Samantha Bower
Jefferson,WI
Summary
My family’s motto is “Love God with your whole heart, and work hard.” As such my goal is to work hard, love God, and finish college so that I can be of the most use to God as possible. I grew up in Haiti as a missionary child, and as such I have learned many invaluable skills brought around by the constant need to adapt to new situations, cultures, languages, and economic structures. Once I graduated from high school, I worked with Lloyd and Betty Lou Gordon, the semi-retired owners of Fine Furniture by Gordons. My job was to be their personal assistant, and since they are semi-retired my job entailed more than a simple office job. I helped plan meals, coordinate projects and I did manual labor such as cleaning rental housing, working at construction sites, and even planting crops and landscaping. My next job was at Restaurant Depot where I learned as many skills as possible. I started as a stocker and in a couple months moved my way up to the Front End Supervisor. Then, I stepped up as assistant Seafood Manager and trained a new seafood manager and assistant seafood manager. I worked in that position until I moved to Wisconsin at which point I began working for kroger. I started as an apprentice meat cutter where I learned the skills necessary to become a butcher. After a year and a half, the meat department lead position opened up and I applied. I have been working in that role since. Currently, I'm to be married in January at which point I will be moving to the New Richmond area where my soon to be husband lives. I have enjoyed working for Kroger and I am extremely gratefully for all the skills I have learned and for all of the friends I made there. I can't wait to see what skills I will learn next and who I will get to meet,
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Department Assistant Lead/ Butcher
Kroger
Watertown, WI
09.2022 - Current
- Coordinated departmental communications to ensure efficient information flow among team members.
- Managed scheduling and logistics for departmental meetings, optimizing time and resources.
- Developed training materials for new hires, improving onboarding efficiency and staff readiness.
- Implemented organizational systems for document management, enhancing retrieval speed and accuracy.
- Assisted in budget tracking and expense reporting, ensuring alignment with departmental goals.
- Led initiatives to streamline workflow processes, resulting in improved operational efficiency across the department.
- Mentored junior staff on administrative procedures, fostering skill development and team cohesion.
- Analyzed data trends to inform strategic decisions, supporting overall departmental performance improvement.
- Ensured data confidentiality with strict adherence to company policies regarding sensitive information handling.
- Provided exceptional customer service by addressing concerns promptly and professionally, leading to increased satisfaction levels.
- Collaborated with other departments to facilitate cross-functional projects for improved results.
- Supported staff members through timely completion of administrative tasks, increasing overall productivity.
- Maintained accurate records and databases, contributing to an organized department environment.
- Aided in streamlining project workflows through meticulous organization leading to faster completion rates.
- Monitored inventory of departmental supplies and replenished items to enable normal operations.
- Reviewed invoices for accuracy before submitting them for payment approval, ensuring proper allocation of funds within the department budget constraints.
- Performed data entry for targeted reports to facilitate dissemination of knowledge about departmental operations.
- Contributed to budget planning by monitoring expenses and making recommendations for cost reductions where possible.
- Implemented improvements to existing filing systems that resulted in easier access to essential information when needed.
- Obeyed sensitive and confidential report and presentation guidelines to comply with government regulations.
- Answered and managed incoming and outgoing calls while recording accurate messages for distribution to office staff.
- Operated cutting equipment to process various meats, ensuring adherence to safety protocols.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of workstations to promote efficient operations.
- Assisted customers with product selection and provided recommendations for meal preparation.
- Collaborated with team members to manage inventory levels and reduce waste.
- Trained junior staff on proper meat handling techniques and customer service standards.
- Developed new cutting techniques that improved meat presentation and enhanced customer satisfaction.
- Complied with food safety, hygiene and sanitation regulations for safe food preparation.
- Led quality control initiatives, ensuring all products met company standards for freshness and safety.
- Implemented inventory tracking systems to ensure timely restocking of popular products.
- Cut, trimmed and ground meats such as beef, pork, and poultry to prepare for packaging and sale.
- Collaborated with team members to ensure efficient workflow, resulting in smooth daily operations.
- Maintained high standards of hygiene and cleanliness, adhering to strict sanitation regulations within the butcher shop.
- Wrapped meat produce to maintain quality, freshness and condition.
- Adhere to safety and cleanliness standards and maintained equipment.
- Operated commercial-grade butchery equipment such as band saws, grinders and slicers.
- Trimmed fat and removed bones for high-quality, well-presented cuts of meat.
- Stocked, rotated and priced merchandise to meet store standards.
- Identified cuts of meat, grading and pricing accordingly.
- Contributed to a positive work environment by maintaining a professional demeanor at all times.
- Maintained and stocked display cases by transporting wrapped products from work area or cooler to display cases.
- Labeled meat items clearly and accurately with allergen information and expiration dates.
- Ensured quality control measures were consistently met throughout the butchering process.
- Managed inventory effectively, minimizing waste through proper rotation and storage practices.
- Demonstrated versatility by proficiently handling various types of meat including beef, poultry, pork, lamb, and fish.
- Verified proper inventory levels, product quality, and freshness to prevent sale of spoiled products.
- Reduced wait time for customers through efficient multitasking during peak hours.
- Performed regular equipment maintenance checks, keeping machinery functioning efficiently and safely.
- Developed a loyal client base by fostering strong relationships with customers through attentive service and informative interactions.
- Optimized display cases for maximum visual appeal while maintaining proper temperature controls for product freshness.
- Increased sales by offering personalized customer service, recommending suitable cuts of meat and sharing recipe ideas.
- Assisted in training new staff members on cutting techniques, safety protocols, and product knowledge.
- Implemented creative merchandising ideas to attract customers and promote special offers, resulting in increased sales.
- Performed meat inspections and checked temperature environment to maximize food safety.
- Assessed kitchen inventories and reordered low-stock items to maintain output.
- Tailored meat cuts to customer preferences, ensuring their satisfaction and repeat business.
Front End Supervisor
Restaurant Depot
Fort Myers, FL
07.2021 - 06.2022
- Instructed staff on how handled difficult and complicated sales.
- Performed work activities of subordinates, such as cleaning and organizing shelves and displays and selling merchandise.
- Examined merchandise to ensure that it was correctly priced and displayed and that it functions as advertised.
- Monitored sales activities to ensure that customers received satisfactory service and quality goods.
- Provided customer service by greeting and assisting customers and responding to customer inquiries and complaints.
- Developed methods and procedures to increase sales, expand markets and promote business.
- Estimated consumer demand and determined types and amounts of goods to be sold.
- Inventoried stock and reordered when inventory dropped to specified level.
- Established and implemented policies, goals, objectives and procedures for department.
- Engaged in sales, inventory-taking, reconciling cash receipts and in performing services for customers.
- Assigned employees to specific duties.
- Authorized payments and merchandise returns.
Personal Assistant
Lloyd And Betty Lou Gordon
Fort Myers
05.2018 - 01.2020
- Lifting 200 pounds
- Safe construction equipment operation: saw-saw, whole saw, table saw, mini grinder, hammer drill, nail gun, etc.
- Hand and power tool operation
- Construction knowledge
- Remodels and new construction, Special Event Planning
- Received food orders from cashiers and cooked items quickly to complete entire order together and serve hot
- Sanitized kitchen surfaces and equipment by cleaning grills, griddles, ovens and fryers
- Planned lunch, and dinner menus, as well as special menus for in-house special events and catering
Education
High School Diploma - undefined
Gospel Baptist Christian School
Bonita Springs, FL01-2005
Skills
- Recipes and menu planning
- Meeting planning
- Filing and data archiving
- Errands
- Childcare experience
- Developing menus
- Inventory control
- Microsoft Office proficient
- Excel proficient
- Event planning
- Food preparation
- Budgeting
- Strong attention to safe food
- Handling procedures
- Kitchen equipment operation
- And maintenance
- Electrical installation and repair
- Cash Handling and Reconciliation
- Shift Checklists
- Front-End Support
- Computer Proficiency
- Refunds Exchanges and Adjustments
- Financial Recordkeeping
- Staff Coaching and Training
- Customer Service Process Improvement
- Maintaining Clean Work Areas
- Delegation and Supervision
- Accurate Money Handling
- Merchandise Promotion and Display
- Reporting and Performance Analysis
- Opening and Closing Procedures
- Flexible Work Schedule
- Merchandise Quality Assurance
- Health and Safety Procedures
- Investigating Problems
- Thorough Knowledge of Product
- Positive Client Rapport
- Bagging Groceries
- Social Perceptiveness
- Advertising Strategy
- Needs Assessment
- Systems Assessment and Improvement
- Departmental Procedures
- Retail Security
- Originality and Creativity
- Cycle Counts and Audits
- Superior Work Ethic
- Problem Anticipation and Resolution
- Product Assessments
- Adaptable to Changing Demands
- Records Organization
- POS Terminal Operations
- Customer Credit Management
- Effective Working Relationships
- Credit and Cash Transactions
- Motivational Leadership
- Efficient Service
- Customer Experience Enhancement
- Hygiene Standards
- Excellent Nonverbal Communication Skills
- Persuasive Negotiations
- Call Center Customer Service
- POS Inventory System Operation
- Teamwork and collaboration
- Customer service
- Attention to detail
- Problem-solving abilities
- Multitasking
- Telephone and email etiquette
- Task prioritization
- Goal setting
- Analytical thinking
- Scheduling coordination
- Inventory and supplies management
- Project planning
- Project coordination
- Budget management
- Knife handling expertise
- Meat weighing and labeling
- Meat cutting
- Safety practices
- Meat preparation
- Product presentation
- Sanitation procedures
- Machinery maintenance
- Waste reduction
- Marinating meats
- Following regulations
- Knife skills
LANGUAGES
English - Native
Creole (Haitian) - Fluent
French - Conversational
Timeline
Department Assistant Lead/ Butcher
Kroger
09.2022 - Current
Front End Supervisor
Restaurant Depot
07.2021 - 06.2022
Personal Assistant
Lloyd And Betty Lou Gordon
05.2018 - 01.2020
High School Diploma - undefined
Gospel Baptist Christian School