Rich Swanson

Rich Swanson has been a senior sales and marketing executive in the CPG industry for 45 years. Rich began his career with Procter & Gamble – Paper. He later accepted a management position with Confab Inc., a category-leading private-label supplier. During the next 18 years with Confab, Rich managed many strategic initiatives and, with his team, built Confab (Disposable Absorbent Products) to be one of the most successful private label companies in North America.

As Confab’s North American Executive Vice President of Sales, Rich developed an organization that successfully launched five National Store Brand Programs that gained significant distribution throughout all FDM channels. Confab gained national market shares equal to the leading national brands. Rich taught his team to develop in-depth knowledge of each retailer and to fully understand their initiatives. This approach led to the development of successful marketing and merchandising strategies utilized in mutually building a profitable business for Confab and their retail partners.

Since October 1998, Rich has been a Principal Partner in The Swanson Group (TSG), a customer driven, value-added, Sales and Marketing Service provider that enhances the competitive position and profitability of retailer and manufacturing clients by leveraging their combined strengths. TSG has provided national, regional, specific class of trade and account specific strategic business development services to both national and retailer brand clients. TSG has developed and lead strategic initiatives with leading National Brand companies, managed U.S. sales and ongoing national initiatives for Branded and Store Brand companies, and most recently, worked with OEM clients to design / implement a more “Direct To Retailer” strategic position. Rich is a current member of NACDS and a NACDS Advisory Board (RAB) Member, and sits on the Outreach and Business Development Committee. He is a member of PLMA and has business initiatives with ECRM. Rich’s unique skills include strategic planning, retailer strategic alignment and sales development.