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Home >> Profiles of Success >> Director of Operations >> Wayne |
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Wayne |
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Director of Operations
"Get involved with the process from the ground up and work hard. This is the kind of company that rewards people for working hard."
 | Why did you join Macy's Logistics and Operations and why have you stayed? | |
Initially, I applied to Bloomingdale's in New York as a Christmas hire, but after they looked at my resume, they decided to hire me to work full time in Newark. I was always intrigued by Macy's, Inc. I had shopped in Bloomingdale's before and I liked its energy and excitement. I thought it would be a great place to work and from there I never looked back. Coming in when I did, I had the opportunity to be involved with the inception of the logistics division at Macy's, Inc. I like the fact that you have unlimited opportunities to move up and advance. You can go as far as your abilities and your talents can take you, and that's a big reason why I've stayed.
| What do you enjoy most about what you do and what are your overall job responsibilities? | |
I am responsible for the operation of a return center. We process un-sellable merchandise for four divisions of Macy's, Inc.: Bloomingdale's, Macy's Florida, Macy's East and some of the Macy's South stores. Any merchandise that is damaged or that the stores can't sell is sent back to us. We process it and send it back to the vendors. It's very challenging and there is always something different happening. I enjoy working with the dedicated people we have here in the building who really take pride in what they do. They look to me to lead them and I find it very rewarding to be a part of that.
| What contribution do you make to your division and how does this contribute to the company's overall success? | |
We have a huge contribution to the division. We clear inventory for the stores which allows the merchants to purchase new merchandise. Without us taking care of the process, the merchants can't buy new merchandise and sales suffer. I help make sure we are meeting our objectives each month. We must ship out a certain amount of merchandise each month in order to relieve stock. My job is to make sure that we're doing everything we can to meet expectations from our division customers.
| What has been your most memorable moment since joining the company? | |
I went on a business trip to Los Angeles to help a return center transition between directors. I was gone for two weeks and when I returned I found my staff had balloons for me and posters saying "Welcome Back" and "We Missed You." Everyone on the team signed them. That was a real special moment for me.
| How has the training you've received since joining the company benefited you? | |
The training has definitely helped me become a better manager. We have training classes that take you away from your day-to-day operations and put you in a classroom to teach you how to manage better and improve your people and communication skills. We've also had training on Six Sigma which really helps you analyze the business more efficiently. It gives you the tools you need to look at the facts instead of relying on your gut feeling to come up with solutions to your problems. When you analyze the data, it shows you where the problem is and what the solution is.
| Is community involvement important to you, have you been involved in any projects in your division and was this something you considered when joining the company? | |
Community involvement is very important. I've always believed that you should give back and help people that are less fortunate. Macy's Logistics and Operations does a great job of doing that. Here, we have the Partners in Time program, the Bag Hunger program as well as all kinds of games and events that raise money for various charities. We also prepare food for the Ronald McDonald House, which I find very rewarding. When we go there and feed folks food that they don't normally get, it touches you. Just to see the excitement on their faces is a real joy. I didn't really consider community involvement at the time I joined Macy's, Inc. but once I saw what they were doing, I really got on board with it.
| What do you like best about your work environment? | |
I like the fact that it's a casual atmosphere. The people here are friendly and everyone has a good time at work. We are all on a first-name basis with each other including senior management. This is something that is very different from other companies that I've worked for, where you had to wear a suit and tie every day and call upper management by their last name; it was a real stuffy environment. The way Macy's Logistics and Operations treats people and encourages a casual atmosphere fosters a better working environment. I think there is more creativity at a place like this and we're more productive because of it.
| What personal interests/hobbies do you have and how do you balance them with your work? | |
I love to travel. What's great about my job is I get to travel on business and I like to extend my business trips into vacations. I also like photography and health and fitness. Macy's, Inc. offers programs that help you in various aspects of your personal life. They have financial advisors that come in and talk to you about your personal finances. The company sponsors different groups to come in and talk about life situations and how to handle them.
| What advice would you give to a new employee joining the company in a position similar to yours? What helped you establish yourself and move ahead with your career goals? | |
Don't try to change the world in a day. Get involved with the process from the ground up and work hard. This is the kind of company that rewards people for working hard. What helped me was the fact that I was able to learn different facets of the business. I interacted with other aspects of the business to get a good working knowledge of other pieces and how they can be incorporated into what I do. It expanded my base knowledge so I was able to operate outside of what I normally do.
| What do you see in the future for Macy's, Inc. and specifically for Macy's Logistics and Operations? | |
I see tremendous growth potential for Macy's, Inc. We are one of the best retail companies out there in terms of the people and the talent that we have. Macy's Logistics and Operations keeps Macy's, Inc. on the cutting edge of technology and because of that we are going to help grow the business even more in the coming years.
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