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Women of Influence in the Food Industry 10TH EDITION
me at arents guilty hts or vel. I o have who pursue es ined our but it uilt of
son that hired me for Brookshire’s and pushed me outside of my comfort zone in order to enhance my career and make me a better person and employee.
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?
ounger
sturize Evdding. Don’t Once ething, e.
MICHELLE ELLIOTT
Brookshire Grocery Company Years with company: 25 Current position: Category Manager - Baking & Coffee
Education degrees, professional/volunteer organizations: AA, Behavioral Science, Kilgore College BBA, LeTourneau University MBA-LeTourneau University
Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career? Gene Walker. He is the per-
I am proud of the fact that I started in this company as a sacker in our retail stores and have been able to work my way to category manager. I have learned many valuable lessons along the way and the knowledge that my journey has given me is something that cannot be taught but must be experienced in order to be effective. The defining moment of my career was the day I was named one of the first category managers for Brookshire Grocery Co. BGC did not implement this business process until 2008, and to be part of this incredible change and new beginning for our company was a proud moment for me.
The Griffin Report of the Northeast
February 2015
my way every day. My job is very rewarding, but there is a lot of hard work and prioritizing that has to take place in order to be effective. A CM (category manager) wears many hats, so just staying on top of everything while keeping up with the changing trends of shoppers can be overwhelming at times.
Advice for upcoming younger executives: My advice is, if you want an education and have been putting it off, go and pursue it now. I regret waiting so late in my career to complete my MBA, and I feel that education is extremely important. I would also stress patience and learning all that you can about the industry by volunteering to take on extra job duties.
SIMONA FARONI
What are you most proud of in your career achievements? Do you have a defining moment of your career to date?
G.S. Gelato and Desserts Inc. Years with company: 18 Current position: Co-founder Education degrees, professional/volunteer organizations:
Hobbies:
Bachelor’s, Accounting and Business Management, Italy Participates in several local nonprofit organizations
I enjoy spending time with family and friends and am always open to a new adventure.
Who are your mentors and how have they assisted you in your career?
Most challenging part of your job? The most challenging part of my job is juggling all of the multiple issues, daily tasks, deadlines, etc., that come
my greatest mentors, even before I realized it. Throughout my life they have shaped my character, taught me the importance of personal integrity and instilled in me very important core principles that truly defined who I have become as a woman, a wife and entrepreneur. My husband is my business partner. His bursting energy is contagious. He is my mentor and he teaches me patience.
I think that my parents were
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The confirmation that in life, when you believe, all things are possible. With such a credo, you move mountains. Starting GS Gelato from a zero-dollar, zero-cents company and growing the company to the size it is today would be my most proud achievement. Coming to the United States without knowing English, in a market that did not know gelato, was a tremendous challenge. But my husband and I had this burning desire to grow G.S. Gelato, and we put our heart and soul into the company. Since 1998, the company has seen double-digit growth every year. Through
all odds, we are living our American Dream. But what is most important is that we could not do any of this if we did not have fantastic people believing in us and working hard to succeed.
Most challenging part of your job? In today’s market, the biggest challenge is to stay innovative and always be projected in the future, reacting fast to the continuous market evolution and consumer demands.
Advice for upcoming younger executives? Never give up on your dreams. Sometimes it is easier to view difficulties that arise in life as failures and not as opportunities for growth. The other very important element I would like to mention is “passion.” The love for the path that is chosen is the fuel that ignites everything and the strength to succeed through moments of doubt and difficulty.
Hobbies: I find peace in running. I also enjoy cooking, gardening, reading and traveling the world.
Roche Bros. congratulates
Maggie McLaughlin & Aimee Morgida on being honored by
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Both chosen for their highly visible contributions to our industry, their professionalism and the awareness they have generated for the potential of other women in our industry.
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