 Operating Vice President"We work hard but we also have an atmosphere that's relaxed where we all have fun. My attitude is that if we're not having fun we're not happy at our jobs."
 | Why did you join Macys.com and why have you stayed? |
My husband and I were moving to NY for his job when I heard about macys.com. The design director position sounded great because I would be building my entire team from scratch. I thought that macys.com, which I would be largely responsible for, had great potential for growth in representing the Macy's brand. I stay for the same reason many folks at macys.com do - the people. They make coming to work easy. At macys.com, there's the entrepreneurial spirit of a start-up while operating within the larger Macy's brand.
| What do you enjoy most about what you do and what are your overall job responsibilities? |
I oversee the design and copy teams of macys.com and macysweddingchannel.com as well as several mini-sites for private brands and events like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade®. Collaborating with my colleagues through all levels of macys.com makes what I do worthwhile. I also enjoy problem solving. As the creative team, our role is to translate business strategy into creative strategy. We have to understand both to create an end result that is creative and cohesive.
| What contribution do you make to your division and how does this contribute to the company's overall success? |
Our creative team creates the look and feel of macys.com while keeping with the overall Macy's brand. Through our partnerships with both internal and external teams we're able enrich the site, increasing macys.com's exposure to the customer. We've become a "hub" for all of Macy's.
| What has been your most memorable moment since joining the company? |
Redesigning MacysWeddingChannel.com was definitely memorable for me. It wasn't originally our project, but we were called in at the last minute. Over a two week period my team made it our sole focus and we ended up with a great site.
| How has the training you've received since joining the company benefited you? |
Since my promotion to operating vice president, my role on the macys.com executive committee has been great training. By observing senior level management I've learned a lot. I've also taken several courses on Web usability, which has allowed me to expand my skill set and share that knowledge with my team.
| 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? |
Community involvement has always been important to me. A group of friends and I started a non-profit on our own time. Since coming to New York and to macys.com, I've participated in our breast cancer walk which was really fun.
| What do you like best about your work environment? |
I can't emphasize the people enough. Everyone is passionate about their work. In my department specifically, we work hard but we also have an atmosphere that's relaxed where we all have fun. My attitude is that if we're not having fun we're not happy at our jobs. It's important to have that balance, especially in a creative environment.
| What personal interests/hobbies do you have and how do you balance them with your work? |
I love to shop, so living in New York makes it easy! Fortunately, that happens to complement my job. I spend my weekends doing that. I enjoy interior design. Balancing these with work has been easy - as long as you get your work done you're fine to jump out for an hour or so and do whatever you need to do. I love to travel. I heard Macy's, Inc. vice chair, Janet Grove, speak recently and she encouraged executives to take all of their vacations so I've really tried to take that to heart. This year my husband and I went to Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
| What advice would you give to a new employee joining the company in a similar position to yours? What helped you establish yourself and move ahead with your career goals? |
Be proactive. Listen to your team members and collaborate. Voice your ideas because you bring a fresh perspective to your job. Learn about other disciplines besides your own to become informed. Earning trust from others from the beginning has helped me establish myself here. As a design director, I pushed the site design in the right direction and it showed people the power of strong design and the possibilities of macys.com. Besides that, I've never limited myself to the assignments that I was given, which has helped me get ahead. I've gone above and beyond expectations.
| What do you see in the future for Macy's, Inc. and specifically for Macys.com? |
I see increased growth for Macy's, Inc. With more than 800 stores nationwide, we're in a position that has allowed us to advertise more efficiently and effectively on a national level. I see macys.com staying ahead of the competition by evolving - not just to meet changing business needs, but also meet the changing behavior of shoppers.
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