Wendy Johnson Email & Phone Number

• Management of a large, high volume retail operation for an iconic Department Store brand.• Responsible for overall Store Operations including: Sales, Talent Management, Marketing & Rebranding, Merchandising, Logistics, Inventory Management, and Online Sales operations.• Provided leadership, training, coaching and development to all store Teams including 10 Executive Department Managers, and over 140 Associates.• Successfully lead store Teams through significant operational changes, and effectively executed change management strategies as company launched new “Sears 2.0” Marketing and Rebranding initiative.• Provided retraining to all Associates on Sears new company mission and vision, as well as retraining on the execution and guidelines for new marketing programs, and customer service initiatives.• Supported multiple store locations within the District with the execution of remodels and relaunch.• Consistently achieved top sales results in District out of 7 stores.• Consistently achieved sales results ranking within the top 10 stores across Canada out of 95 stores.

• Management of overall Store Operations, Sales, Brand development and Talent for a large upscale retailer.• Provided leadership, training, coaching and development to all store Teams including 7 Salaried Executive Managers and over 120 Associates.• Significantly improved sales, operational KPI’s and customer service within the first few months in role.• Achieved consistent sales increases each month with an overall increase of $1.3M over previous year.• Picked up a (6%) deficit on the Year To Date Plan within the first 4 months.• Improved Customer Service KPI’s by up to 80%, and achieved 100% on many key metrics.• Drove improvements to EBITDA earnings achieving 18% over previous year.• Selected to lead new Culture initiatives for the Ontario Region, and to conduct workshops for all General Managers and the Regional Leadership Team.

• Responsible for the overall Store Operations and Talent for a large, complex Big Box retail unit.• Provided leadership, training, coaching and development to store Team consisting of 5 Salaried Executives, 10 Department Managers and up to 140 Associates.• Successfully improved sales and operational performance for 2 Target store locations within the first few months of each assignment. Developed and implemented strategic action plans for both long term and immediate improvements.• Recognized for creating high performing teams by leveraging strengths, setting clear expectations for operational excellence, and actively developing talent.• Consistently achieved top scores in key financial and operational metrics including sales and service. Received several Awards in recognition of key accomplishments and achievements. • Selected as a District Resource for Training & Talent Development. Developed and mentored Leaders at all levels including providing position based training, and operational training for both existing and transitioning Executives and peer STL’s. • Successfully developed and promoted several next level Leaders both for the Store and the District.• Established as an operational expert sought out to provide feedback for Canada wide operational improvements, and for assisting with training for new store openings.

• Played an integral role in successfully planning and executing the opening of one of the first 22 Canadian Target stores. Store was opened on time, under budget, on Brand, and on process. • Organized, coordinated, and managed Team Leader and Team Member Job Fairs for over 1000 candidates. Actively assessed, interviewed, and recruited top talent for 2 new store locations, including 20+ Department Managers and over 300 Team Members. • Successfully coordinated, organized, and managed Store Teams through all aspects of a new store set up, and led the team through a flawless execution of Store Opening.• In partnership with the Store Team Leader, responsible for the effective management of a large Big Box Retail operation including leading and developing a team of 12 Department Managers and up to 160 Team Members. • Directly accountable for sales, presentation and all operations for $4M Softlines Division including Ladies, Mens, and Children Apparel, as well as Shoes, Jewellery and Accessories.• Selected as one of the very first Training Leaders and Mentors for onboarding new Executive Leaders and Executive Interns from across Canada.• Successfully developed both internal and external Leaders using impactful talent management tools resulting in the first promotions in Canada.• Assisted with preparations, recruitment, and training for additional store openings across Canada.• Created, and implemented operational strategies and tools to improve future Store openings.• Was one of the first 2 Canadian Executive Team Leaders to be promoted to Store Team Leader, and was successfully signed off for promotion to Store Team Leader within the first 11 months in role

Toronto, Canada Area

• Responsible for overall operations of 2 University of Toronto Bookstore retail locations consisting of a diverse unionized group of employees including Assistant Managers, Supervisors, Buyers, Sales Associates, and Logistics Team.• Accountable for the efficient operation and management of all Retail & Business Units within both store locations including Customer Service, Purchasing, Student Support Programs, Cash Office, Business Administration & Accounting, Human Resources, Payroll, Marketing, Merchandising, Logistics, Loss Prevention, and Special Events.• Created a strategic action plan to increase sales & profitability, improve product offerings, gain efficiencies, and develop UofT Brand. Worked closely with vendors and suppliers to enhance offerings, increase margins and reduce costs to students and customers in the community.• Established and achieved high performance standards and operational goals. Designed & implemented operational processes to significantly improve overall store performance and customer experience.

York University Bookstores• Responsible for a $20M retail operation consisting of 2 store locations, and up to $15M in inventory. • Accountable for all Operations and Business Units within both store locations: Sales, Merchandising, Purchasing, Marketing & Branding, Inventory Management, Operational Budgets, Business Administration, Cash Office, Training, Performance Management, Loss Prevention, Special Events, and Donations Program.• Successfully managed a diverse unionized employee group consisting of 30+ permanent, and up to 300 part-time employees across 13 Departments.• Accountable for the training and orientation for all new employees, including up to 300 new seasonal employees at the beginning of each new school term.• Responsible for creating operational budgets and coordinating financial controls for sales, revenues, inventory purchases, and Bookstore operating expenses including staff salaries and wages.• Successfully exceeded targeted sales, maximized gross margin, and reduced salary budgets.• Partnered directly with University officials, AVP’s and Directors for resolutions, approvals, and to drive Bookstore and University initiatives. • Developed, approved, and implemented all standard operating policies and procedures, customer service policies, operations manuals, and training materials.• Made significant improvements to overall performance and employee engagement through the development of strategic training initiatives, the creation of new job descriptions, and by setting clear performance standards.• Developed and launched a strategic operational plan to address the requirements of serving up to 10,000 customers daily. Resolved challenges imposed by budget, resource, and capacity constraints.

York University Bookstores• Accountable for overseeing all Operations and Business units for a $2.3M General Merchandise & Apparel Division including: sales, budgeting, design and purchasing for 3 York University Bookstore locations, and 6 GM Departments. • Successfully managed a large, diverse, unionized employee group consisting of 15 permanent employees including Sales Associates and Buyers, and up to 100 part time and seasonal employees.• Successfully managed and supervised GM & Apparel Buying team and sales operations; created and maintained financial reports; conducted product analysis and sales reporting; set margins & profitability goals; introduced competitive pricing strategies; developed seasonal promotions; sourced unique merchandise for retail sales, faculty use, special events and community programs; implemented strategies to strengthen University Brand.• Increased sales revenue by over 35% and increased margins by 5-10% in the first year. Developed and sourced, a merchandise mix that reflected the needs of the community, while creating continued excitement and interest.• Promoted to Store Manager.

• Successfully managed a District of 7 stores located in the Toronto and Vancouver area, consisting of several A volume and Flagship stores, 7 Store Managers, 7 Assistant Managers and over 100 Sales Associates. Actively managed talent and implemented strategies to create top performing, highly engaged Teams.• Responsible for the management of existing stores, as well as executing the operational setup, opening, and management of several new locations, and the training and onboarding of new talent to ensure store success.• Accountable for setting sales budgets, customer service standards, and operational goals for the District, and for creating individual business plans to ensure stores targets were achieved and exceeded.• Responsible for District achieving sales and selling expense budgets, monitoring gross margins, controlling shrinkage, and driving profitability. • Was successful in proactively identifying areas for growth and improvement, and implemented action plans across Canada to increase business and to develop strong sales and service focused Teams.• Implemented strategies to enhance Nine West Brand, drive sales, establish operational and service consistencies, and to promote continuous improvement.• Created and implemented Planograms and window campaigns for all stores across Canada. Maintained visual and merchandising standards including merchandise presentation, signage, and store brand for high impact.• Conducted weekly store visits to assess and report on store operations and key metrics.• Selected as peer Mentor for other District and Market Managers and actively assisted with Leadership Development within the District.