Rebecca B. Graham
Johnson City
Summary
With 32 years of experience in the retail industry my primary objective is to streamline the functioning of business operations through a multi-faceted approach. My passion for leading by example is key to staff management and retention while simultaneously maintaining operational excellence and ensuring exceptional customer service. Communication with team members, setting measurable goals, and monitoring performance are the backbone for growth and capturing market share.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Part Owner/Head Editor
REG Consulting LLC
Chicago
06.2017 - Current
- Chief Editor for Securities and Litigation Expert Witness Reports
- Write, interpret and structure reports to be presented to attorneys representing clients in litigation
- Work closely with Expert Witness to ensure SEC compliant wording and accuracy
- Strong communication skills displayed to ensure clarity for panels
Store Manager
Azlinn Hope
Johnson City
08.2023 - 05.2025
- Full time Manager for Retail Sales in a Boutique Environment
- Customer service
- Styling
- Marketing
- Merchandising
- Assist in local buying Appointments
- Create and leverage relationships with showrooms
- Website integration to expand online sales
- Event management
- Fashion show execution
- Model search and acquisition
- High touch sales environment
- Client relationship expert
- Drive sales
- Double digit increase for 20/21 months
- Drove sales to add a quarter of a million added to sales in forst 12 months
Online Reseller
Poshmark
08.2018 - 08.2023
- 1935 total listings
- 140k followers
- Source, list and ship women’s and men’s apparel and accessories
- Time management
- Clear communication of items
- Clear photography, imagery of all items listed
- Consistent rotation of listing to ensure high visibility
- Posh ambassador II Status
- 1345 five star reviews
- Top 10% sharer, over 683k shares in the Posh Community
Store Support
Nordstrom Rack
Lincoln Park
08.2015 - 09.2020
- Maintain high levels of backstock and visual standards storewide
- Accept, process and deliver all incoming goods
- Manage storewide markdown process
- Re- merchandise sell through ia thoughtful and compelling way
- Uphold brand standards n for operational excellence
- Received Award for Customer Service All-Star Q1 2016
- Sale and holiday flex set up to support high unit velocity sales
- Update brand and price point signage during floor sets
- Support sales floor staff during high volume days or staff shortages
- Support Loss Prevention department through electronic tagging and designer bag tethering
- Managed intake and retagging of influx of returns from Nordstrom Full Line, Nordstrom Rack, Haute Look and Trunk Club
Merchandise Manager
DSW
Chicago
10.2013 - 09.2015
- $16.2 Million annual volume
- Top Manager in Region for Customer Compliments
- Attended SM Conference as Power 35 high volume support member
- Helped promoted Art Institute Magritte Exhibit with Store Window Display
- Led multiple operational rollouts for backroom to floor efficiency initiatives
- Participated and Hosted High profile Store Visits
Merchandise Manager
DSW
Chicago
01.2013 - 10.2013
- $12.0 million annual volume
- Top Manager in District for customer compliments
- Helped reduce overall shrink number by quarter
- Improved mis-mate number by 30%
- Integral in payroll management and improve staff efficiency
- Hosted corporate visits
- District lead for Operational Audit proficiency
Merchandise Manager
DSW
Chicago
01.2012 - 01.2013
- $11.2 million annual volume
- Top Manager in District for customer compliments
- Double Digit volume increase 8 out of 12 months
- Hired, interviewed and trained incoming staff for newly added State Street Flagship
- Successfully scheduled and assisted in 'Shoe Lover' pop up event
- Trained three incoming support managers
Merchandise Manager
DSW
Oak Brook
12.2010 - 05.2011
- $7.5 million annual volume
- Assisted in streamlining scheduling and compliance to timekeeping standards
- Assisted in mis-mate control through operational standard compliance
- Assisted in overnight store remodel to support seamless client experience during construction
- Identified and Terminated internal loss prevention root causes
- Hired, Trained and Onboarded new associates for peak influx
- Hosted frequent Regional and Corporate Visitors, Every Day is opening day
Merchandise Manager
DSW
Naperville
12.2010 - 05.2011
- $7.5 million annual volume
- Top Manager for Customer Compliments in District
- Assisted in store move to new regional office location
- Recruited, identified and hired new staff members to elevate the customer experience
- Improved store’s overall mis-mate number Q1
Store Manager
Old Navy
Schaumburg
08.2010 - 12.2010
- $7.5 million annual volume
- Led a Team of 5 Managers through daily operations and company procedures
- Managed 'No backroom' design with overhead stock
- Identified key areas of improvement and partnered with District leaders to get additional payroll and resources to remedy
Store Manager
Old Navy
Chicago
07.2010 - 08.2010
- $18 million annual volume
- Leadership Training Partnership High Volume
- Underwent specific, targeted training with the number one SM at Old Navy
- Assisted in the daily operations of a three level flagship store
- Completed all high level Managerial Training modules offered at that time within the company
- Daily exposure to top level executives within the Midwest Region and Corporate structure
Store Manager
Old Navy
Johnson City
08.2009 - 07.2010
- $6.0 million annual volume
- Drove sales to an overall increase of 12% to LY
- Assisted in overnight planning for new store design remodel
- Added register lanes attributing to overall daily lift in ancillary item sales
- Hired, trained and retained customer centered staff
- Identified and terminated multiple internal loss prevention issues
- Top credit card producing location in the district
- Participated in community coat drive donating over 50 brand new outerwear pieces to the commmunity
Brand Delivery and Operation Manager
Victoria’s Secret
Atlanta
05.2008 - 11.2008
- $8.5- $18 million annual volume
- SLSO-Scaling Large Scale Operations Test Store
- Oversee end to end product lifecycle of all product flow and placement to ensure profitability
- Responsible for 10 Managers and Supervisor Level Employees as well as their direct reports
- Hire, train and develop all cashwrap leads for the region with new POS rollout
- Responsible for all scheduling related compliance and payroll maintenance
- Responsible for loss prevention and shrik reduction education for all staff members
- Spend 60% f time on salesfllor coaching associates in the moment and assisting clients with exceptional service
- Improved client email and phone capture from #8 in the district to #1 in a six week period
Store Manager
Victoria’s Secret
Atlanta
07.2007 - 05.2008
- $5.5 million annual volume
- Drove sales to rank in top 300 stores out of 1,123 locations
- Improved overall conversion rate by 2.9% YTD with 18% less traffic
- Improved store morale and training resulting in the lowest turnover rate in the Atlanta area, out of 27 stores
Store Manager
Victoria’s Secret
Savannah
07.2006 - 07.2007
- $6.5 million annual volume
- Drove Store KPI’s to improve store Ranking to #104 out of 1119 store nationwide
- Moved store ranking from #650 to #104 in six months and became the District’s top credit producing location for 2006
- Trained six imited Brands management candidates, promting three of those into key holder or managerial roles
- Exceeded thnird quarter sales by 23%, the highest increase in that location’s history
- Spent six weeks retooling Gwinett Mall Ga location, restaffing and training for the whole store
- Completed two week reruiting assignment resulting in the placemengt of one Co-anager and created over 100 contacts and leads for Coastal SC and GA markets
Store Manager
Victoria’s Secret
Myrtle Beach
03.2004 - 07.2006
- $3.2 million annual volume
- Led Store to Top 100 ranking for the forst time in the location history
- Ranked #1 in Bra and Beauty Sales to plan and #2 in sales plan for the Region for Q3 and Q4 2005
- Participated in and led key lead roles for 13 store openings region wide
- Chosen to represent the Southeastern Region at 'What is Sexy Boston?' campaign in Boston, MA 2004
- Recognized at VS National Brand Conference for Top 5 Store for PINK Sales
Associate Manager
Gap Inc
Myrtle Beach
07.1999 - 04.2004
Area Sales Manager
Belk Stores
Murrell’s Inlet
08.2003 - 03.2004
Assistant Manager
Gap Inc
Montgomery
11.1996 - 07.1999
Collegiate Intern Program, Associate Staff Member
09.1993 - 11.1996
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Concentration in Oil Painting
Auburn University
Auburn, ALBachelor of Fine Arts - Concentration in Oil Painting
Auburn University Montgomery
Montgomery, ALSkills
- Store Management
- Marketing
- Recruiting
- Relationship Building
- Merchandising
- Payroll Management
- Creative Problem Solving
- Communication
- Community Outreach
- Retail operations
- Customer service excellence
- Visual merchandising
- Sales forecasting
- Time management
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Team leadership
- Relationship building
- Human resources
- Operations management
- Performance analysis
- Customer relations
- KPI management
- Partnership development
- Verbal and written communication
- Sales leadership
- Team oversight
- Process optimization
- Staff hiring
- Event management
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Store Manager
Azlinn Hope
08.2023 - 05.2025
Online Reseller
Poshmark
08.2018 - 08.2023
Part Owner/Head Editor
REG Consulting LLC
06.2017 - Current
Store Support
Nordstrom Rack
08.2015 - 09.2020
Merchandise Manager
DSW
10.2013 - 09.2015
Merchandise Manager
DSW
01.2013 - 10.2013
Merchandise Manager
DSW
01.2012 - 01.2013
Merchandise Manager
DSW
12.2010 - 05.2011
Merchandise Manager
DSW
12.2010 - 05.2011
Store Manager
Old Navy
08.2010 - 12.2010
Store Manager
Old Navy
07.2010 - 08.2010
Store Manager
Old Navy
08.2009 - 07.2010
Brand Delivery and Operation Manager
Victoria’s Secret
05.2008 - 11.2008
Store Manager
Victoria’s Secret
07.2007 - 05.2008
Store Manager
Victoria’s Secret
07.2006 - 07.2007
Store Manager
Victoria’s Secret
03.2004 - 07.2006
Area Sales Manager
Belk Stores
08.2003 - 03.2004
Associate Manager
Gap Inc
07.1999 - 04.2004
Assistant Manager
Gap Inc
11.1996 - 07.1999
Collegiate Intern Program, Associate Staff Member
09.1993 - 11.1996
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Concentration in Oil Painting
Auburn University
Bachelor of Fine Arts - Concentration in Oil Painting
Auburn University Montgomery