Deon Croston

About Deon Croston

I’m a commercial and sales leader with 13+ years of experience driving growth across Independent, Convenience & Gas (C&G), small-format grocery, wholesale, and large-format big-box retail environments. Currently, I serve as a Key Account Manager within PepsiCo North America Beverages, where I lead strategy and execution for a multi-state Independent & Emerging Channels portfolio generating $40M–$60M in annual revenue across 1,600–2,200 retail locations.Throughout my career, I’ve built and executed go-to-market strategies across independent C&G operators, small-format grocery retailers, wholesale-supported accounts, and large-format big-box stores, owning executive-level customer relationships, Customer Development Agreements (CDAs), Annual Business Planning, pricing strategy, and trade spend optimization. I specialize in translating national and regional strategies into localized execution that drives sustainable revenue and volume growth across highly fragmented and complex retail landscapes.I’ve led and developed frontline and territory sales teams, driven distribution expansion, improved executional discipline, and delivered consistent performance through data-driven decision-making. I partner cross-functionally with Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain, Sales Operations, Category Management, and Field Execution to ensure alignment from strategy through in-store execution across both DSD and wholesale delivery models.My background includes deep hands-on experience in retail operations and merchandising—from Walmart store leadership and big-box execution to large-scale resets, inventory optimization, and frontline execution—providing a practical, operator’s perspective on what actually works at shelf level. I’m passionate about building scalable growth engines, developing high-performing teams, and creating value where strategy, execution, and human connection intersect.

Experience

1. Key Account Manager-ots Tcwi Market

   PepsiCo

   Nov 2024 — Present · US

   Lead commercial strategy and execution for a multi-state Independent & Emerging Channels portfolio generating $40M–$60M in annual net revenue, spanning approximately 1,600–2,200 retail locations, while directly leading and developing a team of field and account-level direct reports responsible for execution, distributor management, and retail performance.•Portfolio scope includes:•1,100–1,400 Convenience & Gas (C&G) locations•300–500 small independent grocery accounts (bodega-style, ethnic, neighborhood, meat markets)•200–300 liquor / beverage specialty stores•1–5 wholesale distributor partners supporting indirect retail execution•Own period-to-period planning and Customer Development Agreements (CDAs), setting strategy for pricing, trade spend investment, promotional planning, distribution, and assortment across highly fragmented retail environments, while coaching direct reports on account strategy, executional priorities, and performance management.•Drive net revenue and volume growth by translating national and regional strategies into localized go-to-market (GTM) plans optimized for small-format, independent, and wholesale-supported channels, ensuring team alignment and accountability to KPIs.•Serve as senior commercial advisor to independent operators, wholesalers, and distributor leadership, influencing joint business planning, execution priorities, and long-term growth roadmaps, while acting as escalation point and mentor for direct reports.•Partner cross-functionally with Sales Operations, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain, Category Management, and Field Execution to ensure alignment from strategy through in-store execution across DSD and wholesale delivery models, leading team execution through change and complexity.

Education

• Wisconsin Lutheran High School

  High School Diploma

Skills

• Microsoft Office
• Sales
• Customer Service
• Increasing Sales
• Marketing
• Training
• Cpfr
• Merchandising
• Organizational Development
• Retail
• Team Leadership
• Inventory Management
• Apparel
• Microsoft Excel
• Negotiation
• Listener
• Team Building
• Leadership