Retail Student of the Year

Elizabeth Early has been recognized as the Retail Student of the Year for 2022-23. As a senior at the University of Florida, her goal was to give back to the school that shaped her into who she has become. Elizabeth admits that as a freshman, she had no idea where her studies or skills would take her, but what was always apparent was the endless support that was offered not only by UF, but by its people. As she experiences her final year as a student, Elizabeth hopes to be a resource for those who are growing personally and professionally by sharing wisdom she gained from her experiences.

Elizabeth is a marketing student, pursuing both a bachelor’s and a master’s in the Combination Degree Program. Within her time as a business student, she was introduced to the Miller Retail Center and the endless opportunities within retail. Her curiosity for the industry led her to a pivotal professional experience this past summer, working as a Corporate Marketing and Planning Intern at Dick’s Sporting Goods. There, she gained a hands-on experience in retail and the strategies that are used to market products to consumers. This internship greatly influenced her career goals, and she is ecstatic to return to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to work full-time at following her graduation in May 2023. Her love for retail grew tremendously through this experience and has motivated her to accept the offer from Dicks Sporting Goods.

Elizabeth currently serves as a member of the Miller Retail Center’s Student Advisory Board and as a Campus Captain for Dick’s Sporting Goods. Working on the Retail Center’s Student Advisory Board has allowed her to share her story and passion for retail to both professionals and students. As a Campus Captain for Dick’s Sporting Goods, she is able to share her experiences at Dick’s Sporting Goods for students who wish to pursue a similar career or opportunity.

Innovation and Competitiveness Go Hand in Hand

Today Tom Goden, director of pharmacy and retail operations at Walgreens Co. came to speak to students in MAR 2290, Sears Holdings Retail Leadership Seminar. He spoke about how being an innovator allows Walgreens to be competitive not only in the physical drugstore space but also in other, less obvious, spaces. Walgreens has been making many moves in the healthcare provider arena like teaming up with VillageMD to bring primary care practices to expand high-quality healthcare. Innovating to create the myWalgreens credit card allows consumers to get rewards but leads the company to compete in the banking space and with other retailers that offer credit cards. Walgreens has undertaken many efforts to bring Walgreens to consumers including partnering with DoorDash to offer 24-hour same-day delivery. Goden detailed the ways Walgreens is there for their consumers in hard times, such as helping import baby formula during the formula shortage, selling hearing aids for a fraction of the cost, and the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. As a company focused on helping communities stay healthy, Walgreens is very focused on giving back to the community with HIV testing, Red Nose Day, and offering hurricane relief. Tom Goden stressed the fact that it is important not to fear change and that changing and innovating is how Walgreens stays competitive.

Gator Uses Extensive Retail Experience to Strategize for Nestle

John Foster is the Global Category Leader for Cereals and Grains for Nestle for Nestle. He manages a budget of over 4 billion dollars annually and responsible for creating and implementing strategy for buying of materials for companies and brands across the globe. He uses his vast knowledge to innovate new ways to save Nestle money when implementing their strategy and increase their margins. Best of all, John was a Gator and attended the Miller Retail Center while here at UF. John visited students via Zoom (as he is based in Panama City, Panama) to speak on the topic of supply chain and procurement and how it relates to retail. With Thanksgiving just passing, he referenced the foods we all love to eat as examples of some of the products he oversees. For example, Libby’s Pumpkin Puree is a Nestle product that John oversees. This product is an entirely seasonal as 60% of their sales occur from September-December. John gave insight into the processes for a procurement and buying team. With puree being so seasonal, John emphasized the importance of forecasting in keeping the supply at the desired amount for the demand. He explained that after the forecast, the teams communicate the future needs with the farmers and work to ensure the quality of product. John strategizes for procurement, and he works to balance the demand and quality of product while also creating a plan to keep costs as low as possible. Risk management is a huge part of the strategy. John must stay current regarding all the different occurrences in the world to stay ahead of problems that could affect Nestle. For example, when Russia invaded Ukraine, it shocked the supply chain, because these countries support an enormous supply of grains. John’s extensive retail experience enables him to manage the strategy for Nestle as these events affect the supply chain.

Student's Journey to Macy's

Tell us about your experience at UF

Emily Bally is a Business Administration, History, and Women’s studies senior at the University of Florida. At UF, she has been president of the Florida Women in Business for 2 years, where she has created a supportive environment for women in business. She has also collaborated with other organizations inside and outside the Business school such as the Business College Council (BCC) and the Gator Diplomats. Emily currently serves as the Head Teaching Assistant for the Legal Environment of Business course.

Can you tell us what your flow of thinking that drove you into a career in retail?

I started at the University of Florida as a Pre-Law student and in my junior year decided I wanted to explore the business side of things and did not want to be a lawyer. I was open to anything and finding experiences that would shape my career and find something I would like. I signed up for the Retail Center’s emails with information on internships and recruiting events, so I decided to actually act on them during the spring of my junior year. The Florida Women in Business organization also helped me to work on myself professionally, personally, and as a leader, so I got mentorship from my peers at the organization. My first recruiting event was the Retail and Sales Mixer where I was introduced to multiple retailers, and with the help of my peer and the FWIB’s VP of Marketing, I was encouraged to approach the Macy’s recruiter.

What is your best accomplishment/tell us about your internship! What stands out about it?

I was part of the Buying Internship for Macy’s at the New York City corporate office. I was able to explore 3 different areas: buying, pricing, and merchandising. We were asked to choose what type of product we were interested in and I put preference on clothing and shoes. At the beginning of our internship, we were given retail math quizzes to show our expertise and be placed in our corresponding team. Everyone on the team handles and represents the brand while the buyer makes the ultimate decision. Most of the internship was analyzing sales, and performance in the last seasons and working on forecasting for present and future sales. We were able to go to vendor buying meetings, look at potential products and build grids (closets) on how the products would look at the store. It was a great hands-on experience with a lot of shadowing and working on group projects. Our team worked on creating a new fashion strategy, competing with different teams working on the same project. We proposed creating a men’s petite brand and ended up winning the group competition!

Why Macy’s and what made you accept a returning offer?

Macy’s offered so much flexibility and growth. I was able to work with different departments and be part of interdisciplinary teams. The Buying team was great and invested in my professional growth. My manager would meet weekly with me to discuss progress and receive feedback. I was happy with Macy’s supportive environment, and they made sure we had a good time during our summer internship. We attended Yankee games, seminars, and presentations from executives, attended a meeting with the CFO, we were able to see the holiday collection with different showrooms around the store. Overall, it was a pleasure going to work and having different experiences. During the recruiting process, Macy’s was also casual but professional. I felt very comfortable sharing my experiences and having conversations with recruiters. I was also able to see that flexibility at work where we were able to dress smart casual, but professional enough to express myself through clothing.

Any advice to young professionals looking for enriching opportunities such as yours?

Joining a professional community on campus helps build confidence and connections. It’s important to seek advice and ask people about their experiences. Also, after attending a speaker or recruiting event, make sure you follow up and express your interest by connecting on LinkedIn or sending them an email. If you are interested in a career in retail, take retail classes that will help you introduce yourself to the industry. The Retail Seminar class is a great way to meet recruiters in a casual tone.