Karl R. Watson
About Karl R. Watson
Karl R. Watson serves as the Vice President of Sales at Tractor Beverage Co. and has held various sales leadership roles at notable companies such as Kellogg Company, Sara Lee, and Lifeway Foods, demonstrating a strong background in sales strategy and execution.
Work at Tractor Beverage Company
Karl R. Watson has served as the Vice President of Sales at Tractor Beverage Company since 2021. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing sales strategies and operations within the organization. His experience in the foodservice and beverage industry contributes to his leadership in driving sales growth and market expansion for Tractor Beverage.
Previous Roles and Experience
Karl R. Watson has held various significant positions in the food and beverage industry. He worked at Kellogg Company as Senior Manager for National Accounts, Commercial, Custom & Export from 2015 to 2016. Prior to that, he served as Territory Manager for Foodservice Beverage at Sara Lee from 1998 to 2005, and later as Manager of Sales Effectiveness from 2005 to 2007. He also worked at Lifeway Foods, Inc. as Director of National Sales from 2016 to 2019 and at Cofresco Foodservice as Sales Director from 2019 to 2021.
Education and Expertise
Karl R. Watson holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University, which he completed from 2010 to 2012. He also earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and Operations from the University of St. Francis, studying there from 2000 to 2004. His educational background supports his expertise in sales management and organizational leadership.
Achievements in Sales Strategy
Throughout his career, Karl R. Watson has developed and implemented various successful sales strategies. At Cofresco Foodservice, he created a national broker network that generated $700K in sales in its first year. He also designed and launched the first Wrapmaster e-commerce site, achieving $400K in sales within the first five months. Additionally, he developed the 'Hot Leads' program during the pandemic, which generated $250K in sales within the first seven weeks.
Career Timeline
Karl R. Watson's career spans over two decades in the food and beverage sector. He began his career at Sara Lee, progressing through various roles until 2005. He then joined General Mills as National Account Manager from 2007 to 2015. After a brief tenure at Kellogg Company, he transitioned to Lifeway Foods, and subsequently to Cofresco Foodservice. In 2021, he took on the role of Vice President of Sales at Tractor Beverage Company.