Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Howard Gaston

Riverdale,GA

Summary

Goal oriented, results driven Global Indirect Procurement professional with 20+ years of experience in executing sourcing strategies and driving value using the 7-step strategic sourcing process. Led procurement transformation initiatives which allowed clients to exceed strategic, operational, and financial goals. Proficient in leading global category teams with results averaging 12% in annual value creation.

Overview

25
25
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Sr Procurement Specialist - Enterprise Vendor Management

Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC
Atlanta, GA
08.2024 - Current
  • Stand up HR Contingent Workforce Preferred Supplier Program. Drive cost savings through supplier rationalization, incumbent rate negotiations, and mandating future business to be awarded to preferred suppliers with pre negotiation discounts. Savings estimated at $1.3M.
  • Implemented cost-saving initiatives through effective supplier negotiations and contract management.
  • Be a trusted partner to business units to advise on strategy, planning and sourcing strategies designed to create value
  • Manage HR, Consulting and Professional Services contracts to strategically identify and execute cost savings and process improvement opportunities
  • Establish strong relationships with suppliers to understand offerings and strengths and weaknesses to maximize value to business partners.

Sr Manager, Marketing and Sales Procurement – North America

Mondelez International
Atlanta, GA
12.2023 - 02.2024
  • Manage $560M in North America Marketing and Sales spend consisting of Agency, Shopper Marketing, Public Relations, Sponsorship categories for a $31B global snacking company.
  • Lead a team of four direct reports in creating sourcing and negotiation strategies designed to maximize value creation for the business.
  • Rolled out the Mondelez Strategic Sourcing Process to the NA Indirect Procurement team. Advising direct reports on creation of Category Plans for their spend areas, including spend analysis, stakeholder engagement, market analysis, sourcing strategies, implementation, and continuous improvement.

Global Marketing Procurement Category Advisor

Accenture
Atlanta, GA
01.2021 - 01.2022
  • Led Marketing Category management activities for a $9B global advisory, broking, and solutions firm. Global spend in NA and EMEA ~ $60M.
  • Participated in ad hoc Due Diligence activities which consisted of working with Sales to develop category management solutions for potential clients, interviewing client stakeholders to establish baseline savings opportunities and developing Wave Plans for project execution.

Sr Category Manager, Professional Services

Truist
Atlanta, GA
01.2020 - 01.2021
  • Lead, manage and execute category initiatives for Truist’s Merger of Equals (MOE) sourcing activities.
  • Support sourcing activities such as supplier negotiations and RFx activities.
  • Responsible for business partnering, category management, strategic sourcing and supplier management in the Professional Services and Human Resources category.
  • Created $3.3M in value on projects led in 2020.

Category Manager, Marketing

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
Atlanta, GA
01.2018 - 01.2019
  • Develop relationships with key strategic Marketing stakeholders for the purpose of effectively managing $400M in global Marketing spend.
  • Led Marketing projects which yielded $2M in value created for IHG.
  • Develop and execute a pipeline of procurement projects to drive continuous improvement, value, innovation, and cost benefits to IHG and hotel owners.
  • Create annual Category Plan that aligns with stakeholders’ goals and objectives and provides a strategic approach to maximizing value, reducing risk and effective management of Marketing services.

Global Marketing Category Lead

Accenture
Atlanta, GA
01.2012 - 01.2017
  • Engaged Sr. Management client partners to drive strategic initiatives and implement sourcing strategies designed to create value, process improvements and cost savings.
  • Developed annual Category Plan to establish sourcing wave plans in support of achieving overall cost savings targets.
  • Led category management initiatives for a global $2B personal computer and tablet accessories provider. Spend in EMEA, NA, APAC ~$100M.
  • Implemented Incentive Based Compensation model for client’s digital agency.
  • Created Supplier Relationship Management program to measure performance of client’s strategic suppliers.
  • Managed $250M in Marketing spend for a $19B global home appliance manufacturer and created $9.5M in value.
  • 2016 savings target exceeded by 14%; 2015 savings target exceeded by 18%; 2014 savings target exceeded by 40%

Procurement Manager, Global Process Services, Integrated Supply Chain

IBM
Atlanta, GA
01.2010 - 01.2012
  • Managed $50M in Marketing Communications spend for two clients in IBM’s BPO portfolio. Responsible for executing sourcing strategies designed to reduce costs in Agency, Print, Promotional Items, Exhibits and Trade Shows, Mobile Marketing and Sponsorship categories.
  • Procurement Lead for Travel, Professional Services, IT and Marcom categories for $13B global consumer products organization. Total spend managed $150M annually.
  • Conducted 2011 Global Hotel RFP and achieved 1% year over year savings. 5%-7% rate increases forecasted for hotel market in 2011. Better than market results achieved through supply base rationalization and driving volume to fewer preferred suppliers.

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Indirect Procurement

ServiceMaster, Inc
Memphis, TN
01.2009 - 01.2010
  • Implemented best in class sourcing strategies designed to aggregate volume, streamline processes, and reduce costs across ServiceMaster’s 8 business units. Managing $100M annual indirect spend in the Travel, HR, Marketing, Consulting, Collections and Office Supplies categories.
  • Led a Travel sourcing initiative that lowered overall program costs through increased policy compliance, technology upgrades and integration of transient and meetings travel. Additional benefits include reduction in corporate risks, increased spend visibility and enhanced reporting capabilities. Savings estimates range from 9% - 12%.
  • Partnered with Talent Acquisition to deliver a VMS/MSP solution to centralize and simplify temporary labor procurement, rationalize supply base from 65 suppliers to 1 and gain bill rate transparency. Solution has yielded savings of 15%.

Manager, Management Consulting, Sourcing and Procurement

Accenture, LLP
Atlanta, GA
01.2007 - 01.2009
  • Aviation Services Sourcing Lead tasked with implementing contracts and providing strategic direction for $24B global energy company. Annual spend managed approximately $120M. Renegotiated ground handling rates with Fixed Base Operators (FBO) and achieved average cost reduction of 25%. $6.5M in cost savings achieved.
  • Partnered with CMO of a regional bank to develop strategies to reduce creative agency spend. Right sizing agency team, reducing markups on media placements and implementing Statements of Work for each deliverable reduced costs by 12%.

Sr. Consultant, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement

BearingPoint, Inc.
Atlanta, GA
01.2006 - 01.2007
  • Led commodity teams in the development of sourcing and negotiation strategies designed to reduce total cost of ownership in 36 food and non-food categories for a $34B food service provider in the US. $1B in total annual spend sourced. Achieved an average cost reduction of 11% across all commodities.
  • Savings were achieved through organizational change to centralized sourcing center of excellence, volume commitments to suppliers, SKU, and supplier rationalization.

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Telecom, Marketing, IT

Delta Air Lines
Atlanta, GA
01.2001 - 01.2006
  • Managed $200M in annual communications and hardware spend and led negotiations with key telecom providers to achieve 2006 cost reduction goal of $7.2M. Reductions were necessary for Delta to successfully restructure under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
  • Negotiated contracts for Delta’s Corporate Sponsorship and Event Activation department. Entities sponsored include Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, New England Patriots, Utah Jazz, Cincinnati Bengals, Delta Center, Philips Arena, and Boston Red Sox. Annual spend totaled $15M.
  • Led negotiations with Philips Arena which resulted in a reduction of sponsorship payments in the amount of $3.82M (44%) over 4 years.
  • Managed Delta’s annual voice, data and wireless communications spend of $123 million. Led cross functional Delta team assembled to develop a strategy to improve technology, reduce complexity, add flexibility, enhance the customer experience, and reduce Total Cost of Ownership in the current Call Center environment. Estimated annual savings - $15M.

Education

M.B.A. - Finance

Florida A&M University

B.S. - Business Administration

Florida A&M University

Skills

  • Microsoft Office Suite
  • EProcurement
  • Supplier Negotiations
  • Supplier Relationship Management
  • Global Indirect Procurement
  • Strategic Sourcing
  • Category Management
  • Procurement Transformation
  • Consulting
  • Stakeholder Relationship Management
  • Spend analysis

Certification

  • Institute of Supply Management (ISM)
  • Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.)

Timeline

Sr Procurement Specialist - Enterprise Vendor Management

Franklin Templeton Companies, LLC
08.2024 - Current

Sr Manager, Marketing and Sales Procurement – North America

Mondelez International
12.2023 - 02.2024

Global Marketing Procurement Category Advisor

Accenture
01.2021 - 01.2022

Sr Category Manager, Professional Services

Truist
01.2020 - 01.2021

Category Manager, Marketing

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG)
01.2018 - 01.2019

Global Marketing Category Lead

Accenture
01.2012 - 01.2017

Procurement Manager, Global Process Services, Integrated Supply Chain

IBM
01.2010 - 01.2012

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Indirect Procurement

ServiceMaster, Inc
01.2009 - 01.2010

Manager, Management Consulting, Sourcing and Procurement

Accenture, LLP
01.2007 - 01.2009

Sr. Consultant, Strategic Sourcing and Procurement

BearingPoint, Inc.
01.2006 - 01.2007

Strategic Sourcing Manager, Telecom, Marketing, IT

Delta Air Lines
01.2001 - 01.2006

M.B.A. - Finance

Florida A&M University

B.S. - Business Administration

Florida A&M University
Howard Gaston