Keo

Keo has been promoted to Buyer.

"There are new challenges that develop through each year, but Macy's, Inc. is a company that seeks newness. They don't aim for better, they aim for best."

Why did you join Macy's Northwest and why have you stayed?

I've stayed because I enjoy working with people who are friendly and supportive of one another. Another factor that attracted me to this company was our program which aims to make balancing work life and personal life easier.

What do you enjoy most about what you do and what are your overall job responsibilities?

I definitely enjoy the people I work with the most. We make our office fun. Retail is a fast-paced environment, but we come into our office everyday with the attitude that we are going to do our job but have fun. My responsibilities are in women's shoes. There are three buying offices for the shoe divisions, but we all work together as a whole. I also oversee the advertising for my division.

What contribution do you make to your division and how do you feel you make a difference?

My contribution is in giving feedback and working closely as a team. By being in charge of the advertising for my division, I constantly have to update everything that's being advertised, what's being marked down and what's going on sale.

What has been your most memorable moment since joining the company?

Our shoe department won the March 2002 Best Performance Award. That was very exciting and our motivation to continue our success has grown. Also, each month there are communication meetings to discuss how our company is doing compared to our competitors. Macy's, Inc. always makes these meetings entertaining.

How has the training you've received since joining the company benefited you?

When you go to class, you take the functions you learn back to your office. Everything links together. You don't really know how to react to certain scenarios until you are actually faced with them, but the training definitely contributes to your knowledge and how to use it.

Is community involvement important to you, have you been involved in any projects in your division and was this something you considered when joining the company?

Our company is very proud of being a part of the community, and I definitely considered being involved with various projects when I joined Macy's, Inc. A few projects that we are involved in are Partners in Time, Adopt-a-Family, Adopt-a-Mom, and we are currently supporting Northwest Harvest. Each division competes with the others to see who could bring in more pounds of food to be donated to the Northwest Harvest food bank. Every season we pick a charity to help out in the community.

What do you like best about your work environment?

Our office has great communication and great people. We just had a remodeling of the buying office, which has made everyone happier. The new arrangements have made the atmosphere a lot nicer. We also have business casual dress, which gives the flexibility to wear suits or more casual attire depending on what individuals are most comfortable in to be more productive.

What personal interests/hobbies do you have and how do you balance them with your work?

I usually take my weekends and time-off to go see my family in Portland. The company is very flexible when they know you have family functions or other things to do.

What advice would you give to a new associate joining the company? What helped you establish yourself and move ahead with your career goals?

When you join this company you join this work life. We are involved in the community and participate in charity work. We become friends and family with the people that we work with. People joining the company should consider what kind of work life they want. Macy's Northwest has the work balance that a lot of people are looking for in a company. I've moved ahead by voicing my opinions and being assertive. I've thought a lot about where I want to get and taking the right classes has definitely helped me grow. I've learned to say what I want, what I'm ready for and how I can take on more responsibility.

What do you see in the future for Macy's, Inc.?

Macy's, Inc. will continue to grow each year. Macy's, Inc. is a company that will continue to hold its integrity with employees and customers. There are new challenges that develop through each year but Macy's, Inc. is a company that seeks newness. They don't aim for better, they aim for best. We will continue to focus on customer service while constantly working to be better than our competitors.