BRIAN COX
Iron Station,USA
Summary
Career Retail Leader with 20+ years of retail leadership delivering people-focused HR support, talent development, and operational guidance to frontline teams. Proven experience improving training programs, performance management, and staffing processes to boost department consistency and associate capability. Seeks to apply HR systems knowledge and hands-on coaching to scale workforce performance and engagement.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Meat Cutter
Sams Club
Hickory, NC
10.2025 - Current
- Optimized merchandising of beef and pork sub-primals to reduce waste and maintain stocking efficiency.
- Maintained strict adherence to company merchandising and loss-prevention standards to protect inventory value.
- Implemented systematic rotation and dating of product shipments to ensure freshness and compliance.
- Trained meat clerks on merchandising techniques and waste-minimization practices to improve team performance.
- Monitored market trends to inform ordering decisions and maintain appropriate product levels for customer demand.
Fresh Manager
Sam’s Club
Rock Hill, SC
10.2023 - 10.2025
- Directed daily club operations to meet department standards while hiring new Fresh associates and managing shift assignments.
- Led and coached 51 Fresh associates through targeted Touring to Teach sessions and conducted performance reviews with corrective actions.
- Implemented digital training and evaluation processes that produced measurable improvements in Fresh metrics and streamlined new-hire onboarding.
- Trained staff on Fresh App, OYI, Ask Sam, Spark, Power BI, and Backroom App to increase data-driven decision making and cross-trained employees.
- Managed process improvements and operational transitions in Fresh departments to address market trends and reallocated staff to meet demand.
- Maintained communication with Market, Facilities, refrigeration teams, vendors, and distribution to resolve operational issues and adjust staffing.
- Collaborated with Market leadership, club management, and external trainers to standardize Fresh best practices and improve member satisfaction while overseeing staffing budgets.
- Coordinated with Vine technicians and vendors to plan and execute new Fresh training programs and recruited external trainers when needed.
- Forecasted and planned Fresh staffing and inventory for holidays and events to minimize stock loss, handled scheduling and leave requests, and led hiring for peak periods.
Meat Team Lead
Sam’s Club
Rock Hill, SC
09.2021 - 10.2023
- Led Fresh department operations to uphold product standards and drive measurable team performance improvements.
- Maintained inventory accuracy through daily ordering, weekly audits, and monthly counts to reduce stock variances.
- Analyzed local market trends to tailor product selection and promotions, improving customer relevance and sales.
- Supervised meat merchandising and yield control to ensure product quality and increase department profitability.
- Used analytical tools to monitor category trends and adjust assortments for improved sales performance.
- Enforced daily dating and rotation procedures to preserve product freshness and minimize waste.
- Verified shipment accuracy and managed claims with the warehouse to resolve discrepancies and protect margins.
- Conducted regular Fresh area inspections to maintain standards and address procedural gaps promptly.
Senior Meat Cutter
Sam’s Club
Rock Hill, SC
10.2020 - 09.2021
- See Above
Meat Cutter
Publix
Rock Hill, SC
08.2016 - 10.2020
- Merchandised beef and pork sub-primals to meet company standards while minimizing product waste and spoilage.
- Maintained adherence to multiple company merchandising and loss-prevention specifications to ensure compliance.
- Rotated and dated incoming shipments accurately to preserve product safety and shelf life.
- Trained meat clerks on merchandising best practices to maintain quality and reduce waste.
- Monitored market trends to inform ordering decisions and optimize inventory levels for demand.
Tire Manager
Firestone Complete Auto Care
Rock Hill, SC
04.2015 - 08.2016
- Maintained accurate inventory levels to ensure tire and parts availability, reducing stockouts during peak periods.
- Coordinated with the general manager to execute sales strategies that drove measurable sales growth.
- Collaborated with management on sales forecasting and event planning to optimize staffing and inventory for high-traffic periods.
- Scheduled technician shifts and appointment slots to shorten customer wait times during peak weekend hours.
Assistant Manager
Staples
Lincolnton, NC
02.2014 - 04.2015
- Maintained accurate inventory records using AS400 to ensure product availability and reduce stock discrepancies.
- Inspected incoming shipments for condition and accuracy, preventing damaged or incorrect stock from entering inventory.
- Cut customer complaints by resolving escalations on returns and issuing appropriate refunds promptly.
- Trained new hires on register operation, loss-prevention protocols, and customer service standards.
- Scheduled and balanced daily staff shifts to maintain service coverage during peak store hours.
Meat Cutter
Food King/Butcher’s Block
Ellerbe, NC
03.2003 - 01.2007
- Merchandised beef and pork sub-primals to company standards, reducing product loss and improving display efficiency.
- Maintained distinct company merchandising and loss-prevention standards to ensure compliance and consistent quality control.
- Applied FIFO rotation and accurate dating for incoming shipments to maintain freshness and minimize spoilage.
- Trained meat clerks in merchandising and waste-minimizing handling techniques to raise team consistency and product quality.
- Monitored market trends to inform ordering decisions, ensuring appropriate stock levels and improved margin outcomes.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC01.2020
Skills
- Wo
- Promotional planning
- Training Development
- Inventory Management
- Data Analysis
- Conflict Resolution
- Critical Thinking
- Team Collaboration
- Employee engagement
- Coordinating schedules
- Department operations
- Sales analysis
Certification
- Certified Food Safety Manager - National Registry of Food Safety Professionals
- Course Completion - License to Lead
- Course Completion - Labor Relations
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Related Coursework
- Supply Chain Management
- Management Process Skills
- Business Communication
- Business Ethics
- Human Resource Management
- Ethics in Business
Timeline
Senior Meat Cutter
Sams Club
10.2025 - Current
Fresh Manager
Sam’s Club
10.2023 - 10.2025
Meat Team Lead
Sam’s Club
09.2021 - 10.2023
Senior Meat Cutter
Sam’s Club
10.2020 - 09.2021
Meat Cutter
Publix
08.2016 - 10.2020
Tire Manager
Firestone Complete Auto Care
04.2015 - 08.2016
Assistant Manager
Staples
02.2014 - 04.2015
Meat Cutter
Food King/Butcher’s Block
03.2003 - 01.2007
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro