Sarah started at Dan’s in 2006 at age 16. “I wanted a job so I could be independent and have my own money,” she said. She started where friends were already working and quickly moved through roles including cashier, bakery clerk, Code Red specialist, assistant in general merchandise and bookkeeping, receiving supervisor and general merchandise manager.
Her time at the store level was fast-paced and hands-on. “I had days of coming in and counting the books at 4 a.m. and getting the tills ready by the time the store opened at 6, while also running back to receiving and opening the docks at 5 a.m. for the trucks to be unloaded,” she said. “Then once books were done, and receiving wrapped up, I’d jump on the GM load and stock the shelves and have it all unloaded so I could submit my next order before leaving for the day.”
“I was constantly on the move, running back and forth. I absolutely loved it,” she said.
She also supported multiple departments during that time. “I would help throw freight at nights, then go to college classes the next morning and not sleep until the next day,” she said. “I threw dairy loads, milk loads, frozen, and helped in deli or meat too.”
In 2014, Sarah moved into the scanning department and joined the corporate office in advertising in 2015. She later worked as a category management assistant, commit system coordinator and candy buyer before her latest promotion.
She said her time in the commit department and as a buyer helped prepare her for the new role, along with her experience across store operations.
In her new position, Sarah oversees indirect spend and corporate services programs that support retailers. These include gift cards, greeting cards, office supplies, propane, uniforms, coin services and rental equipment. The programs are designed to support store operations and create cost efficiencies through collective buying power. The role also includes working with partners such as Topco.
“It’s exciting because there are others, for example, propane is a service that we can get a better cost, especially when we use our aggregating powers and be more One Associated,” she said.
Sarah said her motivation has stayed consistent throughout her career. “I absolutely love helping people,” she said. “To see how your hard work helps the community just keeps that fire going inside me.”
She said 2020 helped reinforce the importance of the work. “That’s when I really understood how essential we are in feeding our community, and I am so proud to be a part of that,” she said.
One of her proudest accomplishments is her work on Promo Events and Prism, an online ordering tool for retailers. “I’ve taken the legacy version and worked with IT to build it into something much bigger today,” she said. She has spent years leading trainings, meeting with retailers and gathering feedback to improve the tool. “My goal is to continually make this better and improve to help our retailers.”
As she steps into her new role, Sarah said she is focused on learning and building on what has already been established.
“My number one goal is learning the category,” she said. “I have some big shoes to fill. I hope to understand it thoroughly and then find a way to take it to the next level.”
She is also looking for ways to improve processes. “I’m really excited to make this my own and already have so many ideas on how we can improve and streamline some processes,” she said. “I’m so excited to see the benefits after and see how I can help save the company and our retailers money.”
Sarah described AFS as a place where team members can grow and find the right fit. “It takes so many different departments and positions to make our company successful,” she said. “It is amazing to think about how it takes all of us working as one.”
“Sarah has grown tremendously since she first joined AFS, and her dedication, knowledge and ability to take on new challenges make her the perfect fit for this role,” said Todd Bell, vice president of procurement, who has worked with Sarah for many years. “She brings energy and creativity to everything she does, and I know she will continue to make a big impact for our retailers and the company.”
Outside of work, Sarah enjoys camping, golfing and spending time outdoors with her family. She and her husband have been together for 14 years and have a young daughter, whom she described as “my entire world.”
