Lauren Sullender Email & Phone Number

United States

•Recruit, onboard, train, and retain professional, high performing, and efficient staff that currently boasts the #1 and #7 top performers in the company; meet aggressive hiring deadlines, doubling staff in 1 month with emphasis on diversity of background and experiences•Actively coach, develop, and train managers, associates, and support staff; identify talent and coach into leadership positions; set individual and store goals and motivate team to achieve them; write and conduct annual performance reviews, and create career development plans for each staff member•Oversee operations for second highest volume location, increasing sales by nearly 15% over LY to reach $7 million; schedule and train over 40 staff members in varying roles while staying within payroll budget; analyze sell through and weekly financials and partner with visual manager to drive sales through strategic merchandising•Direct marketing operations and community outreach strategies resulting in increased sales, brand visibility, and community engagement; establish new partnerships with business, community, and non-profit organizations such as the Global Chamber of Commerce in Phoenix and Visit Tucson; increased funds raised through annual golf tournament by 62%, and drove store to be #1 seller of the Board of Visitors “Care Card” •Provide operational, recruiting, training, and management support at store locations throughout the country

Tucson, Az

• Recruited, hired, and trained participants at all levels (youth to adult), focusing on diversity of experience and background• Created all marketing and recruiting collateral including talking points, print, online advertisements, social media posts, mailings, and Powerpoint presentations• Grew 200 plus youth participants into leaders and helped them secure internships, jobs, and scholarships with partner and outside organizations, schools, businesses, and nonprofits• Formulated evaluation guidelines and processes for programs, metrics and participation standards for partner sites, and participant tracking systems to gauge involvement and impact on individuals and families • Guided over 50 schools and community sites through their development of gardening initiatives and infrastructures, reaching approximately 21,000 children annually; supported sites in developing gardening curriculum that meets AIMS standards • Effectively communicated impact of programs to secure annual funding; wrote and managed budget• Established programming from the ground up for youth and adults at Community Food Bank farms and partner sites; designed and implemented curriculum and hands-on projects aimed to develop leaderships skills as they learn about sustainable agriculture, food systems and justice, nutrition and cooking, community organizing and capacity building, economic development, and job skills

Tucson, Az

•Established employee development program to train all employees on company standards and product knowledge thereby increasing their selling ability•Directed merchandise management including inventory replenishment, visual design, floor sets, and plan and execution of all in-store and off-site displays resulting in increased brand visibility and sales volume•Collaborated with community partners to co-host and participate in runway and other fashion shows to promote our diverse lines including Country Club and Ladies; oversaw outfit selection, model fittings, and emceed shows•Interfaced directly with clients, developing strong professional connections and establishing trust whereby I could anticipate their needs and provide personal shopping experiences•Contributed merchandising and operational support for new store openings