Ready for the next chapter.

As we welcome 2024, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey that has led me to this point in my career. It all began in 1995 when I applied for a part-time job at Jewel Osco, never realizing that this simple decision would shape the rest of my professional career. Back then, I was simply looking for a means to pay for car insurance and gas; little did I know that this job would become the catalyst for my love of retail.

I started as a general clerk at a store in a suburb of Chicago, diligently facing aisles, filling displays, and shagging carts in the parking lot. I worked alongside dedicated colleagues who shared my commitment to ensuring our store was organized and our customers were well taken care of. Over time, as opportunities arose and challenges presented themselves, I eagerly embraced new assignments and responsibilities. From grocery clerk to frozen foods manager; from night crew member to bakery team leader; from store management trainee to grocery manager—I seized every chance to expand my knowledge and refine my skills across numerous Chicagoland area stores. Jewel Osco became more than just an employer; it became where I fell in love with retail.?

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Life had bigger plans for me beyond those early days at Jewel Osco. Since then, I've been fortunate enough to explore diverse realms within retail—Grocery Retailing, Mass Retailing, Convenience Retailing—as well as venture into a data analytics and consulting firm and working for a global CPG brand leader. My moves and travels have taken me all over the place.

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The landscape of retail has undergone significant transformations, and I am humbled to have participated in much of the change. I used to love building cereal endcaps and stocking the canned goods aisle with my trusty box cutter. More recently I had the chance to lead the implementation of a customer data platform technology and leveraged APIs to connect an industry-leading loyalty program. I even had the opportunity to scale AI capabilities and set the foundation for the first retail media network in the convenience industry.?Our industry has come so far and still has unlimited potential.

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This year marks my 29th year in retail, and I consider myself immeasurably blessed to have acquired so much knowledge and forged countless friendships along the way. The last couple of decades have offered me a unique panoramic view of consumers, shoppers, retailers, brands, technology vendors, startups—the entire retail ecosystem. I've celebrated many team successes but also experienced my fair share of missteps and failures. These experiences have given me strength and resilience.

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As we embark on this next year together, I am excited by the prospect of leveraging everything I've learned over the years to make 2024 my most impactful year yet. I am ready to work with others and embrace challenges head-on as well as seize every opportunity for growth.

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To all my connections here on LinkedIn—thank you for your partnerships and friendships throughout the years. So many of you have been instrumental in shaping who I am today as a professional within the realm of retail. Let us continue inspiring one another as we navigate an ever-evolving landscape. Here's to genuine relationships! Here's to the exciting adventures that await us! And here's to an ambitious 2024 where we strive not only for personal success but also for making a lasting impact on our industry as a whole.