Susan Young
Sometimes change can be difficult for employees. As Lead Master Trainer, Susan Young taught gas bar operators to use the new system that was implemented when Sobeys bought Safeway. This work was soon followed by another round of training when an agreement between Safeway and Shell was inked. “I learned the new system in Calgary and it became routine,” said Susan. “To sell it to the gas bars, I explained it in the best possible light, focusing on the positives.” It was a busy time in the region, with Susan juggling her duties at the gas bar while training more trainers who could implement the new system, and also doing training herself in stores. “They could relate to me because I’m a gas bar operator too,” said Susan. “Susan’s background in training and managing employees made her an ideal candidate to take on the challenging role of learning and teaching a completely new system,” wrote her manager. “Susan knows her stuff and she shares her time and talents willingly.”
Sara Yule
As a manager, Sara Yule is the type of boss who inspires loyalty from her employees. She treats other people as well as she wants to be treated. “Always be warm and welcoming, keep confidential information private, and everybody has to be trained well; if it’s not done right it’s on me,” she said. When training employees, she’ll either give them the answer to a question, or ideally ask what they think and let them give her an answer. “I want to empower them to do their best without a lot of direction from me,” she said. “I give them the tools, they just have to use them.” After 32 years with Sobeys, Sara is still proud when former employees come back to thank her for their training. “Take those values with you wherever you go,” she said of her former colleagues. “Sara is amazing at her job,” wrote one employee. “She allowed me to grow as a person, gain confidence, and feel welcomed and comfortable in my workplace.”
Stephen Sheridan
After 43 years at Safeway and Sobeys, Stephen Sheridan will soon retire to focus on doing volunteer work in his community. “I have loved my career at Sobeys, they have taught me to give back,” he said. As the lead of his store’s charitable activities for 25 years, Stephen’s team has raised money for equipment at a Calgary hospital and supports the Green Shirt Day initiative to raise awareness of organ donations. As a recipient of a donated organ he was proud that Sobeys took on the cause. His proudest achievement was the recent Special Olympics drive, which saw his store raise $8,800, making them the top store in Alberta and No. 2 in the country, thanks to some friendly rivalry amongst the stores. Along with charitable work, Stephen loves to give back on a personal level. “My cash register is a place where people come for a smile, to be recognized, and they can confide in me. Treat customers like family or you won’t get that repeat business.”
Michael Pirillo
Being honest and real with customers comes naturally to Michael Pirillo, and with his passion for food, he finds it enjoyable to engage with people over products and their shared experiences. One day he saw that a customer had the new Sobeys flatbreads in her order and he commented that they are great for making pizza. The customer was impressed by his personable manner and ability to engage her in conversation while still efficiently processing her order. She wrote in a letter to his manager that “Mike has a courteous demeanour, a gift in building relationships with his customers and making them feel truly special and important.” For Michael, Always Place the Customer First means always catering to a customer’s needs, and paying close attention to detail. “It allows me to engage with them better and it feels more authentic.” “My Sobeys is a second home, a place where I feel like I have another family and feel engaged in the community as a whole,” he said.
David Platt
David Platt is the type of leader that every organization should have. As Director of Operations, his primary responsibility is to help others advance. “It’s no different than all the people I’ve worked for who took an interest in me and helped me advance my career,” he said. Now a 30-year veteran, David started at Sobeys loading groceries into the trunks of cars when he was 17 years old, and he has worked his way up. “Dave is definitely a great leader. Not only does he lead by example but he chooses to lead from behind and put others in front,” read the nomination letter for his Value Champion award. “He’s always there to lend a hand and his tell, show, do’ approach is one that all employees respect.” For David, Get it Done with Passion and Integrity means treating everyone with the same level of respect that he expects from them. “It humbles me to work for a company that encourages people like Sobeys does,” he said.
Heather Ross
Interacting with customers is an important part of the job for Heather Ross, and after 28 years she still looks forward to going to work every day. She noticed that a long-time customer hadn’t been in the store for a few months, and when the woman returned, she looked frail. She confided to Heather that she had left her job to care for her husband who was battling cancer, and was later diagnosed with the disease herself. Heather told her to call if she ever needed help, saying “you’ll never be a bother,” and for a few months now, Heather has been using her lunch break to take groceries to the customer. “It’s touching to have that connection with a customer who is now a friend,” she said. “Sobeys cares about the food they’re placing on the shelves,” said Heather. “That’s important to me as a worker and a customer; I’m proud of the products we serve people, that’s the food I serve my family too.”
Michelle Rousson
As a small town pharmacist, Michelle Rousson knows her patients, and they know her too. People remembered her father who worked for Safeway for many years, and some even remember her grandfather. “It has always been a close-knit family feeling working for Safeway, and there’s a sense of trust,” said Michelle. “My patients know if they come to me for advice on drugs or general health questions, they know I’ll give it 100 per cent. That trust is integral to doing my job as a pharmacist.” That sense of pride in her work served one patient well when he handed over a complicated prescription that didn’t seem right. MIchelle checked with the patient’s medical team, and discovered that the doctor wrote the prescription based on an old patient record. “If she hadn’t caught the error, the consequences could have been severe,” wrote her colleague’s nomination letter. “I grew up in Prince Albert, and it’s my home. Being able to contribute back is important to me,” said Michelle. “My Sobeys is caring.”
Jennifer Schmalz
After years of working alone on the road as a sales representative, it’s quite an adjustment to start working in an open- concept office, but Jenn Schmalz is a natural at being part of a team. With experience working with physicians, pharmacies, and offering continuing care, she was able to offer both practical and emotional support to a colleague whose family was suddenly faced with a life-altering situation, and she continues to do so nearly two years later. “She has been a light in a time of darkness,” wrote the woman who Jenn now sees as a surrogate daughter. “She works every day with the most genuine, kind, and positive demeanour. She is motivating, inspirational, and just a phenomenal person.” For Jenn, meeting people is the best part of the job. “I genuinely care about people, and if I say I’ll do something, they can depend on it,” she said. “Being open and warm in my interactions is who I am. I’m transparent, what you see is what you get.”
Nathan Schoenfeldt
For Nathan Schoenfeldt, interacting with customers is the best part of the job. He loves working with the Reach Foundation, teaching struggling young adults to cook healthy meals for their families. “Delivering excellent customer service is one of my favourite things to do,” Nathan said. He had the opportunity to put his passion for customers to use when a customer named Claire spotted him in the kitchen. She was creating a cookbook of her mother’s beloved recipes for her siblings and wanted to include a well-worn handwritten recipe that was missing its title and instructions. Nathan said he could help, and asked her to return later that day. When she did, he had decoded the mysterious cake recipe, added suggestions for improvements, and had also baked it for her to sample. “I was almost in tears as the last time this recipe was produced would have been when my mother was well and at home baking,” she wrote in a letter. “We were all thrilled.”
Colleen Seaward
The special request at the deli counter was a lobster sandwich with mayo on two slices of white bread with butter. If that’s what Colleen Seaward’s customer wants, that’s what he gets — especially if he’s 90 and reminds her of her own 87-year-old father with his big blue eyes. “I felt a connection with Fred,” said Colleen. “It was a small request, but we developed a relationship, it has been going on for about four years now.” For Colleen, customers are the best part of the job that she’s had for 33 years. “Make eye contact, make them feel welcome, greet them with a smile, and make sure they have a happy experience and leave satisfied,” she said. With most of her large family living outside of the province, she appreciates her Sobeys family. Her store manager and co-workers wear pink and take photos with pink roses on rare disease day to help her honour a tragic loss. “Having their support makes it very rewarding to work here.”
