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As we continue to grow our #omnichannel merchandising strategy for the future, we are excited to announce the promotion of Jennifer Scott, MBA to director of merchandising acceleration. In this new position, Jennifer will direct, consolidate, and integrate best practices for The GIANT Company to ensure successful merchandising programs. In addition, she'll work closely with other Ahold Delhaize USA brands to accelerate #merchandising processes and approaches that advance scale, funding, and procurement efficiency. Jennifer joined the company in 2012 as a sourcing manager supporting our merchandising team. She then moved into a category manager role, where she created a comprehensive strategy for breakfast and baking products. Most recently, Jennifer has been the lead on various special projects for our omnichannel merchandising department. Jennifer, we're so proud of you and look forward to watching you grow through this new opportunity - congratulations!
Today, at the 106th Pennsylvania Farm Show, we announced a $1 million donation to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in support of its new Center for Advanced Agriculture and Sustainability. Located in the heart of downtown Harrisburg, the GIANT Center for Advanced Agriculture and Sustainability will make cutting-edge research, education, career pathing in sustainability, controlled environment agriculture, and clean water initiatives possible. “The GIANT Company’s transformative gift will enable Harrisburg University students and faculty to become a national leader in developing advanced agriculture and sustainability solutions,” said Harrisburg University President Dr. Eric Darr. “We are thrilled to partner with The GIANT Company to identify challenges and implement efficient, sustainable, and action-oriented solutions for our agricultural community.”
As we kick off a new year, we're excited to welcome Parag Shah to The GIANT Company as vice president of omnichannel merchandising center store. Parag is an experienced commercial leader with more than 20 years of experience at Wakefern Food Corporation. He most recently served as vice president of grocery DSD and specialty grocery. At The GIANT Company, Parag will be responsible for managing and developing a merchandising strategy for the grocery, dairy, frozen, general merchandise, health and beauty care departments. In addition, Rebecca Lupfer, who has served as vice president of center store for the past three years, is starting a new adventure as she joins our customer experience leadership team as divisional vice president of the Mid-Atlantic. As we complete the transition to self-distribution in partnership with our sister company, ADUSA Supply Chain, Sepideh Burkett will move into a project role to lead this critical initiative as vice president of distribution operations.
For our first Meet a Team Member Monday of 2022, we're shining a light on Stephen O'Holla, M. Ed, SHRM-CP. Hardworking and loved by many, Stephen started his journey with The GIANT Company as a service assistant and cart pusher at our Hazleton location in 2000. After growing through new opportunities throughout our stores and support office, Stephen is currently the Human Resource Business Partner for E-Commerce. With his team's kind words and his passion for helping others, it's no surprise what Stephen's favorite part of his role is. "Hands down - mentoring team members and seeing team members get promoted to new roles! My personal purpose is to build solid teams in our stores and make our team members BELIEVE in themselves. I want to bring out the best in them, and I like to see them grow from a part-time team member into a leadership position – stepping out of their comfort zone and achieving their dreams." Stephen – you are a friend, mentor to many, and truly one of a kind. Thank you for the positivity and dedication you bring to the table every day.
We're now accepting applications for our 2022 Summer Internship Program. We're hiring for nearly 50 positions across our retail operations, e-commerce facilities, perishable distribution center, pharmacies, and support office, and we'd love to welcome you into The GIANT Company Family! Our dynamic 11-week program provides one-of-a-kind learning and development opportunities, including a blend of on-the-job learning, virtual training, opportunities to connect with company leaders, volunteer events, and many other development activities to fuel your future career. But don't just take our word for it; hear what Eli Georges, former intern and current Assistant Store Manager of Center Store at our Perkasie, PA, GIANT, has to say. "Shadowing talented leaders who coached and supported me throughout gave me a first-hand view of our responsibilities and how to fulfill our promises to our customers and team members." Interested in interning with us? Visit our Careers page and click on Support Center Careers to apply: https://lnkd.in/dc2rsXB
Throughout December, our team members donated 3,000 hams across 14 food banks and food pantries in four states, making it easier for families to share a meal around the table this holiday season. Team members also volunteered, packing hunger relief boxes and organizing and restocking shelves. “As our hunger relief partners work tirelessly to assist individuals and families seeking support, which often increases during the holiday season, we want them to know they aren’t alone,” said Jessica Printy Groves Groves, community impact manager, The GIANT Company. “We are proud to join them to help brighten the holidays and ensure families in need throughout our local communities can come together for a special meal.” Thank you, team, for showing what #ForTodaysTable is all about!
Innovation is essential to our work in connecting families for a better future, so we can't think of a better honor than to be named The Griffin Report of the Northeast's 2021 Retail Innovator of the Year! From our ever-evolving approach to omnichannel retailing to meet the needs of our customers to how we continuously invest in the development of our team members and the work they do to how we make a difference in the communities we proudly serve, we embrace and celebrate innovation in all that we do. Innovation has gotten us to where we are today and will power us as we look toward our exciting future. Team, thank you for your innovative spirit, hard work, dedication, and forward-thinking, which have earned us this incredible recognition. Congratulations!
Today's grand opening of Food & Family at Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia has been 18 months in the making, and we could not be more delighted by how this exhibit captures the essence of The GIANT Company's purpose of connecting families for a better future. We are deeply committed to bringing families together – and to the table – for meaningful connection. Food & Family does just that, and it is our sincerest hope that this newly reimagined exhibit – with The Shopping Market, The Kitchen, and The Festival – will spark generations of families to come together around food, learning, and play.
Now open at 8th and Market, our biggest GIANT Heirloom Market, located in the heart of Philadelphia's Fashion District! At 32,000 square feet, it is truly something to be treasured, as the store is in the historic 1928 building that was once home to the city's iconic Strawbridge & Clothier department store. We restored several of the original interior design elements to honor the beloved business, including the chandeliers and the famous "Il Porcellino" wild boar statue. Pro tip: if you visit, be sure to rub its nose for good luck! During today's grand opening celebration, Store Manager Nicholas Meyer said, "Our Fashion District location is the perfect blend of Philadelphia and the very best of GIANT Heirloom Market. I know I speak for the entire team when I say we could not be more excited to open the doors and finally show what we've been up to."
For this Meet a Team Member Monday, say hello to Bryan Beck, category manager of seafood! Bryan has been a part of The GIANT Company team for over 20 years. Below, he shares how he connects families for a better future through his personal purpose. Q. Tell us about your career path. A. I started at The GIANT Company 20 years ago, working part-time in the seafood department. I was fortunate to grow through new opportunities, working my way through salaried management positions and eventually becoming a store manager. The GIANT Company has always been a place where you can achieve the career you want if you work Q. What does For Today's Table mean to you? A. For Today's Table means that no matter what your table looks like, where it is, or who's sitting around it, we have the privilege and responsibility to make our customer's meal-time easy, healthy, and enjoyable. If we can take a step out of the process and give our customers more time to spend with their families, we provide an invaluable solution for our busy customers who simply want to spend quality time with their loved ones.
