We’re grateful for our team members. Whether working in our stores, distribution centers or corporate offices, we truly value the people who serve our customers and communities every day.
Meet Sandi Mathews, the Store Director of our Richmond, Ind. store. In her 40 years at Meijer, she leaves a legacy within her own community as she approaches retirement this month. We had the opportunity to connect with Sandi and learn about her favorite #meijercommunity moments throughout her career. Before jumping into those moments, here’s a snapshot of her journey:
On Feb. 26, 1984, Sandi began her career at Meijer. As a young college student, she started in the Cincinnati market and soon became a manager-in-training, tackling various roles, including service leader and line leader. She eventually moved to Human Resources in the Ohio Regional Office where she served in a handful of roles.
In 1995, Sandi moved from Ohio to Indiana to help open the Indianapolis market stores as a Senior Specialist in HR. In 1999, she went through store director training and was selected to lead the new Richmond, Ind. store. That store officially opened April 4, 2000 and Sandi has been the store director ever since.
“The Richmond store will always have a special place in my heart,” Sandi said. “I watched them lay down the concrete while the store was being constructed and oversaw the store’s remodel in 2017. To be a part of the continued evolution of the store and to experience working with this team for 24 years, it’s a wonderful feeling.”
Throughout her 40 years at Meijer, Sandi’s love of the community couldn’t be more radiant. In her spare time, she serves her community in positions with the United Way-Whitewater Valley, Junior Achievement of Eastern Indiana and involvement with many local schools.
When Sandi first moved to Richmond, she joined the board of the United Way-Whitewater Valley. It’s what jumpstarted her community involvement and Meijer representation alongside the organization. She served the board for eight years, with two years as its president.
In her position on the board for Junior Achievement of Eastern Indiana, Sandi teaches first graders the fundamentals of business and economics in a fun, engaging way. This annual spring program is five weeks long, comprised of 30-minute weekly lessons, and it’s something she looks forward to every year.
“When I teach the JA program, my Meijer name badge always comes with me. It’s so fun to talk to the kids about my job as a Store Director as many of their families shop at Meijer – so they’re familiar with it,” she said. “It’s also incredibly rewarding to see the kids graduate from the program. I bring a pack of Meijer pencils for each student when they receive their official ‘diploma.’”
When her team learned about the great work of the organization, Sandi’s store chose Junior Achievement as one of their recent Meijer Team Gives donations, presenting them with $5,000. She also speaks to high school students about career development and other valuable job skills.
Whether it’s various study buddy programs or giving and sponsorship opportunities, Sandi loves to support local schools in her community.
“A few years back, we had a recall on a supply of notebooks because the cover text was off-center. Rather than throw them away, our team donated the notebooks to a school in need,” she added. “This is just one of the many stories that has brought local teachers and administrators to our store for their everyday shopping. Because of those connections, we have strong ties with the local schools, and they continue to partner with us year ‘round.”
Sandi emphasized the importance of being an active voice and giving to the community in creative ways.
“To be a successful leader, you need to be at the table and go above and beyond. In a small town like Richmond, the little things make a big difference. Although presenting a check creates a large impact, the gift of time is equally as important – volunteering, connecting with local organizations, engaging with customers – those actions speak much louder and ultimately affect your bottom line for the good.”
Sandi truly lives our purpose every day and will leave a lasting impact on not only her team in Richmond, but across all the stores where she worked throughout her career. Sandi, we wish you all the best in your retirement – congratulations!