Portrait of Thomas Knooihuizen

National CPG Sales & Account Leader · Beauty & Personal Care

Thomas
Knooihuizen

Nineteen years turning one retail relationship into a category-defining partnership — translating shelf-level detail into board-level growth.

$0B+ Cumulative Retail Sales
$0M+ Annual Joint Business Plans
$0M+ Guaranteed Annual Margin
0 yrs Exclusive Haircare Partnership
0 Sales & Account Team Led
0%+ Fill Rate & In-Stock

About

A Career Built On One Kind Of Trust

A CPG sales leader with 19+ years of national retail experience, Thomas built his career at the intersection of strategic account leadership and disciplined commercial execution — negotiating joint business plans, reading IRI and Nielsen data like a second language, and keeping one of retail's most demanding partners exclusive for two decades running.

Strategic Account Growth Joint Business Planning Category Management Retail Analytics Demand Forecasting Cross-Functional Leadership
$10M 2006
$1B+ cumulative retail sales along the way
$160M 2018
The Challenge

The business required sustained growth within a major national retail account while expanding category presence, improving commercial performance, and maintaining a strong long-term customer partnership — disciplined management across assortment, pricing, promotion, placement, forecasting, and inventory, all moving at once.

The Mandate

Thomas owned the commercial growth of the account while coordinating the strategic and operational activity behind national retail performance — strategic account leadership, category expansion across haircare and skincare, joint business planning, pricing and promotional strategy, and planogram strategy across the portfolio.

Seven Moves That Rebuilt The Account
  1. 01

    Accelerated Account Growth

    Directed national sales and account strategies that expanded the business from $10M to $160M by 2018.

  2. 02

    Expanded Category Presence

    Directed pricing, placement and merchandising strategy across 100+ SKUs and 100+ retail planograms.

  3. 03

    Strengthened Commercial Planning

    Negotiated $100M+ annual Joint Business Plans with guaranteed margins exceeding $30M.

  4. 04

    Applied Retail Analytics

    Leveraged IRI and Nielsen data to strengthen category planning and forecasting accuracy.

  5. 05

    Improved Operational Execution

    Drove a $1.2M cash-flow improvement and a 15% reduction in slow-moving inventory.

  6. 06

    Strengthened Retail Availability

    Sustained 90%+ fill rates and in-stock performance through forecasting discipline.

  7. 07

    Led Sales Execution

    Guided a 15-member sales and account management team through national growth initiatives.

$10M → $160MAccount Growth
$1B+Cumulative Retail Sales
$100M+Annual JBPs
$30M+Guaranteed Margin
$1.2MCash-Flow Improvement
15%Slow-Moving Inventory Cut
90%+Fill Rate Sustained
20 yrsExclusive Partnership
Beyond the financial results, Thomas sustained the account as the exclusive primary haircare vendor for twenty years — a record of lasting customer loyalty and consistent commercial execution that outlasted market cycles, competitive pressure, and category shifts.

Career

Experience & Education

2006 – 2025

Director, Sales & Key Accounts

Pro's Choice Beauty Care

Grew the Target business from $10M to $160M by 2018, accelerating category expansion and strengthening a long-term national retail partnership across the haircare and skincare portfolios. Generated $1B+ in cumulative retail sales by expanding market share, surpassing growth targets, and executing national sales strategies across major retail channels — while retaining Target as the exclusive primary haircare vendor for 20 years through consistent performance and category-level partnership management.

Negotiated $100M+ annual Joint Business Plans with guaranteed margins exceeding $30M, strengthening retailer alignment and long-term commercial performance. Directed national retail sales strategy across beauty portfolios, leveraging IRI and Nielsen analytics to sharpen category planning, forecasting accuracy, and performance visibility, and optimized pricing strategies for key accounts — generating millions in incremental profitability while protecting long-term brand margins and customer value positioning.

Led a 15-member sales and account management team, driving execution of national growth initiatives while strengthening accountability and cross-functional alignment. Directed pricing, placement, and promotional strategy across 100+ SKUs and 100+ retail planograms, and improved cash flow by $1.2M through enhanced forecasting and inventory optimization — including a 15% reduction in slow-moving stock — while sustaining 90%+ fill rates and in-stock performance across national retail execution.

2018 – 2026

Treasurer, Volunteer Leadership

O.G.B.B.

Directed financial oversight, budgeting, and fundraising activities as Treasurer, strengthening financial administration and operational support for the organization. Coordinated treasury operations and fundraising initiatives to support effective resource planning across program activities, while managing stakeholder engagement across booster activities to strengthen collaboration among participants and community supporters — providing consistent volunteer leadership across financial and organizational initiatives with continued accountability and coordination.

Education

B.B.A., Finance

University of Minnesota Duluth

JDA Certification.

Key Achievements

Results That Hold Up To Scrutiny

Four categories, one throughline — every figure below is tied to a specific account decision, not an estimate or an average.

Account Growth
$10M → $160M Account Expansion

Grew the flagship retail account sixteen-fold over twelve years, 2006–2018.

$1B+ Cumulative Retail Sales

Total retail sales generated across the life of the partnership.

Commercial Structure
$100M+ Annual Joint Business Plans

Negotiated yearly JBPs anchoring pricing, promotion, and forecast commitments.

$30M+ Guaranteed Annual Margin

Margin secured within those plans, protected from mid-year renegotiation.

Operational Excellence
$1.2M Cash-Flow Improvement

Freed up through tighter inventory and payment-term discipline.

15% Slow-Moving Inventory Cut

Reduction driven by sharper forecasting and planogram discipline.

90%+ Fill Rate Sustained

In-stock performance held through demand volatility.

Partnership & Leadership
20 yrs Exclusive Vendor Status

Sustained as the account's primary haircare vendor for two decades running.

15 Team Members Led

Sales and account management staff guided through the growth period.

100+ SKUs & Planograms

Managed across the account's full assortment and shelf strategy.

Recommendations

What Colleagues Say

Unsolicited endorsements from people who worked alongside Thomas, managed him directly, or watched his results from a parallel seat in the industry.

I've had the privilege of knowing Tom for over 25 years, both personally and professionally, and I can say without hesitation that he is one of the most talented business development professionals I've come across. We've operated in parallel industries, which has given me a clear view into what it takes to consistently drive revenue and build meaningful relationships across companies. Tom stands out in every regard.

SS
Scott Smith Realtor & Partner/Agent, Smith Keller Williams Premier Realty · Investor Worked with Tom on different teams

Tom was an essential part of the team who supported the launch of many exclusive SLG brands into Target in the USA over the period 2020–2024. His detailed knowledge of Target's operation and his long-standing experience of the Health and Beauty market helped our company navigate the early years from pitch through to delivery and management. He is a warm, passionate professional, and one of life's good guys.

LB
Lucy Beresford CEO, SLG Brands — Beauty Incubator & Brand Partner to Retailers Worked with Tom on the same team

I had the pleasure of working with Tom on the Target business. He is an extremely hard worker with a passion for CPG, and he knows the inside outs of Target. He takes pride in really getting to know brands — not only in the beauty space, where he has great expertise, but across CPG broadly. He is a patient and thoughtful manager with real expertise in broker management and direct account relationships.

MM
Marilynn Martin Regional Developer, Pet Evolution Managed Tom directly

Analytics & Systems

The Toolkit Behind the Numbers

Every account decision Thomas makes is grounded in a disciplined stack of retail data, planning, and execution tools — not instinct alone.

01 Retail Analytics
  • IRICategory & Market Analytics
  • NielsenConsumer & Shopper Insights
  • TableauData Visualization
02 Planning & Operations
  • JDADemand & Supply Planning
  • QuickBooksFinancial Management
03 Collaboration & Reporting
  • Microsoft Office SuiteReporting & Presentation
  • Microsoft TeamsCross-Functional Collaboration
  • Google WorkspaceDocuments & Scheduling

Full Record

Documents

Complete materials, for the diligence-minded reader.

01 Board-Level Résumé Download PDF ↗ 02 Executive Biography Download PDF ↗ 03 Executive Value Proposition Download PDF ↗ 04 Leadership Case Study Portfolio Download PDF ↗ 05 30-60-90 Day Executive Action Plan Download PDF ↗

Let's Talk

The next chapter starts
with a conversation.

Twenty years sustaining one retail partnership is a track record, not a coincidence. If you're building something that rewards the same kind of discipline, Thomas would like to hear about it.

Open to senior account leadership and key account management opportunities in beauty, personal care, and consumer products. Currently considering select director and VP-level mandates. For retained search, partnership, or advisory conversations, reach out directly.

Send a Message