Jim Coffey

The story so far......

• 1948 I was the third son born to Jim and Annie Coffey in Rialto , Dublin. My brothers Frank and Martin were very special to me and although we lost Martin in 1993 Frank and I have remained very close.

• My dad was an active member of the IRA during the War of Independence 1919-1921. He was imprisoned in Kilmainham Gaol after being captured by the Black and Tans. Photo left shows me on a recent visit to the gaol which is now a museum.

• The Coffey’s were stone masons ,carvers, sculptors, cutters and fixers and there were few churches in the Dublin area that have not benefited from their skills.

• 1963 My eldest brother Frank was the first grandson to break with the family tradition in the marble business and he joined A. Guinness Son & Co. Ltd and I followed his lead and joined Guinness in 1963.

• Guinness of the 60’s was a strong company employing over three thousand people and they provided great opportunities for furthering your education. Having left St.James’s C.B.S. At the age of 15 to commence work I was happy to complete my studies and obtain my Leaving Certificate at night school which was sponsored by the company. I was also able to take additional courses in marketing which were sponsored by Guinness and I enjoyed representing the company at a Conference of Youth in Industry at the Royal Albert Hall London and on board the Tall Ship “ Sir Winston Churchill.”

• 1968 I met my wife to be Lilian on SS Uganda’s cruise to the Mediterranean in October, we visited Bordeaux, Tangiers, Malaga, Gibraltar and Lisbon.

My Early Years and Family Background

1972 I left Guinness and joined Kraft Foods as a salesman selling bulk margarines shortenings and fondant icing sugar to the Bakery Trade in the greater Dublin area.

1978 I was promoted to Regional Sales Manager covering the territory south of a line from Dublin to Galway and responsible for all sales including Retail, Bakery and Foodservice.

1980. I was promoted to National Sales Manager with responsibility for all sales of Kraft products within the Republic of Ireland. This involved running the dedicated sales teams for Retail, Bakery and Foodservice. The real Challenge of the day was dealing with the FMCG sector which boasted the big guns such as Quinnsworth, Dunnes Stores, Superquinn, H.Williams. Musgrave’s Super-Value and new boys on the block Tesco.

During my time as National Sales Manager we successfully launched the a new range of table margarines Luxury Blend, Kraft Soft 4lb Tub, Vitalite, and from the Kraft salad dressings range Miracle Whip, Kraft Salad Bar for Retail, Cracker-barrel Cheese, We re-launched Philadelphia Cream Cheese and successfully positioned it as the market leader in it’s sector. We enjoyed huge success in the Foodservice sector as Kraft were leaders in developing dressings, cheese slices and sauces for the fast food market.

I attended the Kraft European Managers Annual Seminar every year in Montreux Switzerland where we presented our annual plan for the approval of the European Vice President and his Management Team.

From Guinness to Kraft

1985 I decided to leave Kraft as I felt I had progresses as far as I could and although they offered me the position of MD designate to stay I left to join R.S.Sales Ltd. a small Irish owned company where there was an opportunity to acquire equity down the road.

1987 Managing Director R.S.Sales Ltd. and In 1992 I became a shareholder of the company adding additional shares in 2001 and 2002. During my time as MD we launched the Durabond Range of adhesives, the De Ville Range of window furnishings, we acquired the Harris Range of paint brushes and decorating tools, the Plasplugs Range of fixings, the Harrison Drape Range of window furnishings the HG Range of cleaners, Spur Shelving, and the Ettore Window Cleaning Range.

We also out-sourced our Warehousing to P&O and Wincanton.

2003 I lead the MBO of R.S.Sales Ltd. and relocated the company HO to Dundrum.

2007 I lead the negotiating team in the deal to sell the company to Mc Loughlins.

2007 I started my new consultancy company Spirit Enterprises Ltd.

From Kraft to R.S.Sales Ltd.

My Business Background

A. Guinness Son & Co. Ltd.(1963-1972) Kraft Foods Ltd ( 1972-1985).

R.S.Sales Ltd. (1985-2007)

(2007 onwards-)

Non Executive Chairman Java Republic 2009 onwards-

Highlights of my Life.

• My Folks • My time in Guinness.• Meeting Lilian. • Joining Kraft• Marrying Lilian• Joining R.S.Sales Ltd.• The birth of my children: Sharon Emma Stephen and David• Managing Director R.S.Sales Ltd. Launching “Durabond and De Ville”.• Working with the Tom Peters Team at the IMI.• Presenting a “ Motivation Paper” at the IMI Conference in Killarney.• Heading up the MBO Team at R.S.Sales Ltd.• Purchasing our Property in Cyprus.• Emma & Paul’s Wedding in Cyprus.• Selling R.S Sales to Mc Loughlins.• Dave Makes it with “ Dan & Becs”.• Founding Spirit Enterprises Ltd.• Stephen & Karen’s Wedding in Marbella.• The Birth of our grandson James.• Sailing Around the World with Lilian on board the Oriana in 81 days.• Grand Slam and Triple Crown with Sharon & Noel.• Successfully launching the first Training and Consultancy Courses through Spirit Enterprises

Ltd• The Birth of Grand-daughter Anna,• Chairman the Java Republic Roasting Company.

I am a family man and we enjoy sharing our joys

Memorable Moments.• Gaelic Football

– 1976 All Ireland Final Dublin(3-8) v Kerry ( 0-10) – 1977 All Ireland Semi Final Dublin (3-12) v Kerry(1-13)– 1983 All Ireland Final Dublin(1-10) V Galway (1-08)

• Soccer – Shamrock Rovers ( All Ireland selection) (3) v Brazil ( World Champions) (4) Dublin 1973– Ireland (1)v England(0) Stuttgart 1988– Ireland(1) v England(1) Cagliari 1990– Ireland(1) v Italy(0) Giants Stadium N.Y.

• Rugby Ireland’s Triple Crowns.– 1985 Ireland beat England 13-10 to win the Triple Crown.– 2007 Ireland beat England 43-13 at Croke Park– 2009 Ireland beat Wales 17-15 at Millennium Stadium Cardiff.

• Entertainment .– Neil Diamond Croke Park the Point and Landsdown Road Dublin. Andrea Bocelli R.D.S. and the point

Dublin. Paul Mc Cartney R.D.S. Christy Moore Vicar Street The Point and Waterford. The Women’s Heart Tour with Mary & Frances Black, Maura O’Connell, Dolores Keane, Eleanor Mc Evoy. Waterford and Dublin. Garth Brooks Croke Park.U2 & B.B.King The Point Depot. Dublin .Barbara Streisand, Castletown House Co. Kildare. Ray Charles Waterford. Kila at the Dun Laoghaire Festival of the World. Riverdance at the point. Andy Williams at the Point.

• Political– President John F. Kennedy’s visit to Ireland 1963.– Pope John Paul ‘s visit to Ireland 1979.– The Good Friday Peace Agreement 1998– Irelands Presidency of the expanding EU 2004.

•

“Come to the edge,

We might fall.

Come to the edge,

It is too high.

Come to the edge”

They came,

He pushed them,

And they Flew.”

“I love reading poetry and biographies and I have some favourite books that I would take to a desert island with me.”

My skills acquired through a life in business.

Special Areas of Experience.

Sales and Marketing, Brand Building, Purchasing. Logistics, Motivation. Negotiation skills, Presentation Skills. Leadership & Integrity.

Key Strengths

Developing successful Sales & Marketing Strategies.Leading motivating and inspiring outstanding Management Teams.Customer Development Meetings, Business Information Meetings.Reviewing progress on budgeted targets.Agreeing terms and conditions for all employees.Experience in purchasing, logistics and overhead cost management review strategies.

“Finding the fun in the business”.

Main Sectors.Food sectorDIY, Hardware and Building TradeCoaching and Business Mentoring

My Favourite quotation

“Ireland has already set an example and a standard for other

small nations to follow. This has never been a rich or powerful country, and yet, since earliest times, its influence on the world has been rich and powerful. No larger nation did more to keep Christianity and Western culture alive in their darkest centuries. No larger nation did more to spark the cause of independence in America, indeed, around the world. And no larger nation has ever provided the world with more literary and artistic genius.  This is an extraordinary country. George Bernard Shaw, speaking as an Irishman, summed up an approach to life: Other people, he said "see things and . . . say 'Why?' . . . But I dream things that never were-- and I say: 'Why not?'" It is that quality of the Irish--that remarkable combination of hope, confidence and imagination--that is needed more than ever today. The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics, whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were, and ask why not.”

President John F. Kennedy’s address to Dail Eireann June 28th 1963.

Contact Points.

For business : vectra@iol.ie Linkedin and Twitter

For Social contacts : jimpopcoffey@gmail.comFacebook.

Mobile 00353879191457