Jane Mashford
Jane comes to work each day ready to serve. She routinely comes out from behind the ice case to talk to customers, offering information on seafood and cooking instructions. And sometimes it’s simply to say hello or help people find an item in the store. “I always place the customer first,” she says. “I like people and enjoy interacting with them. I have met all kinds of interesting people from all walks of life.” Being named Seafood Operator in the Niagara Falls store is one of Jane’s proudest moments in her career, and it shows. Not only does she create a pleasant shopping experience for shoppers, her positive performance is reflected in the sales numbers, which have increased in her department and in the store overall. “Be kind to people, be honest and always do your best in whatever you do,” she says.
Lloyd McLean
Lloyd works hard to support his co- workers, helping them to do their best every day. “I’ve had nothing but the most wonderful experiences,” says Lloyd. “We have some of the best people I’ve ever met working for this company.” But it’s not just his co-workers who Lloyd looks after. His wife’s goddaughter Reese developed leukemia at less than a year old and after a grueling battle, the little girl was declared cancer-free. Lloyd knew he wanted to mark her journey in a meaningful way so he and his wife cycled to raised money for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “We averaged over 165 kilometres every day for 13 days, from Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto to the IWK in Halifax to her home in Pictou. We took no days off, just like Reese.” “I strive to be my best every day,” says Lloyd. “Being your best doesn’t mean being perfect. It means having no regrets and leaving the world a better place.”
Casey McRae
Casey is knowledgeable about his products, has a passion for serving, and believes in treating others as you would want to be treated. During one shift, a customer approached the deli counter and Casey acknowledged the person while finishing with another customer. “I felt important as he noticed me and took the time to let me know that he knows I am there. Being acknowledged as an individual is very important in creating fully-engaged customers,” the customer wrote in a glowing letter. “His ability to provide excellent customer service set the bar for a fully engaged employee who cares about their customers and 100% puts them first.” Casey says treating customers with respect is not only good for business but a good way to approach life. “I believe as an employee we have a much bigger role to play in society than many of us believe. Just being human goes a long way.”
Marie-Hélène Michaud
For Marie-Hélène Michaud, her customers and colleagues are the best part of working at Sobeys at Champlain Mall in Dieppe. “Always place the customer first. I simply love people and like treating them the way I like to be treated.” She applies that philosophy to her day job as assistant bakery manager, and to the volunteer work she and her fellow Sobeys team members do for their community. Sobeys joined Moncton Headstart’s Chocolate for Charity three years ago, and according to her colleagues Marie- Hélène has been a huge part of planning and preparing for the successful event, where local companies create delectable desserts for donors. “We create bite-sized little desserts, in the hundreds, and it’s something different each year,” she says of the yummy event, which drew 350 attendees to Casino New Brunswick this year. “It’s a chocolate or dessert buffet; how could you not want to be a part of that?”
Simon Letendre
From his first day on the job at Sobeys, where all of his coworkers were welcoming and put him at ease, teamwork has been important to Simon. He was part of a team that worked together to create a new automated centre from scratch, and he’s proud that his employer implemented their ideas, and as a result the new facility was up and running in six months, far ahead of schedule. “This was definitely a wonderful experience from a professional point of view.” Teamwork in the community is also important to him. He is a youth soccer coach for several teams, and enjoys sharing his knowledge and instilling good values and discipline in young people, as his parents did with him. He has also taken courses to improve his coaching techniques and participates in a student-athlete program for fifth and sixth graders, becoming not only a soccer coach, but a life coach for children too. His motto is “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”
Seong Min (Joe) Lee
Concerned about the growing opioid crisis, Joe wanted to use his skills as a pharmacist to make a difference in his community and province. He worked with the Ottawa chapter of St. John Ambulance to give training on how to to use the Naloxone Rescue Kit, a vital drug that saves those who are overdosing. The positive response he received after training more than 70 first responders led the Director of St. John’s Ambulance Ottawa region to recommend Joe bring his Naloxone Rescue Kit training program to other parts of Ontario, including Cornwall and parts of the Greater Toronto Area. Joe is one of four Canadians who has received the St. John Ambulance’s Priory of Canada Award this year for his opioid awareness sessions and for facilitating the distribution of naloxone kits. “I want myself and my workplace to be a positive force and influence in the communities that we serve,” says Joe.
Dominique Lapierre
In one of his final journal entries, a famous American hiker named Christopher McCandless wrote that “happiness is only real when shared.” This is Dominique Lapierre’s motto, which she takes to heart in everything she does. Since joining the Sobeys team more than three years ago, Dominique has really connected with her colleagues. From her warm, dynamic, and fun personality to her dedication to her work, she has proven time and again that her word is her bond. She leads by example, is always eager to learn, and is forthright yet diplomatic by nature. Straightforward and personable, Dominique is the embodiment of what it means to truly be yourself and to share your joy in what you do with those around you. “Dominique is an authentic, motivating and sincere person and to work with her every day is a great pleasure!”
Margaret Langille
With her outgoing and down-to-earth personality, Dietitian Margaret Langille is gaining fans and literally changing lives with her 10-week Diabetes and Weight Management Program, which has been offered three times and has had full attendance each time. “This program was life changing!” wrote one attendee. “Just wanted to let you know that your classes are having a huge impact in my life.” “It’s so rewarding,” Langille says. “Not everyone is willing to change their behaviours. So to have someone come to the class, and come repeatedly, and be very willing to learn… lo and behold they have a positive return on their investment.” She says the accolades are nice, but she’s more thrilled to hear that people are truly getting the messages she imparts in the diabetes management classes. “It means they’re adding to the longevity of their lives,” Langille says. “It’s a dietitian’s dream.”
Laura Lafrance
She’s still in school where she’s actively involved, but Laura is already passionate about her work. “It is really important to do quality work, to give of myself and to become engaged, … It is really important to be satisfied with what I have accomplished.” Working with customers, helping coworkers, and making a difference in her community are how she defines her core value, and it hasn’t taken long for her passion to be noticed by others. “I truly enjoy working with all the people I interact with here, and admire their devotion to the food business and their work. I also really appreciate that Sobeys truly encourages young people’s success with scholarship programs,” she says. For Laura, her job is much more than a workplace; it is a warm human experience, and what she receives, she gives back. She lives her motto, “be the change you would like to see in the world.”
Clayton Juss
Pharmacist Clayton Juss was filling in at a Safeway store in Red Deer when he was called to help a customer who required immediate medical attention. He determined that the customer was in the midst of a drug overdose, so he quickly grabbed a Naloxone kit and administered the medication to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Thanks to Clayton’s quick actions, the customer regained consciousness and was transferred to hospital. “It felt good,” he said of his ability to help the man, who later returned to the store to thank them for saving his life. “In the moment, I didn’t really think about it. I just did it,” he says. “It was nice to know the training and knowledge we have can come into use even when it’s not needed on a daily basis.” He says customer service is a top priority for pharmacists who are often seeing people when they’re not feeling their best. “The betterment of their health is my most pertinent priority.”
