One on One Coaches

Casey Adams

Director of Finance

Areas of Expertise:
Succession planning, business vision, process-improvement strategies, and credit-and-finance

Bio:
Casey is a CPA and has been QBP's financial controller since 2009. Her background—more than 14 years of accounting, finance, credit, and negotiation experience—gives her a strong understanding of customer service and building long-lasting customer relationships. NOTE: If you want Casey to review your business financial statements please be sure to bring them with you.

Mike Barnidge

Credit Manager

Areas of Expertise:
Credit—both trade and private (bank), financial-statement review, big-picture business decisions, franchising, competitive-advantage analysis

Bio:
As credit manager, Mike brings a unique perspective to QBP. His background as a small-business banker, commercial lender and securities-licensed investment professional lets him consider all angles of successful business planning. He joined QBP to follow his passions for cycling and working with small businesses.

Kim Brown

Director of Distribution

Areas of Expertise
Shipping, receiving, carrier selection and negotiations, inventory best practices, and facility layout.

Bio:
With an MBA in Business and Technology, Kim is a distribution and logistics professional whose skills include: warehouse layout and process improvement, building/area selection, freight negotiations and project management. Kim has worked in four different industries and has 28 years experience in manufacturing and distribution. Applying her wide breadth of knowledge in operations and continuous improvement, Kim has opened new facilities, relocated existing facilities, and developed successful operating plans.

Todd Cravens

Director of Key Accounts

Areas of Expertise:
Sales, customer service, credit, terms, rebates, freight, profitability, POS mapping, connectivity, and SmartEtailing

Bio:
With a degree in economics, Todd has been in the bike industry since 1975. During those years, he has done it all—from working in, managing and owning shops, to manufacturing, purchasing and product management. At QBP, he is our senior sales executive focusing on the areas of sales, credit, connectivity, business strategy and all things Q. Todd is a competitive cyclist on both the road and the track.

Jason Gaikowski

Director of Brand Marketing and Sales

Areas of Expertise:
Brand positioning, identity, and marketing

Bio:
Jason offers deep expertise in brand development and knowledge of how brand-based strategies impact business performance. He honed these skills as director of Innovation & Strategy with VML and SVP, and as director of Brand Strategy with Young & Rubicam. During his career Jason has served many prestigious clients including Miller Brewing Company, Gatorade, Sports Illustrated, Colgate-Palmolive, Ford, Microsoft, Intel, Wonderbread, Sprint, Allstate Insurance, and other leading brands.

Gretchen Graham

Purchasing Supervisor

Areas of Expertise:
Promotion planning, efficiencies, negotiation and Excel

Bio:
Gretchen started her purchasing career in Portable/Home Electronics at Target Corporation before joining QBP in 2010. At Target she forecasted sales and planned inventory for promotions like the Sunday circular. She can help you plan your inventory for upcoming promotions, and offer strategies for resolving overstock inventory issues.

Nick Graham

GRIP Program Manager

Areas of Expertise:
Process improvement

Bio:
Our Great Results Improving Processes (GRIP) program challenges every employee to deliver products and services with greater precision, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In four short years Nick took GRIP from a small idea to a company-wide initiative that lets all employees have a voice and participate in continuous improvement. Using GRIP principles, Nick Graham can help you examine your own business and create aroadmap for developing processes that keep you profitable and competitive. Currently, Nick Graham is applying the principles of process improvement tocontinued revenue growth initiatives. Nick Graham is Six Sigma certified through the University of Wisconsin.

Jed Hicks

Director of IT

Areas of Expertise:
IT strategies and initiatives

Bio:
Jed Hicks, Director of IT, uses technology to create business value for QBP. Before joining us, he worked 10 years in software and technology deployment for Fortune 500 companies. Earlier, Jed spent a decade as a distribution leader in the printing and telecom space. He currently leads a 40-person IT department and 20 IT consultants. Jed also oversees infrastructure across QBP's three distribution centers.

Laura Jenkins

Junior Credit Analyst

Areas of Expertise:
Succession planning, business vision, process-improvement strategies, and credit-and-finance

Bio:
Laura has worked in the Accounting department since she graduated with an Accounting degree from Winona State University in May 2010. She started as the credit consultant for the West coast, and became the junior credit analyst in early 2012. She is quickly becoming an expert in all aspects of credit. If you want Laura to review your business financial statements, please be sure to bring them with you.

Brian Johnson

Inventory Planning Manager

Areas of Expertise
Forecasting, inventory projections, sales and inventory planning, and Access & Excel

Bio:
Brian has worked in warehouse-and-distribution management for more than 12 years. Since joining QBP in 2008, he has been an inventory-planning manager, making certain that QBP purchasing strategies meet customer needs while ensuring inventory dollars support our business needs.

Ryan Johnson

Marketing Manager QBP Consumer Brands

Areas of Expertise:
Brand identity, advertising, web strategy, social marketing

Bio:
With 18 years of graphic design, advertising and marketing experience, Ryan brings a broad perspective to his role as manager of the QBP Consumer Brands. His wide knowledge of all cycling categories helps him provide relevant advice about the best marketing strategies for your shop.

Sarah Johnson

Supply Chain Analyst

Areas of Expertise:
Inventory analysis, reporting and Excel

Bio:
Sarah joined QBP in June 2012. Her strengths include identifying trends and utilizing Excel and other Microsoft Office software to develop reports and solve problems. Sarah came to QBP with a bachelor's degree in statistics and nine years experience as an actuary, primarily in the pension industry.

Ryan Kelsey

Sales Trainer

Areas of Expertise:
Sales-and-supervisor training programs, sales-goals coaching, training behaviors for success, leadership, and managing to expectations

Bio:
As a 20-year veteran of some of the world's largest bike and outdoor clothing companies, Ryan knows how to develop and implement sales and supervisor training programs that create results. He can show you how to use key metrics for sales staff and supervisor development, and create resolutions for all your training needs.

Katy Kowalsky

Human Resources Manager

Areas of Expertise:
Compensation, staffing, employee relations (i.e. tough employee situations), performance communication and wellness

Bio:
Katy is a human resources manager at QBP with 12 years of HR experience and a Master's degree in human resources and industrial relations from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Business.

Kathi Livolsi

People Development Manager

Areas of Expertise:
Leadership development for individuals and teams, personal development coaching, identification of personal strengths, managing triggers, and strategizing for career and personal development

Bio:
Kathi has been QBP's People-Development Manager for three years. She is a certified intrinsic coach, a trained co-active coach, a trained mediator, a certified Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQi) administrator, and a certified Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) administrator. She has a background in Human Resources, art, and small business ownership and 20+ years of leadership experience.

Amber Monson

Human Resources Manager

Areas of Expertise:
Staffing, and employee-relations development

Bio:
Amber has been with QBP for six years, and brings 13 years of leadership experience. She has expertise in a variety of people-leadership skills, including resolution of employee issues, performance communication, team building, and employee development.

Jerry Pomije

Vice President of Distribution, Chief Financial Officer

Areas of Expertise:
Business vision, leadership and strategy, succession planning, process improvement and business finance. NOTE: If you wish to review your business financial statements please be sure to bring them with you.

Bio:
With an MBA and 28 years of leadership experience, Jerry is passionate about business. Drawing on insights garnered from roles in retail, business banking and the bicycle industry, Jerry offers a wealth of practical wisdom for shop owners and their managerial staff.

Lori Richman

Director of Organization Development

Areas of Expertise:
Coaching, organization culture, candid conversation, increasing personal performance, building the capacity of others

Bio:
Lori brings 30 years of leadership experience to her position as director of Organization Development. With QBP for more than 12 years, Lori works to develop the company through vision, purpose, leadership, clarity of expectations, and effective communication for high-performance individuals, teams and departments. She has an MA in leadership, is a passionate ongoing creator, learner and catalyst for others in the school of life. She is a lifelong biker.

Gary Sjoquist

Director of Advocacy

Areas of Expertise:
Advocacy and fat-bike topics locally and nationwide

Bio:
Director of QBP's advocacy efforts for 12 years, Gary boasts a long record of successful activism on behalf of the bike industry. He helped found Bikes Belong and Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists, and established the Twin Cities chapter of Trips for Kids. He is director for the Minnesota State Mountain Bike Racing Series and also the founding chair for the Minnesota High School Cycling League, which enrolls male and female student athletes in mountain-bike racing.

Kim Stegmeir

Senior Credit Analyst

Areas of Expertise:
Credit, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and financial analysis. NOTE: If you want Kim to review your business financial statements, please be sure to bring them with you.

Bio:
QBP's senior credit analyst and the newest member of the finance team, Kim has a Bachelor's degree in finance, an MBA from Southwest Minnesota State University, plus experience in banking and Fortune 500 credit analysis. She is available to discuss your business financial statements and credit-related topics.

Stephen Vitvitsky

Purchasing Manager

Areas of Expertise:
Forecasting and margin management, negotiation, sales and inventory planning

Bio:
Stephen has fourteen years of industry experience, including over eight years in a purchasing role at QBP. His strengths include forecasting, creating margin strategies, and developing profitability goals. He is also an expert in developing supplier relationships to achieve mutually desired results.

Angie von Ruden-Doll

Director of Human Resources

Areas of Expertise:
Compensation, benefits, staffing, employee relations (tough employee situations), performance communication and coaching for success

Bio:
As QBP's human resources director, Angie has more than 15 years of experience in human resources. Since earning her MBA from the University of St. Thomas, Angie has provided expertise in all areas of HR, including benefits, compensation, staffing, compliance and people leadership.