations and organization
• Process review and streamlining of major off price retailer's A/P, Sales Audit and Payroll
• Creation of a store operations manual for a national eyewear chain
• Overhauling of specialty retailer's credit program from decentralized in-store process to automated outsourced program

Jim was part of Arthur Andersen retail consulting group and KPMG consulting. Previously, he directed several financial operational functions at Silo, a $1 billion electronics chain. He was responsible for sales audit, sales reporting and accounts receivable. He also had full responsibility for the outsourced private label credit card program. Prior to that, Jim oversaw the A/R function at a direct marketer, The Bradford Exchange, and managed several credit operations departments at John Wanamaker and Gimbels East department stores. Jim has a bachelor's degree from Temple University in Philadelphia.

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