Cheryl Ahto

Cheryl Ahto is a polished, articulate and creative business development professional with a solid history of success driving profitable sales results within challenging and highly competitive markets. Her career encompasses over 20 years of experience in the publishing and fine paper industries where she has worked with clients in the printing, advertising, multi-channel retail, graphic design, direct marketing, wholesale distribution, media, pharmaceutical and consumer products industries. She has sold in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer capacities.

Additionally, Ms. Ahto has held recruiting roles and participated in sales operations projects. A result of her recent accomplishments, she is a recognized resource in the sustainability sector.

A strategic thinker and expert negotiator, Ms. Ahto is a strong team player and leader with a highly entrepreneurial spirit. She is known for her uncompromising integrity, tenacity, attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and for her ability to open doors at the C-level. She is able to quickly establish trust-based relationships with corporate executives and senior managers to win high value business.

Having spent most of her career working in complex, long-cycle sales, Ms. Ahto has developed and executed marketing strategies, launched new products and services, inspired and created high-impact sales tools, and led the formation of strategic partnerships and alliances with both suppliers and customers. She has driven multi-million dollar growth of start-up operations and has led successful turnarounds in declining markets.

An advocate of using education as the foundation for successful business partnerships, Ms. Ahto has developed and facilitated training and team building programs to resolve complex technical issues resulting in significant revenue growth. She is skilled at translating client needs into value-added solutions.

Ms. Ahto’s professional accomplishments have been recognized by "Multi-Channel Merchant" magazine and "Paper Distribution Sales & Management" magazine. An avid high altitude hiker, Ms. Ahto recently completed the Tour du Mont Blanc.

A resident of Greenwich, Connecticut, Ms. Ahto earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Cedar Crest College.


Favorite quotes:

“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.” – Louis Pasteur

“An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.” – Buddha

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.” - Confucius


Specialties
• C-Level Business Development
• Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
• High-value, Complex Sales
• Long-cycle Sales
• Alliance Management
• Relationship Management
• Market Research
• Marketing Strategy Development and Execution
• Sales Start-up
• Sales Turnaround
• Multi-Channel Sales
• Business-to-Business Sales
• Technical Sales
• Consultative Sales
• Sales Process Improvement