Extend Your Aisles with Walgreens.com

What sells when, where and why
Page 14
November/December 2006
WORLD
What
Women
Want Page 2
Extend Your Aisles
with Walgreens.com
Plus a Special Holiday Discount for You
See Page 11
E D I T O R ’ S
N O T E
Let her shop, let her shop, let her shop
M
y wife, Rachel, and I are the yin and yang when it comes
to shopping. It doesn’t matter what store we’re in – I cruise
through checking items off my mental shopping list and,
when I’m finished, she’s still browsing in aisle one.
Our weekly trips to Walgreens are no different. The other
day, we stopped at our neighborhood store at 1225 W. Dundee
Road in Buffalo Grove, Ill., and separately hunted down what
each of us needed. Within seven minutes, I was ready to check
out. Rachel, meanwhile, was still in cosmetics. That’s before she
migrated to the greeting cards and spent 10 minutes browsing
for just the right one.
OK – so I shop quicker than she does. But at the end of our
recent trip, her basket had more items than mine and rang up at
double the dollars. From a retailer’s standpoint, she’s a gold mine.
Like many women, Rachel buys the majority of our kids’ diapers
and clothes, plus our groceries, cleaning supplies and gifts, especially for Christmas. And on every trip she makes to the store, it’s
likely she’ll spend at least a little more than I would.
Businesses are waking up to the buying power of women –
Walgreens included. In our cover story on page 2, we find out what
women want from Walgreens and how you can go beyond our
everyday convenience and make our stores more female friendly.
Trust me, we don’t want to lose sight of all the guys out there, but
it’s important to know women have different retail attitudes and
perceptions than the Y chromosomes of the world.
So try to take a few cues from women who are in your store this
season. And if you find a good way to be more female friendly,
share your secret with Walgreen World by e-mailing or writing us.
In the meantime, we wish everyone in our Walgreen family very
happy holidays.
Our typical shopper
Gender
Female
Age
Front end: 55 or older
Pharmacy: 35 to 44
Average median income
$48,000
Work week
Employed full time
Household size
2 to 4 members
Lifestyle
Empty nesters
Maturing families
Education
High school graduate
or some college
Sources: AC Nielsen, IRI, Walgreens Consumer
Research Survey
Brodie Bertrand
Editor
Walgreen World is published six times a year by Corporate Communications for Walgreen employees, retirees and their families.
On our cover
Lenore Doering, a working parent in Mound,
Minn., is like most moms who hit the pavement
during the holidays to shop for their entire family. This year, Walgreen World is showing her
our hottest gift items to check off her list. In
return, she clued us in on what women really
want from Walgreens. On page 2, read Doering
and other family members’ remarks about how
we can better meet the needs of our 75 percent
female customer base.
Editor
Write to Walgreen World
Brodie Bertrand
Mail Stop #2166, 200 Wilmot Road,
Deerfield, IL 60015, or e-mail
[email protected].
Still want to know more about
Walgreens? Check out our Web
site at Walgreens.com.
Managing Editor
Angela Dahman
Writers
Moriah Cummens and Iris Iglarsh
Editorial Assistant & Translator
Julia Ayala
Design
Photograph by Rick Peters
Bob Zeni & Associates, Inc.
Be proud!
Walgreens has been No. 1 in the
food and drug industry on Fortune’s
Most Admired Companies list for
eight consecutive years.
C O N T E N T S
November/December 2006
Volume 73
Number 6
“By asking everyone, ‘Is there
anything I can help you with?’
you build trust with regular
customers and let potential
holiday shoplifters know
you’re watching them.”
– Jose Rodriguez, MGT
in Marina Del Rey, Calif.
Jean Cheatham,
a service clerk
in Chicago
16
13
10
2 The power of her purse*
Women spend more than men at Walgreens. But it takes
the right mix of speed and service to make sure they open
their purses in your store.
5 Everything you wanted to know about
the holidays
Test your Walgreen holiday trivia with this seasonal quiz.
6 The saintly store in St. Joseph
Like Santa, our store in St. Joseph, Mo., was full of
surprises and goodwill last Christmas.
9 Our woman in Washington
Debbie Garza speaks out on behalf of pharmacy and
Walgreens on Capitol Hill.
10 Endless aisles
Your store can sell contact lenses, camcorders and
motorized scooters. Learn how to offer these items to
your customers through Walgreens.com.
13 Think shrink
Here’s how to protect your shelves from Christmas thieves.
14 Merry merchandising*
Promoting a product in the right place at the right time
takes skill and good research. Here are six examples of
how to do it.
Odds & ends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Service awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Retirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16
17
19
21
21
*Selected articles from Walgreen World are available in Spanish on the intranet. On StoreNet or WalNet2, store users click News>En Espanol (under Publications).
Pharmacy staff click Non Rx first.
*Artículos seleccionados de Walgreen World están disponibles en Español en Intranet. En StoreNet o WalNet2, entrar en News>En Español (bajo Publications).
Personal del recetario favor entrar primero a Non Rx.
Walgreen World November/December 2006
1
The
Power
of her purse
Three out of four Walgreen customers
are female. Here are some ways you can
serve these women better.
“W
hen I shop at Walgreens, I usually
go in for only one thing and end
up buying a lot more,” says Lenore
Doering, a working mom in Mound, Minn.
She’s not alone. Women spend 20 percent
more than men per trip to Walgreens. And
while they make up a little more than half of
the U.S. population, they’re responsible for
the majority of household purchasing decisions. That includes more than 80 percent
of all healthcare, over-the-counter health and
beauty, and food and beverage decisions.
It also makes good business sense to pay
close attention to our female shoppers because
they’re the bulk of our customers – close to
75 percent. However, only 3 percent of their
annual multi-billion dollar spending is done
at Walgreens, so we have plenty of room for
growth. And there’s no better time to win
women over than during the hectic holidays.
Company’s coming
Basic outs are bad news
Shopping has been scientifically proven to
make people feel good because it activates
the brain chemical dopamine, which is
associated with feelings of pleasure and
satisfaction. Dopamine is released when
people are excited, like when they find a
great deal. But stressful holiday crowds, long
lines and empty shelves can instantly turn a
delighted shopper into a frustrated one.
“In-stock conditions are one of our top
complaints, especially from women,” says
Ehlers. “That’s because women usually look
for a specific item and won’t change brands
just because we’re out of that product. Preventing basic outs is one way to really make
a difference for the female customer.
“If you do run out of something, it’s important to make every effort to satisfy the shopper,”
she continues. “One option is to offer to
obtain the items from another store.”
The clock is ticking
It’s no secret: When it comes to shopping
habits, most men and women have entirely
different styles. “I just like to get in and out,”
says Lynn Doering, Lenore’s husband. “But
Rick Peters
First impressions can be a deal breaker. And
for female customers, cleanliness counts.
“Even though I’ve moved further away, I
keep going back to my old Walgreens because
it’s a nice, bright place,” says Louise Blackard,
Lenore’s mom and a regular shopper at 10180
Hennepin Town Road in Eden Prairie, Minn.
“Clean floors are the most important to me,
but I also like neat displays.”
Studies show women are more likely than
men to choose a store based on cleanliness.
“Keeping floors and restrooms clean is part of
overall good service,” says Lisa Ehlers, Store
Operations vice president. “Women are sensitive to these things, especially in areas with
food products, such as coolers and freezers.”
2
Walgreen World November/December 2006
Este artículo está disponible en Español en “StoreNet.”
This holiday season, consumers will spend $450
billion on gifts like the ones being unwrapped
by family members of Lynn Doering (standing),
EXA in Shakopee, Minn. To get our share of that
spending, we’ve got to knock the socks off our
female customers by focusing on cleanliness, full
shelves and fast and friendly service. From left to
right are Doering’s daughters, Kaytee and Allison;
his mother-in-law, Louise Blackard; Lynn; and his
wife, Lenore.
Checking her list
Here are our suggestions for holiday shoppers this season.
She’s got a list, and she’s checking it twice to make sure she’s picked up the perfect present for each person in her
family. Walgreen World got a sneak preview of this year’s hot holiday products, so we helped our busy mom shop
by suggesting the gift items below. You can offer the same suggestions to your customers.
Mom
Dad
Grandparent
Teenager
Child/pre-teen
• Dr. Scholl’s toe-touch
foot spa
• “Deal or No Deal”
card game
• Florasense fragrance
candle
• Home Elements red
top, glass candleholders
• Old Spice travel bag
gift set
• HoMedics kneading
shiatsu massager
• Living Solutions iPodcompatible clock radio
docking station
• HoMedics mini
massage-on-the-go
massager
• Zeno acne device
• Teddy bear plush toy
my wife never quits shopping, even after she’s
bought an item. I don’t have the patience to
bargain shop the way she does.”
This difference translates into opportunity on
the sales floor. “Every customer has an internal
clock telling them how much time they have
to spend in your store,” says Barry Zins, Store
Operations vice president. “So the faster you can
help them find what they’re looking for, the more
time they have to browse for impulse purchases.”
Stacie Hull, consumer research manager in
Corporate Strategy, explains how this applies to
the female shopper. “People like to accomplish
their errand first, whether it’s picking up a prescription or buying an ad item. Afterwards,
women are more likely to browse until their
time runs out. They may or may not buy something extra, but they definitely won’t make an
impulse purchase if it takes them too long to
find what they originally needed.”
Friendliness matters
Of course, nothing says you care about a female
shopper more than providing top-notch customer
service, especially in the middle of a holiday
4
Walgreen World November/December 2006
shopping rush or when she’s picking up a medication for the first time.
“My initial trip to a store might be for an advertised item, but if I enjoy the shopping experience,
I’ll go back,” says Lenore Doering, the Minnesota
working mom. “For me, a good experience is
getting what I want without a lot of hassle.”
One of the main reasons customers switch
pharmacies is because of a bad incident, and
more than half cite rudeness as the culprit. Since
customers who use our pharmacy spend 23
percent more on front-end merchandise than
those who don’t pick up a script, paying attention
to everyday etiquette behind the counter is an
easy way to earn points.
But good service pays off throughout the
store. “The gal at the cosmetics counter where
I shop always recognizes me and greets me,”
says Blackard, the grandmother in Eden Prairie,
Minn. “If I can’t find something, she’ll get it.
I’m no spring chicken anymore, so it helps when
someone can do the extra running around for
me. And it’s nice to know I’m not just another
face in the crowd.”
– Angela Dahman
anted to kno
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abo
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E
he olidays
We won’t spoon feed you the
info, but you can test your
knowledge of Walgreen trivia
with this seasonal quiz.
8. Last year, we sold enough wrapping
paper to cover:
a. Rhode Island
b. Pennsylvania
c. Ohio
d. Both “b” and “c”
1. Although we’re not a big-box store, we’re the
No. 5 U.S. retailer of which great gift category?
a. Clothing
b. Small appliances
c. Toys
d. Both “a” and “b”
5. How will this year’s Black Friday sale
be different?
a. We’re considering calling the day “Green Friday”
or “Golden Friday.”
b. We’re extending our sale from seven to eight hours.
c. We’re asking people to eat less turkey.
d. Both “a” and “c”
Anni Betts
6. Why did we make this change?
a. We like even numbers.
b. We learned that people flocked to Walgreens later
in the day, after they had bought big-ticket items
at other stores.
c. The seventh hour of last year’s sale had the highest
customer count and was most profitable, so we
decided to extend the sale during this prime time.
d. Both “b” and “c”
10. Chainwide, we sold enough giant Hershey
Bars during last year’s 7 Hour Sale to provide
two candy bars to every resident in what city:
a. New York City
b. Los Angeles
c. San Francisco
d. Flower Mound, Texas
7. On what day during last year’s holidays did
we sell the most prescriptions?
a. Black Friday, Nov. 25, 2005
b. The Monday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 28, 2005
c. Christmas Eve day, Dec. 24, 2005
d. The Monday after Christmas, Dec. 26, 2005
– Iris Iglarsh
3. A
4. A
5. B
6. D
7. B
8. D
9. D
10. C
3. What is already the No. 2 most profitable
line of men’s personal care products
we sell?
a. Men’s Zone
b. Red Zone
c. Blue Man Group
d. Alpha Male
4. Why is the day after Thanksgiving called “Black Friday”?
a. This is a common retail term referring to a high sales
and profit day when many retailers aren’t “in the red”
(losing money) but “in the black” (making money).
b. It refers to the day the stock market crashed in 1929.
c. People are in bad moods because their tummies
are stuffed with too much Thanksgiving turkey.
d. None of the above
Answers:
1. C
2. D
2. For digital photo needs during the holidays
and all year-round, we’re the only retail drugstore in America where customers can . . .
a. Order prints online and pick them up at any
store within an hour.
b. Use our online service to choose any store
location in the United States or Puerto Rico
where they can pick up – or have their friends
and relatives pick up – prints.
c. Check their computer screen immediately after
placing their online order to see the actual time
the prints will be ready for pickup.
d. All of the above
9. As the No. 2 retailer of candles,
we sell more candles than:
a. Target
b. Wayne’s Candle Emporium
c. Santa’s workshop
d. All of the above
Walgreen World November/December 2006
5
The
Saintly store
St. Joseph
in
Last December, employees in this Missouri store
more than made it onto Santa’s “nice” list.
Michael R. Marks
Secrets and surprises are part of the holiday tradition in St. Joseph, Mo. Through
four different projects, employees here banded together to spread the holiday
spirit to their community and to each other. From left to right are Nadine Clark,
Lisa Bauman, Chris Meek, Joan Krumme, Wanda Studer, Alexis Bremer, Annette
Swett, Jeff Daul, Sandi Stone, Julie Schock, Wendy Stewart and Chrissie Davis.
W
ith your own presents to buy
and wrap, plus the extra traffic
in our stores, it’s easy to get
a little frazzled by the time Dec. 25 rolls
around. But ultimately, the holiday season
is much more than huge sales at the register,
wrapping paper, gift sets and packed
parking lots.
At stores around the country, December
is about spreading the holiday spirit to others.
Each year, Walgreen employees donate time,
money, food and gifts to help the needy.
They visit nursing homes and dress up as
Santa Claus. And they almost always pitch
in when other employees need assistance.
It’s part of our company’s tradition to
spread holiday spirit to the community and
co-workers. Here’s how the store at 2620
S. Belt Hwy. in St. Joseph, Mo., managed to
do it last year with almost limitless generosity.
Community counts
It began with a newspaper article about the
number of needy families in the area who
hadn’t yet been “adopted” for the holidays.
“We all felt like we wanted to do something,” says store manager Julie Schock.
“Individually, though, none of us could
afford to adopt an entire family.”
But together they could. Every employee
in the store contributed – by purchasing gifts
or donating money – to check items off one
family’s wish list.
“I wanted to do something because I’ve
been blessed with a good job and can provide for my family,” says pharmacist Kristy
Pate. “It’s the season to spread a little cheer.”
The store even threw in stocking stuffers
and a gift card so the family – a single
mother and her two teenage sons – could
enjoy a special Christmas meal. Then,
everyone donned Santa hats and reindeer
antlers to personally deliver the gifts.
“The family was very gracious and kept
thanking us,” says Schock. “It’s hard for
people to reach out and ask for things like
this, so I’m glad we could help.”
But the compassion didn’t stop there.
At home on Christmas morning, Schock
received a call from MGT Jeff Daul, who
told her a Salvation Army representative was
seeking last-minute toy donations.
“The district office was closed, so I
couldn’t offer our regular gift card donation,” says Schock. Instead, she gave the
Salvation Army permission to spend about
$60 of her own money on toys.
When employees found out the next
morning, they pitched in to offset the cost
to Schock. “I told them it wasn’t necessary,”
she says. “They’d already given so much, but
they wanted to give again. I wasn’t about to
break the sprit of sharing.”
Secret Santas
As the store was reaching out to the community, they were also taking care of their
own. Two days after adopting the local
family, employees learned that a fire had
destroyed service clerk Wendy Stewart’s
home. Stewart and her husband, Randy,
were safe, but they had lost almost everything, including all the Christmas gifts
they’d purchased for their grandchildren.
Although the store had already committed
to the first family, they began a second –
but secret – collection.
“We didn’t want Wendy to know, but
we wanted to do something to get her family through this tough time,” says Schock.
“After holding a secret powwow to see what
could be done, we dug deeper and found a
little extra to help her out.”
Employees managed to present Stewart
with household supplies to clean up salvaged
belongings and gift cards to replace damaged
presents. Stewart and her husband – and her
grandchildren – were grateful for that extra
bit. “It felt good that the store cared enough
to look out for us,” says Stewart.
Deck the barracks
Meanwhile, there was one more secret being
kept in the store. Employees were putting
together a Christmas care package to send
to store manager Julie Schock’s husband,
Joe, who was stationed in Iraq.
Joe’s Christmas wish was a photograph
of snow, so head photo specialist Lisa Bauman had Julie and employees pose outside
in a blizzard. They sent the picture and
some of Joe’s favorite candy to Iraq.
Julie didn’t find out about the secret
project until Bauman asked for a mailing
address. “They put so much in there that
Joe was able to share with his whole work
area,” says Julie.
Joe’s home now, and the store is planning
another season of giving. “We’re definitely
adopting a family again,” says Julie. “It’s such
a good way to give back to the community.”
As for this year’s holiday secrets in St. Joseph?
Santa’s not telling.
– Moriah Cummens
Has your store caught the spirit of giving? We want to hear from individuals or entire stores that demonstrate Walgreens holiday
spirit. E-mail your story to [email protected] or visit StoreNet or Walnet2 and search for “As Read In,” then click on “Holiday
Spirit.” If your story does have spirit, we may feature you next year.
30 minutes to save Christmas
Customer service is in season year-round.
But on Christmas Eve, it can make you a holiday hero.
’
was the night before Christmas, and the store at
570 U.S. Highway 287 in Broomfield, Colo., was
closing in five minutes. EXA Ryan Taber was set to lock
up and head home until he found himself in a position
to play Santa Claus for one family.
“The store was pretty mellow,” says Taber, now at
10390 Federal Blvd. in Federal Heights, Colo. “I was
facing products on the shelf when the phone rang, and
the lady on the other end said she had an emergency.”
The customer hurriedly explained her holiday
dilemma: While wrapping presents that night, she and
her husband inspected the box that was supposed to
contain the most important item on their daughter’s list –
a CD player purchased from another retailer. But when
they opened it, the couple discovered someone had stored
cleaning supplies in the box instead of the CD player.
“The customer was frantic,” says Taber. “She asked if
her husband could stop by to purchase a new one.”
Taber was happy to oblige. “I told her I’d keep the
store open long enough for them to drive here and pick
out a new CD player,” he says.
So, Ryan Taber spent the first half-hour of Christmas
Day in the store waiting for the family. When the woman’s
husband arrived, he looked at the EXA and said, “Man,
you just made a little girl’s Christmas.”
That’s all the thanks Taber needed. “It made my night,”
he says. “A lot of customer service goes unnoticed, so it was
8
Walgreen World November/December 2006
David Muenker
T
If the Grinch stole Christmas for one little girl, Ryan Taber brought
it back. This EXA kept a store in Broomfield, Colo., open late and
made her holiday wish come true.
great to be thanked for helping someone. If I was in that predicament and needed something important at the last minute,
I’d want someone to do the same for me.”
Our woman in
WASHINGTON
Debbie Garza is our voice
in the halls of Congress.
W
hen you walk into Debbie Garza’s office – whether it’s
in Washington, D.C., or at Walgreens headquarters in
Deerfield, Ill. – you feel like you’re watching an episode
of “The West Wing.” There’s the hustle of setting up meetings with
senators and lobbyists and the bustle of preparing talking points on
some of the hottest issues in Washington.
But this is Garza’s real life. As our director of Government &
Community Relations, she and members of her team pound the
pavement at the Capitol and statehouses to promote the value of
pharmacy. Here’s what she has to say about her job.
Walgreen World: How did you develop your passion for pharmacy?
Debbie Garza: I joined Walgreens 22 years ago as a high school
student working in cosmetics. One of my first store managers noticed
I enjoyed taking care of people and talked to me about pharmacy
school. Soon after, I enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin.
After graduation, I became a pharmacist and an active member
of local pharmacy associations. I began to see firsthand the benefit
of advocating for pharmacy through these organizations. In 2003,
I was elected the first female president of the Texas Federation of
Drug Stores and became even more enthusiastic about the opportunity to impact the future of pharmacy.
WW: How did that position propel you into the national scene?
Stores and as the Walgreen liaison to the state board of pharmacy,
the company asked me to move to Washington, D.C., as part of
a two-year project with the National Association of Chain Drug
Stores (NACDS).
This was when Medicaid reimbursement and Medicare prescription insurance issues were heating up. My job was to educate
lawmakers about community pharmacy so they’d keep our needs in
mind while drafting new legislation. As director of Government &
Community Relations, I still do very much of the same thing.
WW: Does your work in government relations affect our stores?
DG: Yes! The U.S. government foots a chunk of the bill for medical
costs in this country and influences the rest. So legislators must
understand how our pharmacies add value to the healthcare system.
That’s why I look for every chance to bring legislators – especially
those on committees that affect the pharmacy industry – into our
stores to see how our pharmacists counsel patients, ensure drug compliance and help decrease healthcare costs through increasing generic
utilization. So far, we’ve had nearly 20 U.S. Members of Congress
visit our stores. Bringing legislators face-to-face with our staffs is the
best way to demonstrate the value of pharmacy in America.
Walter P. Calahan
DG: Because of my experience with the Texas Federation of Drug
From the red zone to the Beltway
Debbie Garza’s Walgreen experience gives her credibility to
work with America’s top legislators on healthcare issues.
1984 Joined the company as a beauty advisor in Austin, Texas
1989 Worked as a pharmacy technician while in pharmacy school
1992 Became a pharmacist after graduation
1994 Promoted to pharmacy manager
1995 Promoted to Austin district pharmacy supervisor
2003 Became director of healthcare relations in Pharmacy Services
2005 Promoted to director of Government & Community Relations
– Iris Iglarsh
Walgreen World November/December 2006
9
When our cyberworld meets our brick-and-mortar stores, our
customers are happier. Dalana Arrington (right), pharmacy
technician in Pittsburgh, can order items from Walgreens.com
for customers who need products not found in our aisles.
Walgreen World November/December 2006
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L
ess than 10 years ago, Walgreens.com was in its infancy.
Visitors could only surf for jobs until 1998, when the
Web site started to accept prescriptions for in-store
pickup. Then in 2000, we launched our online store
with 13,000 self-serve items. But the business came
slowly – the first few weeks generated only about 10 orders a day.
Today, Walgreens.com is bustling with activity. It offers more
than 28,000 items – 5,000 that you wouldn’t find in a typical
Walgreens. That includes products ranging from wheelchairs to
jewelry, exercise equipment to global positioning systems,
baby furniture to contact lenses. A team of 70 people keeps its
double-digit sales growth steady, and thanks to their hard work, our
Walgreens.com online revenue has tripled over the past three years.
We took a closer look at how our dot-com business operates and
how its services can benefit stores.
Photo: James A. Lee Illustration by Steve Connell
AN E-STORE
Running a Web site may seem like a different operation than a brickand-mortar store, but it’s not. “We act like a store,” says Rudy
Kucera, divisional merchandise manager in E-Commerce. “But our
space is virtual, not physical. We merchandise products on a page,
watch inventory and distribution, and offer customer service to
online shoppers by quickly responding to questions and concerns.”
And like our stores, Walgreens.com is in the midst of its busiest
season. “While the stores have Black Friday, we have Cyber Monday,”
says Kucera. “People rush to the Web the Monday after Thanksgiving to purchase what they didn’t buy over the weekend.”
On top of products, our Web site offers a multitude of services,
such as digital photo, pharmacy and information on the company
and jobs. It also contains a wealth of healthcare education. Last year,
the health content – now in English and Spanish – quadrupled to
include articles, illustrations and animations on everything from
fitness to career burnout. This content can also be a resource for
our patients who want more information on their medications,
illnesses and diseases.
STEERING THE DIGITAL PATH
A Google search for “drug store” will certainly pull up our Web site,
but we don’t rely solely on Internet search engines to attract customers. In fact, we advertise on major sites, including Google, Yahoo,
MSN, AOL, Oprah.com, theknot.com and babycenter.com.
But one of the best marketing tools is our own Web pages.
“Our typical customer comes to Walgreens.com for pharmacy,”
says Michelle McDonald, marketing manager in E-Commerce.
“So we try to highlight our other products and services on the
pharmacy pages she visits.”
Online customers spend an average of nine minutes on our Web
site and peek at 11 pages. Thanks to high-tech tracking systems,
we know what they look at during that time. And one of the most
interesting findings comes from search patterns.
Create your own cards for half the price
Walgreens.com is offering an exclusive 50 percent discount for all
Walgreen employees – plus their family and friends – who place an
online order for photo greeting cards from Nov. 2 to Nov. 22, 2006.
To receive the discount, visit www.walgreens.com to design
your own greeting card with a personal photo and message and
enter coupon code WW2006 at the checkout screen. Employees
who pay for the cards in the store can receive an additional 15
percent discount. And yes, it’s OK to share the above coupon code
with family and friends. But don’t wait – this deal ends the day
before Thanksgiving.
Walgreen World November/December 2006
11
“One of the top search terms on Walgreens.com is ‘condoms,’”
says McDonald. “That shows us that our online customer wants to
shop us discreetly. We’re a drugstore, and everyone knows we sell
these items in our stores, so they expect to come to Walgreens on
the Web and find the same thing.”
The same is true for educational content. “People go online to
learn about problems they don’t want to talk about,” says Carol
Lezak, health content manager in E-Commerce. “Sexual wellness
articles show up in the top 50 stories visited. Diseases and conditions are also popular, and pregnancy information is at the top of
the list on our Spanish Web site, WalgreensEspanol.com.”
Jeff Amberg
A STORE’S BEST FRIEND
Walgreens.com isn’t just for customers. Employees such as
Sheila Dukes (left), a pharmacist in Columbia, S.C., purchase
products like wheelchairs at a discount from Walgreens.com.
In-store purchase,
online service
One employee finds our online home medical
products a perfect solution for her grandma.
S
heila Dukes was raised by her grandma, Lee Dempsey. But 40 years
later, the roles have switched and Dukes is now the primary caregiver for her 88-year-old grandmother.
Today, the two spend a lot of time together when Dukes isn’t working
as an overnight pharmacist in the Columbia (S.C.) district. “We get our
hair and nails done and go shopping around town,” says Dukes. “But
Grandma has spinal stenosis and can’t walk far without being in pain. It’s
difficult for her even to go into the mall and buy a blouse.”
That was before Dukes saw an ad for a transport wheelchair in our
circular. “I’d looked at medical supply stores, but then I realized I could
purchase these products in the store through Walgreens Web site –
with an employee discount,” says Dukes. “The chair was shipped right
to the store, so I could pick it up at work. Now, we go everywhere. And
because the chair is so lightweight and mobile, we can maneuver in and
out of aisles easily and fold it to fit in my trunk.
“It’s exciting to think I can get these items from Walgreens even
though they’re not in the stores,” continues Dukes. “My grandma is so
fun-loving, but she doesn’t get any younger, so I’m sure I’ll purchase
more of these products in the future.”
WalgreenWorld
World November/December
November/December 2006
2006
12
14 Walgreen
More than 215,000 customers visit Walgreens.com on an average
day. But only a third actually place an order. That’s because the
majority of online shoppers use the Internet for researching products and prices, then end up making their actual purchase offline
in a retail store. That’s a huge benefit for our stores, which also
receive 90 percent of Walgreens.com overall revenue via prescription and photo orders. Our online photo center alone generates up
to 20 orders a day for some stores.
But the folks in E-Commerce believe there’s a lot more potential for stores to use Walgreens.com. By offering to order products
online for customers through our in-store ordering program, stores
can extend their aisles virtually and give customers more options.
That’s what’s happening at 10707 Frankstown Road in Pittsburgh,
the No. 1 store in the company for in-store orders since the service
became available last year.
“It’s done a world of good for customer service,” says store
manager Lisa Platania. “A customer may see a wheelchair in our
ad or ask about a nutritional supplement that we don’t sell. We
escort him back to the pharmacy, where the techs have learned to
make it so simple to purchase an online product in the store that
the customer can hardly say, ‘No.’”
“I just ordered an $800 motorized scooter for one customer,”
says pharmacy technician Dalana Arrington. “We do all the work
for the customers and offer to ship the item to our store so we can
demonstrate it before they take it home. If we weren’t able to order
these things, I’d have to send them elsewhere. Instead, we can say
‘yes’ to most customer requests.”
GETTING BIGGER AND BETTER
While the systems for in-store ordering through Walgreens.com
are in place, we’ll make them even better over the next year. Soon,
you’ll have all the ordering information – such as ship date, arrival
date and tracking number – available when the purchase is made.
In addition, Walgreens.com will revamp its pharmacy services by allowing patients to update their insurance information,
build a family profile and have a single sign-on for people covered under our Walgreens Health Initiatives pharmacy benefits
management plan.
Another change will soon show up at your store registers. This
Christmas, our Web site will offer printable in-store coupons to
encourage more shoppers to visit our stores. Since more than a
third of online browsers are new customers, that means you’ll
see some new faces, too.
– Brodie Bertrand
December is the worst
month for shrink. Here
are five ways to reduce
shoplifting while keeping
service at an all-time high.
he holidays are a time for generosity. But unless the
recipient is a needy family, we’re in the business of
selling – not giving away – merchandise. Here are
five tips to help conscientious customers feel welcome and
keep conniving kleptomaniacs at bay.
T
1. Focus on service
Customers love attention, but thieves
hate it, so offer assistance to everyone. Pharmacy staffs can
help by keeping an eye on the sales floor when possible.
2. Communicate ahead of time
Every store alerts management differently, so make sure you know what to do if
you suspect a thief on your store’s premises.
3. Don’t be shortchanged
Counterfeiters and short-change
artists abound during the holidays. Don’t hesitate to call a
manager if you suspect trouble during a transaction.
4. Vendors can wait When you’re swamped with customers and vendors come knocking, simply ask them to wait.
Remember, you’re their customer.
5. Keep the lights on
Extended hours aren’t just for the
sales floor. Managers, make sure you know how to keep
parking lot lights and exterior signage on later.
David Young-Wolff
– Angela Dahman
Jose Rodriguez, MGT in Marina Del
Rey, Calif., prevents shrink and preserves profit during the holidays by
giving all customers more attention.
Walgreen World November/December 2006
13
Merry
Merchandising
Knowing what sells when,
where and why will help you
ring up more holiday sales.
T
he second our aisles go red and green, folks in our
Advertising, Marketing Services, Purchasing and
Results departments stay glued to their computer
screens as they watch the numbers dance. Throughout November and December, we track around 700 items in every one of
our stores so we know what’s selling when and where. The data
is updated nightly, giving us an edge over retailers that don’t
have our sophisticated sales and inventory systems.
Then, at the end of the season, these numbers are sliced
and diced to find the latest consumer trends. The results of
the research are implemented in our buying programs and
Marketing Guide so stores can better capture opportunities
for boosting profit the following year. That’s one reason we’re
an industry leader in seasonal sales, and why we have detailed
suggestions in our merchandising tips. Here are six examples
of products that we watched closely last year, and how you can
make their sales soar higher in 2006.
– Iris Iglarsh
1
Last-minute
Christmas wishes
Boxed Christmas cards used to be top sellers until early
December when sales would start to go flat. Now, people are
busier than ever and will often wait until the last minute to send
Christmas greetings. Today, boxed card sales start building
before Thanksgiving and peak two weeks before Christmas.
BOTTOM LINE: Keep a good selection of boxed cards
throughout the entire season. This is an easy closeout item, and
even if you sell them at a 50 percent discount after Christmas,
you’re still making a profit.
2
Boxed chocolates:
always a classic
Boxed chocolate sales used to peak before
Thanksgiving. But now, because people buy
them throughout the season for parties and
get-togethers, the highest sales peak is the
week before Christmas. That’s when boxed
chocolate sells at four times its normal
holiday volume.
BOTTOM LINE: Make sure you’re well
stocked for last-minute holiday sales. Any
leftovers will easily sell for Valentine’s Day.
14
Walgreen World November/December 2006
Este artículo está disponible en Español en “StoreNet.”
3
Gonzo for
gift cards
Customers adore gift cards because they’re a safe choice
when you’re stumped to find a present. And retailers love
gift cards because they’re highly profitable. Last year,
$40 billion worth of gift cards were sold industry-wide,
and this year sales are expected to reach $75 billion as
this market continues to expand.
BOTTOM LINE: Merchandise gift cards all over the
store. They’re great items to place near single greeting
cards, the front registers and in the seasonal, photo and
cosmetics departments.
4
Dash for photo
greetings
Because we can print photo greeting cards on the same day they’re
dropped off, customers can place
orders with us at the last minute.
But our affiliate photo sites – AOL,
Google and HP Snapfish – can’t
guarantee delivery of holiday
cards sold after Dec. 15. That’s
why 80 percent of those orders
in the second half of December
come directly to our stores,
giving us more gross profit.
BOTTOM LINE: The best time
to promote photo is right after
Thanksgiving. But, because we’re
a nation of procrastinators, be
ready for the last-minute, “only
at Walgreens” rush.
6
5
Deck the store
with holiday clothing
Sweater socks, hats, gloves and stretch
mittens make great gifts throughout the
holiday season. But many stores remove
these items early to make room for the more
traditional red and green merchandise,
such as tree lights, wrap and outside décor.
BOTTOM LINE: If you have room, keep
holiday clothing out with the red and green
merchandise because it will continue to
sell and produce more profit as Christmas
gets closer.
Lip-smacking
profit producers
Lip balms usually aren’t the first
items that come to mind during the
red and green season, but these tiny
products generate huge sales during
the winter months. That’s partially
because harsh, cold northern winters are tough on our lips, but also
because these impulse items make
great stocking stuffers.
BOTTOM LINE: Keep lip care
products on your never-ever-run-out
list. And display them throughout
the store, such as in the manager’s
choice section, the lip care rack on
the cough and cold endstand and
the basic department lip care rack.
Walgreen World November/December 2006
15
O D D S
&
E N D S
AARP + Walgreens = an unbeatable
brand name combo
E
very seven seconds, an American turns the big 5-0. And when
they do, they’re eligible to join one of
the most trusted and well-known senior
organizations in the country – AARP. As
the U.S. population goes gray, AARP’s
membership will explode. And we plan to
be there when that happens.
This September, we announced
an exclusive partnership with AARP to
build our presence among the senior
population. The marketing advantages
are endless, but here are some of the
expected opportunities this partnership
will offer:
• A minimum 5-year contract to be the
exclusive drugstore partner with AARP
• A co-branded logo
• Promotional opportunities in AARP’s
magazine, which reaches millions
• Healthcare programs allowing our
pharmacists to be AARP’s voice on
prescription education
• Internet presence on Walgreens.com
and AARP.org
• Product discounts for AARP members
• A free AARP membership when people
buy $10 of Walgreen brand items.
Watch for more about AARP and
Walgreens partnership in your store.
An abundance of awards
We’ve recently received these impressive honors.
• The best in beauty – Woman’s Day magazine
named Walgreens the Best National Retailer for Beauty
and Health among all national retail chains in 2006.
This publication reaches about one in five women in the
United States and is considered one of the most trusted
resources for beauty advice.
• Real people, real service – Our stores were again ranked the No. 1
drugstore in customer service by the “Real People Ratings” opinion survey
released in early July. The survey was conducted by polling more than
5,000 panelists online.
• Online respect – Walgreens.com was named the Best Retail Web site
for overall usability in the Customer Respect Group’s third quarter “Online
Customer Respect Study.”
• On the road to diversity – Walgreens won the Strategic Growth Award
from INROADS, an organization that pairs Black, Latino, Native-American
and other minority college students with large companies. The honor recognizes our partnership with INROADS and efforts to recruit minority students.
16
Walgreen World November/December 2006
Chicago service clerk Jean Cheatham
is famous among customers, including
a well-known newspaper columnist, for
her ability to do her job so quickly.
It pays to be fast
J
ean Cheatham, service clerk at 430
N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago, works on
one of the busiest streets in America –
Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. And since
thousands of people pop into her store each
week to make a quick purchase, she knows
the key to good service is speed.
But she never expected to be praised for
her swiftness. Chicago Tribune columnist
John Kass is a frequent shopper served
by Cheatham, and in the May 31 paper, he
applauded her for doing her job so well.
“She’s the fastest cashier I know,” Kass
says in his column more commonly devoted
to criticism of public officials. “She makes
change fast. And counts it, out loud, putting
it in your hand, and sweeps the items into a
bag and smiles a fast smile.”
“I don’t know why I move fast, I just do,”
Cheatham told Kass. “People want to get
out of the store. They want to get out of that
line as fast as they can, so I help them. I’ve
always been that way.”
. . . Fun fact . . .
39%
of customers make
unplanned impulse
purchases.
P R O M O T I O N S
Congratulations to these individuals on their recent promotions
Michael P. Abbate has been promoted to a director in Construction.
He joined the company in 1980 as a project manager and was most
recently a senior project manager, both in Construction. Mike earned
a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame, South
Bend, Ind., in 1969.
Matthew G. Dzik has joined the company as a project architect
in Facilities Planning, Design & Engineering. Most recently, he
was an associate architect at HKM Architects + Planners, Inc. in
Arlington Heights, Ill. Matt earned a B.S. in architectural studies
from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, in 1996.
Anna M. Assenmacher has joined the company as a representative in Real Estate. Most recently, she was a development
associate for Rudolph Libbe Properties in Toledo, Ohio. Anna
earned a B.A. in finance from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich.,
in 1999.
Meredith A. Elsesser has been promoted to a market planning
manager in Market Planning & Research. She joined the company
in 2002 as a market analyst and was most recently a senior
market manager, both in Market Planning & Research. Meredith
earned a B.S. in business from Indiana University, Bloomington,
Ind., in 2000.
Thomas Block has been promoted to a market planning manager
in Market Planning & Research. He joined the company in 2002 as
a market analyst and was most recently a senior market manager,
both in Market Planning & Research. Tom earned a B.A. in history
from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., in 2000.
Angela M. Feldman has been promoted to Delaware East district
manager. She joined the company in 1997 as an MGT and was
most recently store manager at 940 S.E. 39th Ave. in Portland,
Ore. Angi earned a B.S. in health science from Ball State University,
Muncie, Ind., in 1992.
Thomas F. (Skip) Bourdo Jr. has been promoted to Delaware
South district manager. He joined the company in 1993 as a
service clerk and was most recently store manager at 3402
N. Central Ave. in Phoenix. Skip earned a B.S. in marketing
from Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz., in 2000.
Helen Fong has been promoted to manager of professional
affairs in Pharmacy Services. She joined the company in 1994
as a pharmacist and was most recently operations manager at
our Mail Service facility in Orlando, Fla. Helen earned a B.S. in
pharmacy from the University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R.,
in 1989.
Sandra L. Carlson has been promoted to manager of circular,
imaging & marketing communications in Advertising. She joined
the company in 1986 as a layout artist and was most recently
manager of circular & imaging, both in Advertising. Sandra
earned a B.A. in fine arts from Northeastern Illinois University,
Chicago, Ill., in 1985.
Zachary L. French has joined the company as senior vice
president of PBM sales for Walgreens Health Services. Most
recently, he was a business development manager for Parson
Consulting in Chicago. Zack attended Roosevelt University,
Chicago.
Michael Carralero has been promoted to Jacksonville East
district manager. He joined the company in 1992 as a service
clerk and was most recently store manager in Cutler Ridge, Fla.
Michael is currently attending the University of Phoenix.
Stephanie R. Gaines has joined the company as a senior
attorney in Employee Relations. Most recently, she was a partner
at Hinshaw & Culbertson L.L.P. in Chicago. Stephanie earned a
B.A. in marketing from Loyola University, Chicago, in 1987 and
an M.B.A. and law degree, both from the University of Iowa, Iowa
City, Iowa, in 1994.
Shannon L. Castellano has joined the company as an attorney
in Corporate & Regulatory Law. Most recently, she was principal
attorney for the Lake County State’s Attorneys Office in Waukegan,
Ill. Shannon earned a B.S. in nursing from St. Mary’s College,
South Bend, Ind., in 1994 and a law degree from Loyola University,
Chicago, in 1996.
Charles L. Goodall has been promoted from director to divisional
vice president of Pharmacy Technology Services. He joined
the company in 1983 as a pharmacy intern. Charlie earned a
B.S. in pharmacy from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.,
in 1984 and a master’s degree in information technology from
Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., in 2001.
Scott M. Chencinski has been promoted from a senior business
analyst to manager of decision support services in Corporate
Strategy. He joined the company in 2005. Scott earned a B.S. in
business management from the University of Illinois, Chicago, in
1988 and an M.B.A. from Roosevelt University, Chicago, in 2002.
Michael G. Handal has been promoted to Sacramento South
district manager. He joined the company in 1993 as a service
clerk and was most recently store manager at 101 W. University
Drive in Denton, Texas. Michael earned a PharmD from the
University of Texas, Austin, Texas, in 2001 and an M.B.A. from
the University of Phoenix in 2004.
Ada B. Colón has been promoted to Puerto Rico South district
manager. She joined the company in 1989 as a service clerk and
was most recently store manager at 65 Infantry & Jesus Fargo in
Carolina, P.R. Ada earned a B.B.A. in finance from Inter-American
University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R., in 1997.
Michael B. Highley has been promoted to St. Louis East district
manager. He joined the company in 1989 as a service clerk and
was most recently store manager at 2020 S. MacArthur Blvd. in
Springfield, Ill. Michael earned a B.S. in pharmacy from St. Louis
College of Pharmacy in 1996.
Brian C. DeMay has been promoted to a Walgreen Co. divisional
vice president in addition to retaining his current title as vice
president of information technology for Walgreens Health
Services. He joined the company in 2005. Brian earned a B.S. in
computer & systems engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute, Troy, N.Y., in 1987.
Nicholas A. Hoskins has been promoted from assistant manager
to manager of home care in Accounts Receivables. He joined the
company in 2001 as an accountant. Nicholas earned a B.S. in
finance from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill., in 2001.
Walgreen World November/December 2006
17
P R O M O T I O N S
Congratulations to these individuals on their recent promotions
Jason R. Kirby has been promoted to a regional sales manager
of PBM sales for Walgreens Health Services (WHS). He joined the
company in 1996 as a dispensing technician at our Mail Service
facility in Tempe, Ariz., and was most recently a senior account
manager of managed care sales for WHS. Jason earned a B.S.
in marketing from Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz., in 1993
and an M.B.A. from the University of Phoenix in 1999.
Erich T. Reutzel has been promoted to manager of corporate
planning in Corporate Strategy. He joined the company in 2002 as
a senior auditor in Audit and was most recently a project manager
of new business development in Corporate Strategy. Erich earned
a B.S. in finance from the University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., in
1999 and an M.B.A. from DePaul University, Chicago, in 2006.
Brian M. LeBlanc has been promoted to Delaware West district
manager. He joined the company in 1985 as a stock clerk and
was most recently store manager at 295 Main St. in Manchester,
Conn. Brian earned a B.S. in retail management from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., in 1991.
Roy M. Ripak has been promoted to a Store Operations vice
president. He joined the company in 1974 as a stock clerk,
became a store manager in 1982 and Illiana district manager
(DM) in 1989. Most recently, he was Miami North DM. Roy earned
an M.B.A. from the University of Miami in 2000.
Theresa G. Madsen has been promoted to a contract manager
of managed care sales for Walgreens Health Services (WHS). She
joined the company in 2005 and was most recently an account
executive of home care sales for WHS. Theresa earned a B.S. in
marketing from Central State University, Edmond, Okla., in 1983.
David P. Royster has been promoted to Portland North district
manager. He joined the company in 1992 as a service clerk and
was most recently store manager at 1900 Wyoming Blvd. N.E.
in Albuquerque, N.M. David earned a B.S. in pharmacy from the
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M., in 1995.
Matthew R. Malloy has been promoted to Greenville (S.C.)
district manager. He joined the company in 1992 as a service
clerk and was most recently store manager at 4000 23rd Ave.
in Moline, Ill. Matt earned a B.B.A. in management from the
American InterContinental University in 2005.
Michael J. Rozmus has been promoted to a director in Construction. He joined the company in 1979 as a project manager
and was most recently a senior project manager, both in
Construction. Mike earned a B.S. in civil engineering from the
University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill., in 1976 and an M.B.A.
from DePaul University, Chicago, in 1984.
Jennifer M. Mitchell has joined the company as an attorney in
Real Estate Law. Most recently, she was an associate attorney
at the Law Office of Nancy Schiavone in Chicago. Jenny earned
a B.A. in political science from Boston College in 1998 and a law
degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2003.
Elizabeth M. Schweizer has been promoted to Sarasota South
district manager. She joined the company in 1993 as an MGT and
was most recently store manager in Boardman, Ohio. Liz earned
a B.A. in business administration from Truman State University,
Kirksville, Mo., in 1993.
Stella Napoli has been promoted to Rockford (Ill.) district
manager. She joined the company in 1990 as an MGT and
was most recently store manager at 757 N. Michigan Ave.
in Chicago. Stella earned a B.B.A. in human resources &
organizational management from Loyola University, Chicago,
in 1990.
Laura J. Tebbe has been promoted to applications development
manager in Pharmacy Technology Services. She joined the company
in 1996 as a programmer/analyst and was most recently team
manager, both in Pharmacy Technology Services. Laura earned
a B.B.A. in management information systems from Iowa State
University, Ames, Iowa, in 1993.
Hien V. Nguyen has been promoted to New York City South
district manager. He joined the company in 1992 as a pharmacy
intern and was most recently store manager at 22 St. George
Ave. in Linden, N.J. Hien earned a B.S. in pharmacy from Rutgers
University, Piscataway, N.J., in 1992.
Anthony (Van) Wiesenhahn has been promoted to Fort Lauderdale Central district manager. He joined the company in 1996
as an assistant manager and was most recently store manager
at 6320 E. Main St. in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. Van earned a B.B.A. in
business administration from Mount Vernon Nazarene University,
Mount Vernon, Ohio, in 2005.
The following people have been promoted to district pharmacy supervisor
Mohammed M. Al-Hourani, Sacramento South (University of Illinois, Chicago, 2002)
Georganne M. Bloch, Delaware West (University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, 1977)
Nicholas G. Bruck, Spokane (Wash.) (Washington State University, Pullman, Wash., 2004)
Kristol R. Chism, St. Louis West Central (St. Louis College of Pharmacy, 1994)
G. Shaun Dillavou, Greenville (S.C.) (University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., 2003)
Sean M. Falsey, Rockford (Ill.) (Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 1999)
Amy C. Gillock, Houston Southwest (University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 2002)
A. Wayne Gold, Mountain West (University of Colorado, Denver, 1997)
Bobby Q. Hoang, Memphis South (University of Louisiana, Monroe, La., 1999)
James E. Hudson, Chicago Southwest (Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, 1995)
Thomas A. Kolakowski Jr., Delaware South (Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, Boston, 1985)
Alycen B. Lacombe, San Antonio East (University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 2002)
Charles A. McCormick, Delaware North (University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, 1988)
18
Walgreen World November/December 2006
Maher Y. Mourad, Palm Beach South (University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla., 1991)
Eileen Ortega, Puerto Rico Central (University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, P.R., 1992)
Allera Porter, Houston Southeast (University of Houston, 2002)
Natasha Ramlagan, Palm Beach North (St. John’s University, Jamaica, N.Y., 2001)
James J. Reed, Philadelphia East (University of Pittsburgh, 1996)
Jonathan B. Reitz, Phoenix Southeast (Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, 1998)
Christopher M. Scalzetti, Salt Lake City (Midwestern University, Downers Grove, Ill., 2001)
Susan Schee, Little Rock (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Ark., 2000)
Walter L. Setmeyer, Tulsa North (Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., 1999)
Morton D. Shaw, New York City South (Long Island University, Brooklyn, N.Y., 1992)
Tabarius L. Smith, Milwaukee North (University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis., 2003)
Carrie W. Smoak, Columbia (S.C.) (University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C., 2004)
S E R V I C E
A W A R D S
Congratulations to service award celebrants from November and December
40 YEARS
35 YEARS
Roberta E. Wilson
Aileen D. Boyer
Anna G. Lamb
Anthony G. Paul
Sheldon L. Pomush
Patt A. Ryan
Judy C. Searle
Service Clerk
5830 N. Clinton St.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Pharmacist
2105 Morrill Ave.
San Jose, Calif.
SIMS Coordinator
Westminster, Colo.
Pharmacist
Addison, Ill.
Pharmacist
Shorewood, Wis.
Pharmacy Specialist
Recruitment & Diversity
Services
Deerfield Office
Store Manager
521 Lone Oak Rd.
Paducah, Ky.
George F. Doehler
30 YEARS
Roland W. Szkwarek
Jean M. Vogler
Renetha Atkinson
Sue Boston
Terry D. Carroll
Michael A. Crawford
Programmer/Analyst
Retail Applications
Deerfield Office
Cosmetic Supervisor
St. Louis East, West and
West Central Districts
National Account Analyst
Accounting
Danville Office
SIMS Coordinator
11930 Standiford Plaza Dr.
Louisville, Ky.
SIMS Coordinator
1461 W. Schaumburg Rd.
Schaumburg, Ill.
Pharmacy Manager
Pharmacist
4400 Lake Michigan Dr. N.W. 14285 W. Grand Ave.
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Sun City West, Ariz.
Harry Freedman
Stan C. Gora
Joy A. Heckman
Mark C. Myers
Nahyr G. Peraza
Brenda J. Pfalzer
Virginia L. Phillips
Store Manager
13849 Wellington Trace
West Palm Beach, Fla.
Sr. Project Engineer
Construction
Deerfield Office
SIMS Coordinator
910 N. Rand Rd.
Lake Zurich, Ill.
Copywriting Consultant
Advertising
Deerfield Office
Pharmacist
Laurel & Alameda Avenues
Bayamon, P.R.
Service Clerk
2701 S. 4th St.
Louisville, Ky.
Cosmetic Supervisor
Fresno District
25 YEARS
Susan M. Retzsch
Maryann Stanton
Deborah L. Thompson
James G. Wright
Joan C. Alexander
Wayne R. Barton
Cindy R. Behne
Sr. Beauty Advisor
6700 Hamilton Ave.
Cincinnati
Service Clerk
Hazlet, N.J.
SIMS Coordinator
301 30th Ave.
East Moline, Ill.
Store Manager
1809 Antioch Pike
Antioch, Tenn.
Service Clerk
1133 Robert St. S.
St. Paul, Minn.
Engineering Designer
Facilities Planning
Deerfield Office
SIMS Coordinator
7800 N. Cortaro Rd.
Tucson, Ariz.
Peggy A. Bengtson
Rebecca M. Britton
Rosa I. Otano Bueno
Gerard J. Carty
Gary P. Christensen
Joni K. Consbruck
Elaine J. Dash
Sr. Pharmacy Tech
Woodruff, Wis.
Sr. Beauty Advisor
1819 S. Hastings Way
Eau Claire, Wis.
Beauty Advisor
3646 N. Broadway St.
Chicago
Store Manager
Fort Lee, N.J.
Store Manager
533 Elmwood Ave.
Providence, R.I.
Sr. Beauty Advisor
Hastings, Neb.
Service Clerk
1903 Calumet Ave.
Valparaiso, Ind.
John S. Davis
Laura D. Diesh
Dennis J. Eirich
Michele Falk
Vickey J. Fitch
Shirley A. Flinn
Isabel Garcia
Pharmacy Manager
3550 Government St.
Baton Rouge, La.
Pharmacy Manager
1420 Howard Ave.
Burlingame, Calif.
MGT
Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
Returned Goods Clerk
Windsor DC
Sr. Pharmacy Tech
1021 Court St.
Pekin, Ill.
MGT
4220 Manatee Ave. W.
Bradenton, Fla.
SIMS Coordinator
19639 Eastex Fwy.
Humble, Texas
Walgreen World November/December 2006
19
S E R V I C E
A W A R D S
Congratulations to service award celebrants from November and December
25 YEARS (continued)
Demetria R. Gross
Bernard D. Guenther
Thomas S. Henderson
W. James Holderman
Barbara J. Jackson
Windell (Lee) Jones Jr. Roberta L. Joy
Head Liquor Clerk
Clovis, N.M.
Pharmacy Manager
1606 Del Prado Blvd. S.
Cape Coral, Fla.
Outbound Manager
Windsor DC
Porter
Windsor DC
Beauty Advisor
11 E. 75th St.
Chicago
District Manager
Louisiana West District
Service Clerk
5800 S.E. Federal Hwy.
Stuart, Fla.
Thomas J. Kaech
Aleta Kemp
Edward R. Krueger
Daniel J. Kwasigroch
Candace N. Leria
Brian Luscombe
Paul R. Martens
Function Lead
Windsor DC
Pharmacist
1213 W. 79th St.
Chicago
MGT
Sunset Beach, N.C.
Regional Operations Manager Sr. Beauty Advisor
324 Massachusetts Ave.
WHS Home Care
Arlington, Mass.
Deerfield Office
Store Manager
807 E. Silver Springs Blvd.
Ocala, Fla.
Manager
Windsor DC
Deborah K. Martin
Joflor Martinez
Laurie Meyer
Ken J. Miller
Jerry Moreno
Paul Pien
Barbara A. Rajkovich
Pharmacy Tech
4700 S. Halsted St.
Chicago
Pharmacy Manager
1779 Sequoia Rd.
Naperville, Ill.
Div. Vice President
Corporate Communications
Deerfield Office
Function Manager
Windsor DC
District Manager
South Texas District
Function Manager
Windsor DC
Head Photo Specialist
7652 W. Touhy Ave.
Chicago
Diane L. Rollins
Shahnaz Rowhani
Rodolfo Ruiz
Orlando Salgado
Rebecca A. Santowski
Harriet E. Schoenberg
Rhoda A. Schroud
SIMS Coordinator
2811 Holmans Ln.
Jeffersonville, Ind.
Photo Specialist
1180 E. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas
Store Manager
10718 Bandera Rd.
San Antonio
Warehouse Operator
Puerto Rico DC
Human Resources Manager
Windsor DC
SIMS Coordinator
Lake Geneva, Wis.
Admin. Assistant
Windsor DC
Randy Suchomel
Peggy L. Vassalli
Robert W. Wandry
L. Dean Wanger
Shannon M. Wiles
Brandon Zee
Location Control Clerk
Windsor DC
Service Clerk
6865 W. Tropicana Ave.
Las Vegas
Outbound Manager
Windsor DC
EXA
Crawfordville, Fla.
SIMS Coordinator
705 1st St. S.
Winter Haven, Fla.
Pharmacist
100 N. Alexander Dr.
Baytown, Texas
Also celebrating anniversaries (photo not available)
Bonnie Anacker, Receiving Clerk, Windsor DC, 25 years
Tammy J. Anderson, SIMS Coordinator, 7501 Grand Ave., Gurnee, Ill., 25 years
Mohamaed N. Baksh, Store Manager, 8120 S. Cockrell Hill Rd., Dallas, 25 years
Richard L. Beardsley, Pharmacist, 1405 S. Highland Ave., Jackson, Tenn., 30 years
Bonnie S. Biondo, SIMS Coordinator, 8000 St. Charles Rock Rd., St. Louis, 30 years
Rebecca L. Brickey, Admin. Assistant, Orlando Central & South Districts, 30 years
Christine A. Burke, Sr. Pharmacy Tech, 500 Howdershell Rd., Florissant, Mo., 25 years
J. Arthur Carbonaro, Pharmacy Manager, Willamantic, Conn., 35 years
Gary W. Carmouche, Pharmacist, 28426 State Highway 249, Tomball, Texas, 30 years
Patricia Carthans, Sr. Beauty Advisor, 626 River Oaks Dr., Calumet City, Ill., 30 years
20
Walgreen World November/December 2006
Christine Cavanagh, SIMS Coordinator, Fall River, Mass., 30 years
Robin L. Cooper, Service Clerk, Alcoa, Tenn., 25 years
Jay S. Divine, Function Manager, Windsor DC, 25 years
Edward L. Ellis, Store Manager, 375 E. Dundee Rd., Palatine, Ill., 25 years
Michael J. Findall, Service Clerk, 1301 S. 5th St., St. Charles, Mo., 25 years
Pamela M. Foster, Pharmacy Manager, 240 W. Randolph St., Chicago, 25 years
Edwin P. Francis, Split-Case Picker, Windsor DC, 25 years
Gerald A. Garvey, Forklift Operator, Windsor DC, 25 years
Lois Gates, SAIL Coordinator, Windsor DC, 25 years
Derrick Givens, Service Clerk, 1213 W. 79th St., Chicago, 25 years
Also celebrating anniversaries (photo not available) continued
Mark S. Glenner, Service Clerk, 10 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, Ill., 25 years
Juanita Gonzalez, Sr. Pharmacy Tech, St. John, Ind., 30 years
Luis E. Gonzalez, Store Manager, 3153 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, 25 years
Therese A. Haenni, Pharmacy Manager, Twin Oaks, Mo., 25 years
Arlene Hendricks, Admin. Assistant, Chicago Loop District, 35 years
Melody E. Holst, Supervisor, Employee Services, Deerfield Office, 30 years
Athene Knapik, Beauty Advisor, Munster, Ind., 35 years
Noella M. Kuntz, Pharmacy Manager, Greendale, Wis., 30 years
Mike T. Luck, Function Manager, Windsor DC, 25 years
Richard D. Marasch, Store Manager, Oconomowoc, Wis., 25 years
Ann Marie Martinez, Service Clerk, 2924 E. 92nd St., Chicago, 25 years
James McCarthy, Receiving Checker, Windsor DC, 25 years
Lori M. Moore, Store Manager, 12965 N. Oracle Rd., Oro Valley, Ariz., 25 years
Thomas J. Neduvelil, Pharmacist, 21325 E. Moreland Blvd., Waukesha, Wis., 30 years
Darrell L. Ohrt, Store Manager, 4202 Pheasant Ridge Dr. N.E., Blaine, Minn., 30 years
Maria Perez, Service Clerk, Caparra Heights, P.R., 35 years
John A. Pitas, Function Manager, Windsor DC, 25 years
Judy Reynolds, Sr. Beauty Advisor, 4015 Austin Peay Hwy., Memphis, Tenn., 30 years
Sue Reynoso, District Training SIMS Supervisor, San Antonio East District, 25 years
Lisa Ryan, Head Photo Specialist, 606 S. Whitney Way, Madison, Wis., 30 years
Daniel Saldamando, Pharmacist, 10405 N. La Canada Dr., Oro Valley, Ariz., 25 years
Patricia Sandate, Store Manager, 1301 W. Base Line St., San Bernardino, Calif., 25 years
Laura L. Schoepke, Head Photo Specialist, 3805 80th St., Kenosha, Wis., 25 years
Matthew C. Sensenbrenner, Rx Returns Clerk, Windsor DC, 25 years
Jeannette A. Stearns, SIMS Coordinator, Wethersfield, Conn., 30 years
Craig A. Steensrud, Forklift Operator, Windsor DC, 25 years
Alan Tang, Pharmacist, WHS Mail Services, Tempe, Ariz., 25 years
Robert Thornton, Porter, Windsor DC, 25 years
Mike Traut, Porter, Windsor DC, 25 years
Chi C. Tsu, Pharmacist, Matawan, N.J., 30 years
Victor M. Villagrana, EXA, 9428 Dyer St., El Paso, Texas, 25 years
Linda M. Wolfgram, SIMS Coordinator, 4296 S. 76th St., Greenfield, Wis., 30 years
John A. Yoho, EXA, Woodstock, Ill., 25 years
Ricardo D. Young, Pharmacy Manager, 921 Henderson St., Fort Worth, Texas, 25 years
David Zimmer, Receiving Checker, Windsor DC, 25 years
R E T I R E M E N T S
Best wishes to recent Walgreen retirees with 25 or more years of service
Donald P. Alix, Pharmacy Manager, 2901 S.W. Port St. Lucie Blvd., Port St. Lucie, Fla., 47 years
Ronald W. Belmonte, Div. Merchandise Manager, Purchasing, Deerfield, 36 years
Shirley A. Byrd, MGT, Olive Branch, Miss., 26 years
Mary A. Casper, Service Clerk, 23110 Aldine Westfield Rd., Spring, Texas, 26 years
Verita Davis, Warehouse Operator, Orlando DC, 25 years
Rose Demeraski, Service Clerk, Mint Hill, N.C., 25 years
Joan M. Durant, Service Clerk, 6097 Broadway, Merrillville, Ind., 25 years
Geraldine Edwards, Function Manager, Berkeley DC, 27 years
Bruce Harwin, Store Manager, 21290 St. Andrews Blvd., Boca Raton, Fla., 25 years
Haden G. Holloway, Pharmacy Supervisor, Houston East-Tex District, 40 years
Nancy M. Jaeckel, Office Clerk, Windsor DC, 25 years
William P. Johnsen, Store Manager, 498 N. Weber Rd., Romeoville, Ill., 37 years
Betty M. Keck, Service Clerk, 200 W. Franciscan Dr., Crown Point, Ind., 27 years
Thaddeus A. Klockowski, Warehouse Operator, Berkeley DC, 44 years
Sandra S. Loney, Head Photo Specialist, Richfield, Minn., 32 years
Vincent J. Lozowicki, Pharmacist, 4600 S. Washington Ave., Titusville, Fla., 29 years
Maria S. Medina, Service Clerk, 65 Deinfanteria Shopping Ctr., San Juan, P.R., 31 years
Doris N. Montgomery, Pharmacy Tech, 1155 Apalachee Pkwy., Tallahassee, Fla., 35 years
I N
Jim P. Mullen, Pharmacy Manager, Hopkinsville, Ky., 29 years
Mark H. Noble, Pharmacist, 3480 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, Colo., 38 years
Douglas A. Ownbey, Pharmacist, 7236 Calumet Ave., Hammond, Ind., 25 years
Louis Papachronis, Pharmacist, 2500 Grant St., Gary, Ind., 31 years
William G. Perry, Pharmacist, Palatka, Fla., 25 years
William R. Powell III, Pharmacist, 4895 Palm Ave., Hialeah, Fla., 37 years
Karen Preston, Employment Outreach Director, Logistics & Planning, Deerfield Office, 26 years
Patricia M. Reynolds, Service Clerk, Dyer, Ind., 29 years
Brenda S. Richardson, Pharmacist, 415 Shepherd Dr., Houston, 31 years
Robert A. Rosenthal, Store Manager, 6006 N. 67th Ave., Glendale, Ariz., 37 years
Dave G. Sherck, Store Manager, 21632 N. 35th Ave., Glendale, Ariz., 25 years
Bridget A. Starcher, Inbound Clerk, Orlando DC, 25 years
Betty J. Stewart, Service Clerk, Burlington, Ky., 26 years
James W. Strzalka, Lead Systems Engineer, IT Operations, Deerfield Office, 34 years
Ken J. Tuschl, Store Manager, 518 Donelson Pike, Nashville, Tenn., 25 years
Henry R. Vinson, Pharmacist, Hopkinsville, Ky., 25 years
Jan D. Walters, Assistant Manager, 9700 Menaul Blvd. N.E., Albuquerque, N.M., 35 years
Shirley A. White, Sr. Pharmacy Tech, 105 Central Bridge St., Wausau, Wis., 29 years
M E M O R I A M
It is with deepest regret we acknowledge the deaths of the following employees and retirees with 10 or more years of service
Claudia Arnold, Retired Photo Specialist, 524 Central Ave., Hot Springs, Ark., 39 years
Toby J. Bradsher, Retired Superintendent, Construction, Deerfield Office, 26 years
Robert P. Bulik, SIMS Coordinator, 5600 W. Touhy Ave., Niles, Ill., 17 years
George Cion, Pharmacist, 922 Silver Ln., East Hartford, Conn., 31 years
W. F. Cook, Retired Pharmacy Manager, Belleair Bluffs, Fla., 10 years
Shirley A. Dennis, Photo Specialist, 5560 Weslayan St., Houston, 23 years
Vickey L. Dice, Systems Analyst, Accounting, Danville Office, 24 years
Arthur R. Farleigh, Service Clerk, 423 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos, Calif., 18 years
Arthur J. Frey, Retired Vice President, Distribution Centers, Deerfield Office, 41 years
Ardelle B. Geralds, Retired Package Designer, Advertising, Deerfield Office, 36 years
Alfred Guerra, Service Clerk, 1130 Bird Ave., San Jose, Calif., 17 years
Stephen F. Hay, Warehouse Operator, Lehigh Valley DC, 12 years
Claude Hinton, Retired Div. Vice President, Advertising, Deerfield Office, 14 years
Chester Janis, Retired Package Designer, Advertising, Deerfield Office, 27 years
Doris W. Kelley, Head Photo Specialist, 1440 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, Okla., 27 years
Franklin Kouba, Retired Lift Operator, Berkeley DC, 31 years
Jeannine A. Moore, Service Clerk, 6191 N. Keystone Ave., Indianapolis, 10 years
Alicia Morales, Service Clerk, 5200 Westheimer Rd., Houston, 24 years
Wilma I. Norris, Service Clerk, Kirkwood, Mo., 11 years
Mary L. Owens, Photo Specialist, 5755 20th St., Vero Beach, Fla., 12 years
Marie Peterson, Retired Line Worker, Chicago Lab, 22 years
Judy L. Smith, Insurance Specialist, Danville Office, 29 years
Lawrence A. Steffen, Shipping/Receiving Clerk, DTR, Mt. Prospect Office, 18 years
Dennis A. Swegle, Retired District Manager, Orlando South District, 34 years
Yvonne A. Turpo, Pharmacist, 121 E. El Camino Real, Mountain View, Calif., 11 years
Leo Weiner, Pharmacist, 8911 N. 7th St., Phoenix, 17 years
Walgreen World November/December 2006
21
IN MY SHOES
S I M S C O O R D I N AT O R
J
J OA N N R E E D
oann Reed, SIMS coordinator at 1008 N. Mulberry St. in Elizabethtown, Ky., works hard to keep her store at the top of
district rankings with the fewest ad and basic department outs. “She’s one of a kind,” says EXA Lee Hack. “Any store
would improve with an employee like her.” Read on as Joann takes a few minutes to tell us why.
What is a SIMS coordinator?
A SIMS coordinator controls the flow of a store’s merchandise using SIMS, the Strategic
Inventory Management System that helps track inventory. I make price changes and
markdowns, keep track of shrink, review orders and scan items to make sure
enough products are on hand – and that they’re where they should be.
What were your first few weeks as a SIMS coordinator like?
I had one week of training and tons of questions. But after about a month, I
could solve most problems on my own. Now, people come to me for answers.
What’s the best word to describe a typical day?
Busy. I always have a lot on my plate, and there’s never enough time in the
day. A lot of people think all I do is walk around the store pushing buttons
on a Telxon, but on a busy scale of 1 to 10, I’m way over 10.
Do you get to spend much time with customers?
Not as much as I did when I started as a service clerk, but because I know where everything is, I put my work on hold to
help people find items they need. One customer comes in
weekly and asks for me by name. We walk through the
store together and find everything on her list.
Can you see yourself working in any other
position at Walgreens?
Maybe. I could see myself as an assistant manager
someday, but I really love what I do. I’m organized
and have a strong personality – two qualities you
need to be a good SIMS coordinator. I think this job
fits me well.
What makes you good at your job?
If something needs to get done, even if it’s not really part of
my job, I’ll do it. I try to do more than what’s expected because
that’s what makes customers remember me and want to come
back to Walgreens.
In my shoes highlights outstanding Walgreen folks and provides a
glimpse into their jobs. To nominate a store – or district employee –
who’s really good at what they do, please write to Walgreen World,
Mail Stop #2166, 200 Wilmot Road, Deerfield, IL 60015, or e-mail
[email protected].
24
Walgreen World November/December 2006
O’Neil Arnold
What advice would you give a new SIMS coordinator?
Take your time. There’s a lot to learn, and eventually, it will all
make sense to you. No one knows everything when they start a
new job – so just do the best you can.