Kristi Downing
Senior Account Manager | Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Professional Overview
Kristi Downing is a seasoned Senior Account Manager with over 18 years of experience driving client success and revenue growth for a leading media organization. She leverages her deep industry expertise and strategic account management skills to build and maintain strong relationships with high-profile clients, delivering customized solutions that address their evolving marketing and advertising needs.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the Senior Account Manager at The Kansas City Star since 2004, Kristi is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of key accounts, providing personalized service and tailored marketing strategies to help her clients achieve their business objectives. She consistently exceeds sales quotas, having generated over $5 million in annual revenue for the organization. Kristi's ability to understand client needs and collaborate cross-functionally has earned her a reputation as a trusted advisor and valuable member of the sales team.
Career Progression
Prior to her current role, Kristi served as the Assistant Manager of Membership Retention at The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. In this position, she was instrumental in developing and implementing customer retention initiatives that resulted in a 15% increase in member renewal rates over a two-year period. Kristi's success in this role, coupled with her demonstrated expertise in account management and client relations, positioned her for the Senior Account Manager role at The Kansas City Star.
Academic Background
Kristi holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Missouri, with a concentration in Marketing. She has maintained a strong commitment to professional development, regularly attending industry conferences and completing specialized training programs to stay ahead of market trends and best practices.
Areas of Expertise
- Strategic account management
- Consultative sales and solution-based selling
- Campaign development and execution
- Client relationship building and retention
- Data-driven decision making and performance analysis
- Cross-functional collaboration and team leadership
Professional Impact
Kristi's contributions have had a significant impact on the success of her clients and the broader organization. She has spearheaded the implementation of data-driven, multichannel marketing campaigns that have helped her clients achieve measurable improvements in brand awareness, lead generation, and customer engagement. Kristi's ability to consistently exceed sales targets and drive client satisfaction has earned her numerous awards and recognition within the company, including being named the "Top Performing Account Manager" for the past three consecutive years.
Conclusion
With her extensive industry experience, proven track record of client success, and commitment to professional development, Kristi Downing is a valuable asset to The Kansas City Star and the clients she serves. She is poised to continue her career trajectory, leveraging her expertise to drive strategic growth and innovation within the organization.