Dan H. Vollink
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815
Work History
Nov. 2020 – present
Author
Nudgits, LLC
Coeur d’Alene, ID
Short notes about things consistently observed in a variety of industries.
Mar. 2003 – Nov. 2020
Broker / Owner
First Stone Realty, Inc.
Muskegon, MI
Real estate brokerage firm with primary focus on residential properties for ownership, (re)development and investment. This business model reliably generated 92-100% of each year’s business from repeat and referral sources; also facilitating zero advertising expense.
Jan. 2011 – Jan. 2018
Director
DWH Corp.
Grand Rapids, MI
Business and real estate development skills assisted clients with market analysis; valuations, and; help find/value alternative courses of action.
Nov. 1996 – Mar. 2003
Realtor/Business Manager
Nexes Realty, Inc.
Muskegon, MI
Leveraged leading local Realtor’s experience to help open a new 10 person real estate office. Instrumental in developing/implementing the business plan. One redevelopment netted my investors a 10-fold return within 3 years. Within 2 years, this brokerage became the leading local real estate firm.
Jul. 92 – Aug. 96
President/Major stockholder
Dec-Kor, Inc.
Whitehall, MI
Consumer products company. Commercialized six (6) lawn and garden products (4 utility patents, 1 design patent). As the 2nd round of financing was not secured; the company closed and assets were liquidated.
Jul 90 – Jun. 92
Exec. V.P./C.O.O.
Whitehall Products Ltd.
Montague, MI
Expanded responsibilities to include all aspects of manufacturing Installed new information systems, revised plant layout, re-specified procurement items, re-tooled key items, instituted multi-tasking and universal parts. Results included reduced: labor content; lead times, and; scrap along with increased: quality; capacity, and; profits.
Mar. 88 – Jun. 90
V.P. Marketing
Whitehall Products Ltd.
Montague, MI
Initial review of 50-year old product line resulted in streamlined product assortment. Intensive orientation to markets resulted in 40 new products within 4 years for domestic and international distribution. Sales were also enhanced via: new channels of distribution; new packaging; new pricing strategies, and; field sales development.
In 4 years: sales doubled; earnings (EBIT) doubled; EBIT$
quadrupled.
Aug. 79 – Jan. 88
Sr. Buyer, Catalog Marketing
Amway Corporation
Ada, MI
Housewares, hardware, and lawn & garden product line responsibility for N. American markets. Annual business plan (18 plans/yr.) process regularly identified opportunities. Negotiated private label, derivative and exclusive products for N. American and world-wide distribution. Complete involvement with new product development inclusive of: concept; design; packaging; vendor(s) procurement, and; promotional platforms for sales through Amway distributors. Developed and outsourced many private label non-food “consumables.” Initiated the division’s involvement in health foods and snack items. Pioneered tandem-marketing concept to include free standing catalogs servicing segments of corporate core business lines. Responsible for the first 100,000 unit sales item in the U.S. catalog and the first $1,000,000 catalog page in Canada.
Aug. 76 – Aug. 79
Buyer
Quality Stores, Inc.
N. Muskegon, MI
Responsible for #1 department (automotive) and #1 product line (tires) for a 25-store chain operating in 3 states. Developed additional private label programs, one of which became the #2 product line (batteries) for the company. Also influential in the analysis of and improvement of the information technology support for all buying/merchandising functions.
Military Experience
Jan. 71 – Dec. 74
Accounting & Finance
USAF
Texas & Arizona
Military pay, travel pay and leave accounting responsibilities. Innovated an information system to effect a 75% reduction in man hours while maintaining accuracy. As a result, I was awarded the Commendation Medal. This experience prompted my pursuit of a business career.
Education
Jan. 75 – Aug. 76
Received B.B.A. (Personnel/Labor Relations)
Grand Valley State Univ.
Allendale, MI
Sep. 72 – Jun. 74
Started business degree while in USAF
Golden Gate Univ.
Phoenix, AZ
Sept. 68 – Dec. 70
Received A.A. (Liberal Arts. Physical Education)
G.R. Jr. College
Grand Rapids, MI
Personal
Married 55 years, 2 children, 2 grandchildren
Interests
Research, Reading, Writing and Public Speaking