Meet Donald

“I was born and raised in North Carolina and happy to be back living here after 10 years away. My family and I settled down in Charlotte – next to a golf course, naturally. I like to spend my free time with my family or at the golf course. I picked up this patient sport 18 years ago, before my son was born but ended up taking a break until 2020. Now I play as much as I can and living only about a half mile from the club house makes it that much easier. I took lessons and have been focusing on improving my game knowing that it’s all about my mentality. I get so much joy out of the challenge and just being outdoors and building relationships through the sport.

?I find so much value in fostering and honoring the relationships that I’ve built, both personally and professionally. I put in a lot of time and effort to build trust and create openness within my relationships, and I can clearly see that I bring my whole self to work in this affect. I am the type of father who gives direction but am still willing to be challenged in a respectful manner and it’s the same thing at work. I want my team and other peers to feel comfortable coming to me with whatever is on their mind, even if their ideas challenge my policies.

?I’ve been with Sleep Number for 8 years, always in Supply Chain but have evolved my role over time to focus solely on safety. For me, it’s all about service and helping others and what better way to do that than to honor our team members by ensuring they can return home the same way they came in. My hope for our team members is that they can come to work with thoughts of being productive and successful each day, instead of having to worry about risks or hazards.

?With a passion for leading and prioritizing safety, I became a member of the DEI Council and joined the Minorities in Leadership Alliance Employee Resource Group (ERG). This ERG has evolved into the Blueprint Mentor Program, which I am thankful to be part of the first test group. Although this group’s initial focus was on connecting minorities in leadership to discuss personal and professional development, we’ve expanded to include all team members in this development opportunity.

?The 6-month program pairs team members with a mentor for 1:1 coaching sessions and larger group discussions. I am halfway through the program, and I absolutely love it. I’ve learned so much from my mentor, including some practices that I’ve already implemented with my team and been able to report back with. I look forward to growing the relationship I’ve built with my mentor.

At Sleep Number, I am a Senior Manager of Supply Chain Safety, and my Sleep Number? setting is 50.”