DeBoer grew up in the Tarheel State and started attending Appalachian State University in Boone before entering the grocery business. In early 2022, she became the first female president of Harris Teeter.

“I’m a local. A lot of times you meet so many great people, but not a lot of people are from here. It’s great to join a company that I have grown up with and know very well,” said DeBoer, whose grocery career began at Salisbury, North Carolina-based Food Lion.

“I have tremendous respect for Food Lion and all of our retailers,” she said. “I had the great fortune of working with incredible people. I had some wonderful mentors who gave me a lot of great opportunities to learn this business.”

DeBoer started at Food Lion in 1989, working in the corporate office with customer service, which gave her insight into the consumer’s perspective.

“I think that’s where I first developed a long-standing connection with the customer, really understanding what it takes to meet and exceed their expectations in retail,” she said.

The position at Food Lion was just a means to help pay for a car, according to DeBoer. She didn’t know it would lead to a life-long passion for retail grocery.

DeBoer has worked in many different capacities in her career, including merchandising, marketing, operations, mergers and acquisitions, human resources and finance.

“In order to be most successful, you have to understand how all of those work together to have the greatest outcome,” she said. “I really enjoy this industry. It’s dynamic. It’s ever-changing.”

DeBoer rose through the ranks at Food Lion, leading large teams as VP of merchandising and also a VP of operations. She managed 235 stores with about $2.5 billion in annual sales. In her last role, she was the VP of Bloom, a test concept which was very similar to Harris Teeter.

“It was a new prototype, focused on more premium offerings. I studied Harris Teeter quite a bit, and was very impressed. I even shopped there occasionally. Of course, it was for research purposes,” she said with a laugh.

She specifically noticed the merchandising. “Harris Teeter is known for an incredible variety and selection of quality products, especially in the fresh categories and specialty categories.”

In 2012, DeBoer accepted a position with Family Dollar as its VP of private brands and merchandise initiatives. In her time there, she took on new responsibilities with each promotion, including SVP of food merchandising, SVP of merchandising-consumables and eventually chief merchandising officer in 2016.

“I spent some time in China and Hong Kong, managing our import buying team there. It was exciting to learn that side of the business,” DeBoer recalled.

“I’d never been on the discretionary side of the business. So for me, it was a bit surreal when I was in a Christmas ornament factory and learning how they were made. Sourcing those directly was very intriguing to me.”

DeBoer remained in the dollar sector after the merger between Dollar Tree and Family Dollar. She worked two years post acquisition to help with the integration work. Afterward, she opened her own consulting firm, DeBoer Consulting, to have more flexibility and pursue some personal objectives.

DeBoer feels community involvement is important. She has served on multiple non-profit boards, including Network of Executive Women. DeBoer currently serves on the board of International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), Carolina Food Industry Council (CFIC) and the advisory board for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.

In 2020, DeBoer joined Harris Teeter as SVP of merchandising, operations and marketing, a position she became aware of thanks to a previous Harris Teeter president, Fred Morganthall II.

“I had always wanted to join Harris Teeter. This was a dream come true for me to work here,” she said. “Fred is the one who reached out to me a few years ago about this opportunity. I’m very thankful to Fred, and Rod.”

“I feel honored to have their advocacy and their support in leading the company that they care so deeply for. I came on board, got to know the people and visit all of our stores…Rod was here and answered any questions that I had. When he left, I was ready to take the helm.”

But her relationship with Harris Teeter alumni began a number of years ago before she joined the company. She had met Morganthall through a mutual friend. The friend thought it would be a good idea to have Morganthall mentor DeBoer, Morganthall said in an interview. The two would infrequently meet for lunch, he said. He was actually the one who recommended to Antolock and the Kroger executive staff that she be brought on.

“Every leader is different. It’s good for her to have some fresh ideas,” Morganthall said. “Rod and I are a great team together but thought it would be good to have some new thoughts and some new ideas. Tammy clearly brings that.”

He noted how, when DeBoer is in a store, she will stop and speak with everybody.

“She doesn’t miss anybody – nobody. It probably takes her four hours just to get through one store during her walk throughs,” he said with a chuckle. “She listens to their ideas and gets some feedback. She takes what they tell her back to her senior management and makes decisions on what should be implemented or not implemented.”

Danna Robinson, director of corporate affairs, shared a ­story of DeBoer doing a store walk-through at a busy time of day.

“She saw that the lines were getting a bit long, so she just started bagging groceries,” Robinson said. “She didn’t tell somebody else to help. She did and did it for a while, too.

“Imagine that, the president of the company springing in to help. It wasn’t a planned photo op or news coverage. She saw associates that needed help and she did it. It’s something like that that makes her special.”

But DeBoer doesn’t let the term “first female president” trouble her.

“I don’t think of it honestly, it does not occur to me,” she said. “I’ve always worked hard, surrounded myself with great people and developed teams. I really love that. It’s my favorite part of any leadership role.

“For me, I haven’t ever thought about it as being a female leader, but rather just a leader, an effective leader,” she explained.

As its first female president, she did say she is proud of the company’s dedication to improving diversity. But there are more steps that need to be taken nationwide.

“Progress is being made, but I don’t think we’re done. I don’t think that we will ever be done,” she said. “Until we have much more diversity – women and people of color in general – on boards and in executive level positions. I think as a community, as a nation, we have a lot of work to do to further encourage and promote diversity at all levels. And there, I think, lies the biggest opportunity.”

DeBoer is continuing to foster leadership through Harris Teeter’s Leadership Development Program and Leadership Academy. LDP is the company’s store level and associate leadership training arm, while LA tackles leadership in the corporate environment.

DeBoer and Harris Teeter believe leadership comes from facing any challenge that may arise with “authenticity and inspiration.” They are making leaders, not managers.

As DeBoer guides Harris Teeter over the next few years, she sees technology playing the largest role in the company’s path forward.

“We’ve made tremendous investment in seamless technology, which enables the customer to shop how, when and where they want to shop,” she explained. “We are meeting the customers wherever they are in the shopping journey.”

She added that delivery and online shopping/pickup has been a large priority for Harris Teeter for some time. Still, consumers continue to want to shop in stores.

“We have a lot of customers that tell us that they want to shop in our stores because it’s more than just a shopping trip – it’s an experience,” she said. “They enjoy the engagement with our incredible associates. They like to go see the butcher, the produce manager or baker. They like to engage with them…we want to find ways to engage with our customers throughout the store.”

Even through her many accomplishments and accolades, DeBoer remains humble. In 2016, while still at Family Dollar, she was named to The Mecklenburg Times’ 50 Most Influential Women in Charlotte. She has also previously been named as a Top Female Executive in the Grocery Industry by The Griffin Report of the Northeast, a Shelby publication.

As for Female Executive of the Year, she said: “It’s an honor that is absolutely humbling. I am very appreciative of the acknowledgement and the recognition. At the end of the day, it’s about having an impact. What I want to do is have the greatest impact that I can in my life with those that I come in contact with and make a positive difference.”

The post North Carolina Native Relishes ‘Dream Job’ With Harris Teeter appeared first on Shelby Report.

Harris, from Charlotte, and Teeter, from Mooresville, met through the North Carolina Food Dealers Association, according to Danna Robinson, director of corporate affairs for Harris Teeter. 

Harris owned and operated Harris Super Markets; Teeter owned and operated Teeter Super Markets. In 1958, the two grocers came together to purchase a warehouse to leverage buying power for their companies.

They merged the companies on Feb. 1, 1960, with Harris as president and Teeter as EVP. The new company became the largest independent grocery organization in the Carolinas. 

At the time of the merger, there were 15 stores. Within three years, that number had grown to 25 and a new, larger warehouse with office facilities opened.

In 1969, the Harris and Teeter families sold the company to Ruddick Corp., a diversified holding company, according to Robinson.

They initially had approached the company to help facilitate the sale of Harris Teeter, but Ruddick leadership decided to acquire it. At that time, Harris Teeter was operating 17 stores. 

While under Ruddick Corp., Harris Teeter made several acquisitions. It purchased Charlotte-based Hunter Dairy in 1980, and Greensboro-based Food World in 1984. Food World had 52 stores in North Carolina and Virginia at the time. This brought the total number of stores to 122 in four states – North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina and Virginia, according to Robinson.

The company continued closing unprofitable locations and acquiring others, including 52 Big Star stores. In 1993, Harris Teeter purchased five Bruno’s supermarket locations in South Carolina.

In the years since, the company “continued to grow organically, building new stores and ­entering new markets,” Robinson said. 

In spite of its success, as it approached its 50th anniversary, an economic downturn occurred which adversely affected the grocery industry. Even during this challenging time, the company continued to expand while remaining committed to its core values of high-quality products, excellent customer service and clean, modern stores.

In 2013, Harris Teeter Supermarkets and The Kroger Co. announced a merger agreement. About six months later, the deal was finalized. It is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co.

Throughout the transaction, both companies were transparent in their intentions, Robinson said.

Leaders of both companies – Rodney McMullen, current Kroger CEO, and Fred Morganthall, former Harris Teeter president and COO, outlined the benefits of the deal in a letter to Harris Teeter associates: “[Kroger has] long admired many things about Harris Teeter and hopes to apply these practices across our company.”

Robinson said Kroger continues to empower Harris Teeter to run the business the way its customers expect while leveraging the size and strength of the Kroger enterprise.

“Harris Teeter continues to have one story and one vision across our company,” she said. 

In March 2018, it acquired 10 Farm Fresh stores, including three in-store pharmacies and three fuel centers. The company’s first fuel center purchase resulted in an agreement with Piggly Wiggly in 2013, according to Robinson. 

Today, Harris Teeter operates 258 stores and 70 fuel centers in seven states and the District of Columbia. The company also owns grocery, frozen food and perishable distribution centers in Greensboro and Indian Trail, North Carolina.

Tammy DeBoer is the current president. Previously the company’s SVP of merchandising, operations and marketing, she succeeded Rod Antolock as president on Feb. 1, 2022.

The post Harris Teeter Continues To Build On History Of Success appeared first on Shelby Report.

From its founding 62 years ago, the company has grown to become a premier regional grocery store brand in the Southeast. It boasts 258 stores and 70 fuel centers and two distribution centers in seven states. 

The company has been on a path of expansion since 1997. Previous President Fred Morganthall II oversaw that growth as Harris Teeter moved into Georgia, Florida and Tennessee and later spearheaded growth into Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C. 

Craig McKenzie, SVP of operations, is a 40-year Harris Teeter veteran. 

“The grocery business is extremely competitive,” McKenzie said. “Our Harris Teeter Team, which is made up of our store associates, our corporate associates and our warehouse associates press us to be better. In the end, the push ultimately pushes Harris Teeter into the future.”

The present-day Harris Teeter is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina and employs approximately 35,000 associates. 

The company continues to focus on expansions – adding stores, new innovation in merchandising, own brands and in-store offerings. 

Butchers Market

The meat department, known as the Butchers Market, includes its own beef products under the Rancher Beef, Harris Teeter Reserve Angus Beef and Harris Teeter Naturals Beef brands. 

According to a publication written and distributed by the company, titled “Harris Teeter Legacy – 50 Years,” this practice began as products were cut to order or sold under service case glass.

“Our butchers purchased sides of beef and proceeded to cut the beef in-store directly off the rail; customers did not have the wide variety of options to buy that which they are accustomed to purchasing today,” the publication reads.

In 2006, the grocer launched its Harris Teeter Fresh Market Expert program, which provides its stores with a certified butcher who offers custom cuts, recipes and knowledge about the products, according to the publication. 

The meat program has been hailed by national beef and poultry associations, including recognitions in 2008 and 2010 during the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and the 2009 Beef Industry Visionary Awards. And in 2010, it became part of the USDA program, Certified Very Tender beef. 

Harris Teeter remains among a small group of retailers nationwide to take part in the program, which highlights strict protocols for steak cuts and requires that beef must be aged at least 21 days. 

The beef and poultry grab the limelight in the cases, but Harris Teeter takes care to keep current on trends and meet customers where they are. Formerly placed behind center-store freezer doors, plant-based meat alternatives have risen in popularity and the grocer does not shy from sharing its meat cases with the newcomers.

“When we talk to our customers, they are looking for variety and the best cuts of meat,” said Shawn Cram, VP of fresh merchandising.

“To meet these needs, we focus on premiumization, we have Wagyu, Prime, Natural, Angus and Ranchers. And if you go into one of our stores and you are not sure which cut of meat you want, we have full-service meat cases with experienced butchers who can custom cut your selection.”

Fishermans Market

Harris Teeter’s Fishermans Market is another staple of its fresh merchandising. The market has advocated a buy-local philosophy, according to Cram. 

All Harris Teeter locations offer a local fresh catch program. Much like its Butchers Market, the Fishermans Market keeps pace with customer trends and demand. 

“Value added” seafood has become prevalent, made in store by Harris Teeter associates with fresh ingredients. These items include salmon stuffed with crab meat and premade seafood items such as marinated Mahi Mahi and crab cakes.

Chief Financial Officer Scott Nations noted that this – along with the other prepared foods in front of the meat counters – provide customers with extensive options. 

“The feedback we get from our customers is that they appreciate variety,” he said. “The freshness and variety of the product offering, as well as the cleanliness of the store, all of that together excites our customers when they shop in our stores. They know that rather than going out for a meal, they can come to Harris Teeter and either pick up all the ingredients to prepare a meal at home or purchase a high-quality prepared offering.” 

Nations added that Harris Teeter customers enjoy a personal connection with associates and value the opinions they provide for meal options and product information.

“They want to know that that high-end steak in the meat case can be cut to their specifications. That’s across the board. Regardless of what they are buying, they’re going to have a great experience from our associates who care.”

Pairing that meat with a reasonable side is easy thanks to Harris Teeter’s Farmers Market. Back in 1936, when co-founder W.T. Harris, a farm boy from Georgia, opened his first Harris Super Market, he prided himself on providing the freshest, highest quality produce to customers, according to the company’s publication. 

Farmers Market

Much like the previous two markets, customers can find associates in the Farmers Market who are trained and educated on its offerings. Since 2003, Harris Teeter has been training them through its Green Thumb Experts program, which requires associates to complete a rigorous certification program.

They are, according to the company’s publication, “experts in their fields who are able to answer any questions a shopper may ask, including how to best store or prepare a particular item in the Farmers Market.”

While Harris Teeter has a long history of successful vendor partnerships, Green Thumb Experts associates inspect every produce item several times before it is allowed onto the floor. This is a last line of defense for the Farmers Market, as quality assurance checks take place at the distribution center. If an item has blemishes or flaws, it will not be sold.

While not all produce is sourced from local farms, Harris Teeter encourages support of local produce in its communities. Regional store teams have great autonomy on where they source their products, and stores that share a market area sometimes won’t receive the same produce from the same farms.

Most recently, Harris Teeter has developed fresh merchandising programs that have been introduced in the Farmers Market. The program uses mobile merchandising displays that showcase the grocer’s in-store made fresh products, including fruit bowls, veggies bowls and seven-layer dips. 

The program has had remarkable success and there are plans to add these display cases to additional Harris Teeter locations, according to Cram.

As a bonus to the Farmers Market, some Harris Teeter locations feature an adjoining juice bar.

Fresh Food Market

The last – but certainly not least – of Harris Teeter’s in-store branded departments is its Fresh Food Market, which is much more than a deli or bakery. 

The market includes standard deli meat counters, with ready-to-eat options, but also a variety of prepared foods. Chef-made prepared meals include an entree and side, ready to serve along with a variety of à la carte options.

At the company’s super flagship stores, Harris Teeter offers a variety of bars that offer rotating meal options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Customers also will find a salad and olive bar; in-house pizza station, where customers can watch the pizza being made; a Murray’s cheese monger station with a variety of cheeses from around the globe; and a prepared meal event station at select stores. 

Harris Teeter also offers an extensive fresh bakery selection, including dessert items and signature cakes.

The Fresh Food Market has a strong partnership with Boar’s Head that dates back 11 years. Since that time, associates working the deli counter have been required to take part in the Boar’s Head Premium Deli Professional Workshop. Much like Harris Teeter’s own programs, they gain knowledge on the products and learn customer service traits specific to the Boar’s Head company, according to the publication. 

The grocer estimates it sells about 4 million made-to-order subs a year at its deli counters, while it averages one million cakes sold in that same span.

The bakery has a wide assortment of specialty dessert items, cakes, cookies and – depending on the area – cultural-inspired desserts. The bakers bake over two dozen kinds of artisanal breads per day. Ranging from baguettes to ciabatta, they make up a third of bakery sales. 

And just like the other markets within its stores, Harris Teeter has pre-packaged and in-store made bakery items.

“What really sets all that apart from everything else is the way that people can come in and get absolutely everything they could need or want,” said Matt Martin, VP of marketing. “It’s about meeting the customers where they are, and we aim to do that in every part of our store. 

“There is intention behind every decision. We get the customers’ and associates’ feedback. We can see, we can measure what is working and what isn’t. We are dedicated to a wide variety of quality fresh products and exceptional customer service.”

In order to create the prepackaged products for all of the departments, Harris Teeter devised its own chef program. It was put together in the 1990s by certified chef Gianfranco DiCarlo, an Italian cuisine expert.

Our Brands

Another area of emphasis for the company is private brands. While it has evolved over the years, the aspect that has not changed is quality. Much of Harris Teeter’s brands are supplied by the same national suppliers of the name brand. 

“The quality of our own brands is equivalent to the national brand or better,” said Chuck Munn, VP of non-perishable merchandising. “We have a tremendous Own Brands program here at Harris Teeter for every customer, including entry level own brands to a more premium level product.”

The Harris Teeter private label can be found under many names – Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic, H.T. Traders, Harris Teeter brand and Private Selection. 

No matter which of the private label brands customers choose, there is a money-back guarantee if they’re not satisfied. 

As of 2014, Harris Teeter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kroger. The merger with Kroger created synergy between the two companies that allowed Harris Teeter to enhance and expand its Own Brand selections, including adding Kroger’s Simple Truth and Simple Truth Organic brand.

Simple Truth is a natural and organic food product that is free from artificial preservatives, GMO’s and free from 101 artificial ingredients.

Officials said the transition made sense for Harris Teeter as the Simple Truth brands continue to resonate with shoppers. As of 2021, Harris Teeter stocked more than 700 Simple Truth items, with that expected to top 1,000 in early 2023.

For more information, visit harristeeter.com.

To read the full Retailer of the Year section on Harris Teeter by The Shelby Report, click here.

The post Harris Teeter’s Offerings Keep It At Forefront Of Fresh, Innovation appeared first on Shelby Report.

In addition, President Tammy DeBoer was awarded Female Executive of the Year and past president Rod Antolock was inducted into the Food Industry Hall of Fame.

“We are honored to be named Retailer of the Year – Southeast by The Shelby Report,” said Danna Robinson, director of corporate affairs for Harris Teeter. “We strive every day to enrich the lives of our associates and our customers, and to be recognized as a company and have our key executives recognized for their individual efforts means everything to us.

“Harris Teeter is extremely proud of Tammy and Rod, who are both deserving of these honors. As for our Retailer of the Year award, all thanks and congratulations go to our valued associates – they are the reason our customers love their Harris Teeter.”

Join us in the pages that follow to learn more about the retailer and its history.

To read the individual stories within, click the links below:

To read more about the retailer’s fresh offerings, click here.

To learn about its history of success, click here.

For more information about its e-biz department, click here.

To read about our Female Executive of the Year Tammy DeBoer, click here.

To learn about our Food Industry Hall of Fame inductee and Harris Teeter Past President Rod Antolock, click here.

The post Harris Teeter Named Southeast Retailer Of The Year appeared first on Shelby Report.

But what is it really like working with Jones, who held many leadership positions before becoming BGC’s EVP, chief people officer/legal? The consensus: What gives Jones the ability to lead so well is the respect she has earned from peers. 

Suzanne Vance Osbourn, EVP, partner relations and development, works closely with Jones on a daily basis. Although the two have known each other for years, Osbourn appreciates the care Jones has shown for people after joining BGC. 

“Respect is gained and earned and I think that speaks volumes to her because she has the respect,” Osbourn said. “She has the respect of the executive staff, she has the respect of retail, she has the respect of store directors. It’s earned. It’s nothing you just get. She came into the area of HR and showed she had a heart for the partners.”

Throughout her nearly 40 years with BGC, Osbourn has seen a lot. But she said the changes since Jones came aboard were needed. 

“Whenever Rosemary stepped into the HR role, she was a change agent. And it was at a time that we really needed a change agent,” Osbourn said. “She was able to come in and implement procedures, a culture where the partners really had a voice.”

Along with changing the culture, Brad Brookshire wanted more focus on diversity, equity and inclusion within BGC. 

That responsibility was first undertaken by Jones but now falls to Terrence Dixon, SVP, administration and communication. He has not forgotten where Jones started with it.

“I knew her when she was our outside legal counsel, before she came in-house and joined the company,” he said. “And we were neighbors for a number of years…right across the street. I knew that Rosemary was being talked to and being considered. I thought it was just an awesome decision for us to bring her on, with all of the familiarity that she had with our company.”

Dixon reflected on a number of policies and procedures that had undergone “a lot of starts and stops” before Jones really pushed them forward. One of those was focusing more on DE&I.

“Under Rosemary’s leadership, we’ve seen a lot of things through to completion, a lot of our recognition programs,” he said. “When Rosemary came to this office specifically, we didn’t have a lot of recognition for our folks in corporate. She was one that was very instrumental in helping guide change.

“She’s very instrumental in helping us to stay focused on our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and programs. They weren’t specifically on the forefront before she joined but have been since then and continue to be.”

He explained that working with her helped “maneuver resources” into place that expanded the DE&I focus within Brookshire’s. He said that working with her makes him strive to be better. 

“I’ve learned a lot from Rosemary. Working with her and seeing her drive, it’s just something you aspire to be. Her expertise in the legal field has served extremely well and helped us within the scope of what we do. She pushes us all to be better.”

Osbourn and Dixon see Jones’ drive as a steppingstone for women within BGC and throughout the grocery industry. 

“Just from observations and being in the industry, from an executive level, I personally have not seen as many women in top levels of leadership. Rosemary is blazing paths,” Dixon said. “She sets a great example for many to follow. 

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be just for women. I think anybody who works with her knows her as a shining example for the employee partners of our company. We hope that others will follow suit and follow in her career path.”

Added Osbourn, “The industry itself is very male dominated for the most part. But she comes in and you just feel the way the people around her respect her. She is just hardworking and knows how to get things done…It’s been that way since she came on. She is just a driving force at Brookshire’s.”

For more information, visit brookshires.com.

The post Jones Helped Shepherd In Change At Time It Was Needed appeared first on Shelby Report.

“She married Chip [Jones] and our families – the Jones and Brookshires – were close growing up in Tyler, Texas. Chip is younger than I am, but Chip’s parents and my parents were really good friends,” Brookshire said. 

Rosemary Jones herself had worked alongside BGC for many years as its legal representative prior to joining the grocer’s leadership team. Brookshire knew her professionally and personally, but it wasn’t until the previous head of HR was set to retire in early 2016 that his company offered her an executive position.

“She represented Brookshire’s and we worked with her and were always impressed. She’s very professional, very thorough and did a great job for the company,” he said. 

“When I got to be CEO, the lady that was over HR said she wanted to retire. I told her, ‘No.’ Eventually I told her, ‘I’ll let you retire when you find your replacement.’” Before the end of that year, the former executive had returned to Brookshire with a suitable – if not surprising – candidate.

As Brookshire recalled, “She said, ‘I have my replacement.’ And I asked, ‘Who?’ She said that she had gotten Rosemary Jones. I was really surprised. I didn’t know lawyers would come into a corporate environment like that, not really only as a chief legal counsel but working with HR and everything else. She’s done a fantastic job for the company since 2016 and continues to do so every day. She handles so much in so many areas of the company. We’re very fortunate to have her.”

Brookshire was looking for someone who would help change the culture around the company’s corporate office. At the time, there was a massive shift in personnel and morale wasn’t where he wanted it to be. He needed Jones to bring a warmer atmosphere. 

That began with simple adjustments such as more extravagant celebrations for the Fourth of July and Halloween. For the latter, the company now holds a yearly costume contest. Other changes included relaxing the dress code, providing food trucks and gradually creating an environment where Brookshire’s employees felt heard and seen.

“We’ve got a really strong team now,” Brookshire said. “She helped orchestrate that and was an integral part of not just the recruiting and hiring process but retaining the good people we have. 

“It’s just a finer place to work and there’s a lot more laughter…she made the culture fun. We tried to make it where our people appreciated coming to work at BGC.” 

Jones’ position encompasses many aspects within the business. As the EVP chief people officer/legal, her responsibilities range from asset protection and benefits to individual case management and workplace disputes. 

On top of that, she and her team navigated the acquisition of Reasor’s, based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was finalized in January.

“She was instrumental in keeping that good core group that we’ve got in Tulsa. That’s very important,” Brookshire said. “She and her group went up there a number of times. We had meetings with the folks in the office, the corporate people, the store directors. She led all that.”

Jones even led a 300-person orientation meeting that involved a variety of Reasor’s personnel. She also spearheaded making Memorial Day a paid holiday at BGC, which previously was a holiday at Reasor’s but not at BGC. 

“So far it seems [Reasor’s employees] are satisfied and happy to be a part of BGC and that didn’t just happen. It takes a lot of work from a lot of people, and [Jones] was so instrumental in all that,” Brookshire said.

Before joining BGC, Jones had an ingrained sense of community within Tyler. She had previously held leadership roles with the Tyler Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Tyler organization and the South Tyler and Tyler Rotary Clubs. That had not gone unnoticed by Brookshire.

“She knows a lot of people,” he said. “She’s been president of the chamber of commerce. She’s on the board of economic development. She was downtown and among all the leaders of our town for years and years. Nobody knows who the players are like she does. 

“The connection with people is important in her role. People connect with her and like to be around her. She’s got a great personality for her role in HR. And from a legal standpoint, she’s developed that area to what it is.”

Prior to Jones’ arrival, the legal department at BGC was comprised of one employee. It now has three full-time attorneys. Going forward, the company recently hired a new SVP of people and culture to help take some pressure off Jones. Brookshire hopes this will allow her to expand on her EVP roles to focus on strategic planning over the next three to five years. 

In closing, Brookshire offered high praise of Jones for her recognition as The Shelby Report of the Southwest’s 2022 Woman Executive of the Year.

“She’s here early and stays late and comes in on the weekends and works. She’s got a great personality. She’s always positive and just a pleasant person to be around,” he said. “She’s definitely a big asset for BGC. Where we are today as a company, she’s been instrumental and she’s just a great person. She’s indispensable for BGC.

“She is just amazing in all of the areas that she covers. I don’t believe there’s anyone else that does the legal and all the aspects of HR. If she ever decides to leave, what she does will probably require at least two people to do. It’s amazing what she’s able to accomplish. She deserves so much.”

For more information, visit brookshires.com.

To view the other stories on Rosemary Jones, click here.

The post BGC Chairman Offers High Praise For ‘Indispensable’ Honoree appeared first on Shelby Report.

Two BGC leaders, Latasha Woodard, district VP – District 5, and Rubi Gonzalez, diversity, equity and inclusion manager, were also featured as 2022 Diversity and Inclusion Award winners in the June edition of The Shelby Report of the Southwest. BGC prioritizes DE&I and continues to make advancements through a multi-year strategic plan. 

Brookshire Grocery Co. is proud to be certified by Great Place to Work for the third year in a row. The honor is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at BGC. In June, BGC was one of 25 large companies featured on the 2022 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas list. BGC was one of only 15 large companies featured on the 2020 Fortune Best Workplaces in Retial list.

The company has made year-over-year improvements in DE&I policies and practices, pay scales, education and development opportunities, as well as in practices to honor diverse holidays and celebrations. These and other DE&I initiatives are incorporated as BGC expands into new trade areas and assimilates new employees and communities. 

Since January, the company has onboarded 2,000 employees from its new Reasor’s banner of 17 stores in Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma, as well as teams for the new Super 1 Foods store in Jacksonville, Texas, new FRESH by Brookshire’s store in Fate, Texas, and new Spring Market store in Blanchard, Louisiana.

Examples of BGC’s DE&I advancements this year include:

• Increased leadership diversity at the retail store, district and regional levels and on its board of directors; 
• Expanded DE&I Council, established in 2020;
• Updated definition of BGC’s core values to incorporate DE&I;
• Promotion of Rubi Gonzalez to DE&I manager, bringing a broad perspective from her diverse career path and experience in human resources, marketing, banking, logistics and supply chain;
• Expanded retail organizational model introduced in 2021 to increase opportunities and attract diverse candidates through nontraditional leadership roles and career paths. First introduced in Brookshire’s stores, the model is now rolling out to Super 1 Foods stores;
• Re-evaluated pay scales and investments in skilled wage positions, established apprentice programs and various pay initiatives including weekend differentiation and premium pay;
• Featuring employees and leaders in videos, articles and social media posts that acknowledge and honor diverse holidays and month-long observances, including Celebrate Diversity Month, Juneteenth, Asian-American and Pacific Islander Month, National Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month. Increased employee discounts were given in conjunction with several national holidays, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day; and
• $1.2 million investment in making Memorial Day a new paid holiday, providing the opportunity for paid time off to acknowledge the many diverse men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation.  

These initiatives and more are contributing to an inclusive culture at BGC.

For more information, visit brookshires.com/about-us.

The post Brookshire Grocery Co. Recognized For Diversity, Equity, Inclusion appeared first on Shelby Report.

Jones is the third of Roger and Dale Sage’s four children. Oldest sibling, Roger Jr., works in Baxter Sales, a wholesale cleaning supplies business their grandfather founded. Second in line is sister Robin, a retired judge who continues to practice family law in Longview. Youngest sibling Raymond is a professor of musical theater at Penn State University following a successful career on Broadway. 

Jones grew up competitive, a trait that would follow her throughout life. She was a cheerleader in high school, as well as a member of the volleyball and track teams.

“Rosemary has been very competitive in anything she does and wants to be the best,” said Judge Robin Sage. “She was the main cheerleader for the school. I remember that back then the cheerleaders would throw out little footballs into the crowd and the crowd would always say that Rosemary should be playing quarterback – she could throw better than the boys.”

That competitiveness paid off as she received a volleyball scholarship to Baylor University. While she played collegiately for just one year, she went on to graduate cum laude from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in education. Following graduation, she taught for four years while aspiring to become an administrator. She returned to school, graduating cum laude with a master’s in education from the University of Texas at Tyler. But ultimately the world of academics was not “as fast paced” as she had hoped.

“I was young and naive. I realized it was going to be years before I could get into administration. I didn’t want to wait that long,” Jones said with a laugh. 

Her sister had already begun a legal career, which appealed to Jones’ sense of challenge.

“I think she quickly realized that not only was what I was doing very lucrative, but she would be happier practicing law,” Sage said. “I think she saw what I was doing and saw some of the challenges that come with practicing law.”

Added Jones, “Watching [Robin] and seeing her made me realize that if I put hard work into it, I could do it too. It was her role model that got me into that.” 

While attending law school at Baylor, Jones worked as the executive director of the Baylor Law Review and won the school’s moot court competition. After graduation, she took a job at a large law firm in downtown Dallas. She stayed there for three years before a cousin practicing law in Tyler invited her to join his firm.

“There were a lot of requirements and pressure and I really was kind of starting to focus on my family,” she said of the transition. “I realized I couldn’t have the best of both worlds in a job like that,” Jones said.

Board certified as a labor and employment law specialist and a personal injury defense attorney, Jones had options. She moved to Tyler and began working at Ramey & Flock, which was situated in the heart of Tyler. She and her future husband, Walter “Chip” Jones, met at church not long after her arrival. 

Together for 29 years now, the couple has two children. Their son lives in the Dallas area with his wife and son; a second child is on the way. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, he works as a financial analyst. Their daughter is following in her mother’s and aunt’s footsteps, pursuing a law degree at Baylor. 

After settling down in Tyler, Jones made it clear that being involved in the community was important. She became active in many local civic groups, including the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and the Tyler Economic Development Council, among others. 

According to Sage, this sense of community had been instilled in Jones by their mother, who served on the Longview School Board and Parks and Recreation Board. In addition, their parents led the special education department at the First Baptist Church in the city for about 35 years. “They modeled community involvement for us as kids,” Sage said. 

Throughout Jones’ 27 years at Ramey & Flock, she worked closely with Brookshire Grocery Co. as its outside legal counsel. She tried, mediated and arbitrated hundreds of cases and claims on behalf of the company. 

In 2014, she received the highest rating from her peers and was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates. The following year, she received the Award of Excellence from the Smith County Bar Association. Throughout this time, Jones grew closer to BGC.

“I was lucky. I knew the company through having represented them. They were the only client that I had that I would leave my legal practice for. I loved my legal career,” she said. 

After being offered a position at BGC in 2016, she had a difficult decision to make. At the same time, she has never been one to shy away from a challenge.

“It was kind of like a midlife crisis,” she recalled with a laugh. “I left school, then I left Dallas and I liked where I was. Loved it. But I had eventually figured out that I’d done everything in my legal career. What was my next challenge?”

Her long-established sense of community helped guide her. She felt that BGC and the people within shared this quality.

“It’s a matter seeing the importance of giving back to the communities that you serve and Brookshire’s has and continues to,” she said. “That’s the only reason I left a very good law practice to come over is because they had the same core values. Brookshire’s looks at every community they work in and wants to be a significant contributor.”

Her position as EVP, chief people officer/legal encompasses a variety of responsibilities that include people and culture: benefits, compensation, partner relations and development; communications and community involvement; risk management (general liability and workers’ compensation), asset protection and safety. In addition, she is the lead legal counsel for the company. “I wear a lot of hats,” she said.

When Brad Brookshire brought Jones on, the company was looking for a catalyst of change. “I think that Brad brought me in to help to continue to develop our culture and our people to make this a great place to work,” Jones said. 

One of the biggest additions to the culture within BGC is the Partner Care Fund. 

“I’d have to say it was one of the best things we’ve done since I came to BGC. We’ve been able to help so many people. It’s just been amazing,” she said. 

Jones continues to work toward the betterment of BGC and its partners, appreciating the challenges the grocery industry brings.

“I think that’s one of the driving reasons behind me making the switch,” she said. “When Brad talked to me about his job, I knew I needed a new challenge because my whole world had kind of changed. But it was a long and great time in life and I’ve enjoyed having the challenge to distract me from the sadness of [the kids leaving home]. And it has really kept me young. 

“It has been a great challenge to further my career later in life. I look forward to this whole new career…I know the future is going to be exciting.”

For more information, visit brookshires.com.

To read the full special section on Rosemary Jones from The Shelby Report, click here.

The post Core Values Drew Veteran Attorney To Grocery Retailer appeared first on Shelby Report.

In that same vein, Brookshire Grocery Co. also prides itself on being a pillar of the community. Perhaps it’s no surprise then that the company and Jones, its EVP, chief people officer/legal, have been such a great fit over the past six years. 

Jones’ previous career as a private practice attorney in labor law had established her among Tyler’s leaders. Through the years, she has held leadership roles in many professional and civic organizations. 

“She was always involved with our education and human resource committee,” said Henry Bell, president of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. “She was involved in human resources most of her career before she went on to Brookshire’s HR.”

Bell, who has known Jones for about 25 years, has immense respect for Jones and her dedication to the community. Her passion professionally and civically is obvious.

“Besides being involved with us, which has her involved much with the local community, she was involved in other various activities. I would say many were business education related…she never stops working,” Bell said. 

“When I work with volunteers, I work with some who will provide leadership and then some who are what I call ‘grunt workers,’ who will be out on the front lines setting up things. She runs the full game. There isn’t any doubt about the level of commitment that she has. She’s very tenacious.”

Much like Bell, BGC CEO Brad Brookshire had known Jones long before she came to work for the grocery chain. To him, it was a bit surprising when the previous head of HR recommended Jones as her successor. When Jones came aboard, Brookshire wanted her help to shift the culture within the corporate office. She began with small changes, such as making the work environment more relaxed. 

Along with the culture shift, Jones had a hand in creating or adjusting many programs within BGC. Within her first year as EVP, she helped revamp the benefits program, which saved the company an estimated $3 million. 

Then, while attending a risk management meeting with the company’s board of directors in December 2019, the idea of a pandemic policy surfaced. The policy in place at the time was outdated. Fast forward a few months and an actual pandemic hit. 

“It was like the Lord was opening my eyes to that area,” Jones said. “We had pulled that policy out and we had already begun hearing about COVID-19 coming. We thought, ‘Wait a minute. We should really start getting ahead of this.’ We put in a lot of time, money and effort into developing our procedures for handling COVID. Brad and the whole executive team were so supportive…we were pretty much ready to go when it hit.”

Jones and the rest of the executive team made the quick decision to provide COVID pay to their partners. That included sick leave, appreciation pay and other bonuses. 

“She was a big advocate for that,” Brookshire said of Jones. “She and the rest of the executives wanted to make sure their partners were covered.”

According to Jones, BGC and the Brookshire family have always been big supporters of their people and giving back to the community.

“They make a big deal about giving back to the communities where we serve,” she said. “And it is a priority for us to give back in our communities. I’m just one of many that serve out in the community.”

The company made a nearly $33 million investment in employee wages throughout the pandemic. At the same time, BGC confronted many of the same challenges – supply chain woes and labor shortages – that the grocery industry at large is facing.

To combat this, Jones and her team held hiring events throughout the pandemic to bring aboard new partners, according to a September 2020 article by The Tyler Morning Telegraph. 

In February 2021, while still in the throes of the pandemic, Winter Storm Uri knocked out power and made roads impassable across much of the state. But that didn’t stop Jones or the rest of BGC. 

“We had four-wheel drive pickup trucks with about 40 leaders and family members loading and delivering products such as milk, bread and eggs to help stock our stores,” she said. “There really was a sense of pride that you walked away with, knowing you work with such people in a company that cares so much about its customers as well as their employees.”

Also during the pandemic, BGC’s Focus on the Future scholarship campaign provided $1 million to help establish scholarship endowments at dozens of colleges and universities in the company’s market area. Scholarship recipients don’t have to be connected to BGC in any way. They just need to meet academic and community-centric requirements.

Alternatively, the Dollars for Scholars Scholarship is the company’s internal scholarship program for partners. And it’s not the only form of employee aid that Jones has helped establish since joining BGC.

When she was first brought on, the company asked her to “look into” establishing some form of employee assistance program. Set up in 2017, the Partner Care Fund has helped many employees as they deal with natural disasters, serious illnesses and family deaths. 

Partners can contribute to the fund via payroll deduction. Fundraisers are also held throughout the year to help support it. Participation is not required to receive grants.

In its first year, the fund raised about $450,000. As of Aug. 1, it stood at $1.72 million, according to Ellen Reynolds, executive communications at BGC. 

Suzanne Vance Osbourn, BGC’s VP, partner relations and development, noted one instance in which the fund helped an employee whose home was destroyed by fire.

“We’re very proud to be able to help because your heart hurts…we were able to immediately help,” she said. “And that’s for everybody. If that happens to any employee, they can immediately get some support.”

She explained further that it is “just the culture” that Jones has helped create. “That is something we do at BGC. It’s really about that culture, that community. It’s really just about helping people.”

The fund is managed through a partnership with the United Way of Smith County as a 501c3. Contributions to the Partner Care Fund are tax deductible. Jones said it’s one her proudest accomplishments – and one that was not accomplished alone.

“It’s not me. So many others deserve credit…it’s the goodwill of the partners who want to help each other,” she said. “You see the lives that we’ve touched each year. During our year-end review, we tell those stories…the lives that we have been able to help and change with it. It’s phenomenal. It’s something that we’re really proud of.”

Jones is part of many other community outreach and charitable organizations. Within BGC, that includes the Heroes Flight program, which has flown more than 500 military veterans, mostly from World War II, on two-to-three-day trips to the nation’s capital. She also volunteers at company events, including BGC’s epic FRESH 15 road race in Tyler. 

In addition, Jones helps with the company’s Community Kitchen, a program that responds to natural disasters with bagged ice, bottled water and hot meals for those affected.

“Brookshire Grocery Companies is a marquee company here in Tyler. It’s just a great hometown success story,” said Scott Martinez, president and CEO of the Tyler Economic Development Council and CEO of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. “Brookshire is such an important part of our community and within the business world and involved with so much within the community…our new conference center is named after Mr. W.T. Brookshire. It’s a hometown company and the community appreciates them.”

Along with the accolades from Tyler, Jones’ efforts have been recognized inside and outside the company. Most recently, her work to establish the company’s partner-first culture resulted in BGC being certified as a Great Place to Work for the third consecutive year, based on employee feedback in an anonymous third-party survey. The company was one of 25 large companies featured on the 2022 Fortune Best Workplaces in Texas and one of only 15 large companies featured on the 2020 Fortune Best Workplaces in Retail list. 

In 2018, Jones received the Louise Brookshire Spirit Award, which honors women in company leadership who demonstrate the namesake’s “qualities of integrity, professional work ethic, service to partners, high level of energy and unwavering loyalty to Brookshire Grocery Company.”

“The Louise Brookshire Spirit Award – I will tell you that was probably the highlight of my career just because I know the Brookshire family,” Jones explained. “And to hear Brad talk about his grandmother and the behind-the-scenes role she played in the business. It was just an honor to even be associated with someone like that.”

Jones was previously recognized by Shelby Publishing as a 2021 Woman of Influence. In the special section for honorees, she advised up-and-coming professionals to work hard, respect others and stay true to their values. 

“Success comes at the right time for those who make it a priority to develop others rather than focus on their personal career growth,” she said.

Jones specifically mentioned that women can achieve anything if they commit to doing the “hard work it takes to achieve great things.”

Coming from the legal ranks, she had become accustomed to working within a male-dominated field. But that never stopped her, and she hopes that by continuing to work with the community both within BGC and beyond she will be able to open new opportunities for more people.

“We now have good, new diverse candidates moving up through the ranks,” she said. “People don’t all of a sudden just go from a manager to an EVP or a CEO or something like that. But there are many opportunities here and throughout BGC and the industry that will continue to bridge that gap.”

For more information, visit brookshires.com.

To read the full celebratory section of Woman Executive of the Year, click here.

The post Six Years In, Jones’ Impact Has Been Immediate, Far Reaching appeared first on Shelby Report.

As humble as she is accomplished, Jones is quick to defer credit for the honor. “I’ve got a team. I work for the best boss. I work with the best executive group and with the best people under me. It takes all of us. It’s not Rosemary Jones that has done it all. I’m here to be this kind of spark,” she said.

“It’s the people around me that make it happen. And just to know that you can make a difference. It’s those partners’ lives. We have to stop and think about how many people’s livelihoods depend on us. And do we make them want to come to work and enjoy work and think highly of their company? You won’t reach every employee. I’ve learned that. But to have a majority or even have the people you work with say that you make a difference, it’s very touching.”

In a special section below, we celebrate the career of this Texas native, longtime attorney and former educator.

The post BGC’s Jones Named Southwest Woman Executive Of The Year appeared first on Shelby Report.