DI Families: Meet your Publix staffers!
This week, as a special holiday treat, we were invited to sit down with several members of our Daniel Island Publix “family” - the friendly and helpful employees at our local Daniel Island Publix store. They keep the store humming along seamlessly, help us carry our grocery bags to the car, find the right kind of apples we need for our holiday pies - and make some of the best deli sandwiches we’ve tasted anywhere. But the Daniel Island Publix team does so much more! Cashiers and customer-service associates, many of whom we’ve come to know so well, treat us like old friends - asking about our health and our families - or simply telling us that they’ve missed seeing us at the store if we’ve been out of town for a while. Certainly, Store Manager Vicki Parker has a hand in fostering the positive attitude of her team and the stellar, personable customer service experience we receive; she was just named the 2016 Charlotte Division recipient of the George W. Jenkins Award for Excellence, which recognizes the preservation of Mr. Jenkins’ ideals through excellence in leadership, fairness and integrity. Is it any wonder, then, that we feel blessed with the Christmas spirit whenever we walk through those sliding glass doors - not just during the holidays - but practically every day of the year?
SONNY KEMP, Cashier
How long have you worked for Publix - and specifically at the Daniel Island store?
I’ve been working at the Daniel Island Publix for 8 years.
Where are you from originally?
I’m from Williamstown, Mass.
What brought you to the Charleston area? When did you move here?
I moved down here in 1985 to be with my sister who already lived in the area - and my nephew who works at another Publix store. Besides, it was way too cold in Massachusetts and, at the time, difficult for me to get around with a sprained ankle.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Working with the customers.
How do you motivate yourself to keep going through a difficult day?
Knowing that I can help people out in any way that I can.
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
We usually go to our 90-year old aunt’s house for Christmas. We open presents and eat a lot.
Christmas season is a time of giving. How will you be giving to others this year?
Christmas is actually a sad time for me now since my mother died two years ago. Every Christmas I make an offering at church in her memory.
DONALD JOHNSON, Deli Clerk
How long have you worked for Publix - and specifically at the Daniel Island store?
I’ve only worked at the Daniel Island store. I’ve been here for 5 years.
Where are you from originally?
I’m actually from Charleston. I grew up here.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Making people happy!
How do you motivate yourself to keep going through a difficult day?
I focus on making at least one person happy. I figure that if I can turn one person’s day around - whether it’s a customer or another Publix associate - I’ve made my own day that much better.
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
Christmas is my favorite time of year. I guess you could say I’m a Christmas fanatic. I love eating and opening presents. Just having a lot of fun with my family, which includes my dad and now my fiancée, Cass. They both work at the Daniel Island store.
Christmas season is a time of giving. How will you be giving to others this year?
Giving as much joy as I can to others. I feel that Christmas is a time when most everyone is happy. I’d like to help keep that joyful spirit go on as long as possible.
CASS SMITH, Baking Clerk
How long have you worked for Publix - and specifically at the Daniel Island store?
I’ve only worked at Daniel Island Publix. I’ve been here for three months.
Where are you from originally?
Jackson, Michigan.
What brought you to the Charleston area? When did you move here?
I moved down here from Michigan three years ago to be with Donald, who’s now my fiancé.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
I love giving out free cookies to the kids
How do you motivate yourself to keep going through a difficult day?
I always feel better when I can turn someone’s day around. You can always find some way to make someone a little bit happier - especially when they’re not in a good place. Turning someone else’s frown upside down always makes my day. It’s all about attitude.
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
I celebrate Christmas with my fiancée and his father, David. We’ll open presents, decorate the tree. We like to laugh a lot - so I know we’ll have a lot of fun.
Christmas season is a time of giving. How will you be giving to others this year?
I’m really excited to be involved in the store’s holiday toy drive. There’s a big box in the front of the store for donations of new toys that will go to children who MUSC Children’s Hospital. I’m bringing lots of toys for that box and helping out with the drive in any way I can.
DAVID JOHNSON, Cashier
How long have you worked for Publix - and specifically at the Daniel Island store?
I’ve been working at the Daniel Island store for 4 years.
Where are you from originally?
Cleveland, Ohio.
What brought you to the Charleston area? When did you move here?
I moved here for the sunshine, to get away from the snow…let’s say it was many years ago.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Talking with people. Interacting with customers and other associates every day. Just like Cass was saying, we all have bad days, but it’s important to remember that if someone is acting irritably towards others, they might just be having a bad day. Sometimes all it takes is one kind word that can bring out the sunshine in someone else’s cloudy day. I also really enjoy mentoring the younger associates who’ve just been hired, showing them the right way to do things at the store, whether it’s stocking the shelves, working the register or greeting customers with a genuine smile.
How do you motivate yourself to keep going through a difficult day?
We’re a family here at the Daniel Island store. We have to interact with each other - and with customers every day - so why not make the most of it?
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
As you know, I’m having Christmas with my son, Donald, and soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Cass. I get to do all the cooking!
Christmas season is a time of giving. How will you be giving to others this year?
I like giving. I like receiving, too! (Grin). Seriously, Christmas can be a lot of fun, but it’s important that we don’t forget the real meaning of Christmas. It’s all about love.
TOM GRALSKI, Customer Service Associate
Where are you from originally? How long have you lived in Charleston?
I’m from Denville, New Jersey. I’ve lived here on Daniel Island for 15 years.
How long have you worked at Publix - specifically the Daniel island store?
I’ve worked at Publix Daniel Island for 2 years.
What do you like best about your job?
Solving problems - for customers and associates alike.
Will you be celebrating Christmas? If so, how will you celebrate it?
I will be going down to Florida to see my daughter and my 19 year-old grandson, who’s being deployed in a few weeks to Iraq. It’s a difficult time of year for me right now. My wife, Dale - I called her by her middle name, Susie - and my sister, Corinne, both passed away last April. Dale and I would have celebrated our 44th anniversary on the 23rd of this December. I miss them both very much.
What gets you through a tough day at work?
I don’t sweat the small stuff … and it’s all small stuff. What I’m going through could be minutiae compared to what others around me are going through.
Christmas is a time of giving. How will you be giving back this season?
Every year I give a sizable donation to the Salvation Army.
DIANE WHITAKER, Customer Service Manager
How long have you worked for Publix - and specifically at the Daniel Island store?
I’ve been working at Publix for 12 years. I’ve been at the Daniel Island store for 1 year and 7 months.
Where are you from originally?
New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
What brought you to the Charleston area? When did you move here?
I first moved to Myrtle Beach, to work in Customer Service at the store there. I got promoted to a position as a Team Leader at the Pawley’s Island Store, followed by this last promotion to Daniel Island. I really love the area. Charleston reminds me of home - a small beach town with a big city vibe.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Making people happy…customers and associates alike. I like to treat my associates well so they’re more likely to treat the customers well. To start with, we have a great group of people here at the Daniel Island store. Everybody gets along well. That in itself makes my job enjoyable. But I try to cultivate and build on this spirit of good will in any way I can.
How do you motivate yourself to keep going through a difficult day?
Like the other associates have already shared here, making someone’s day in some way - especially when they’re not feeling happy - is the best way for me to turn my day around!
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
I’ll be celebrating Christmas in Charleston with my boyfriend at his grandmother’s house on James Island, along with his sister and father.
Christmas season is a time of giving. How will you be giving to others this year?
I love that Publix participates in the annual Toys for Tots program as well as our local Daniel Island Store toy drive for M.U.S.C Children’s Hospital. Publix really loves kids! I’m going to get involved in any way I can to make kids happier this Christmas.
VICKI PARKER, Store Manager
How long have you worked for Publix - and specifically at the Daniel Island store?
I’ve been working at Publix for 13 years. I started out as Customer Service staff member in Columbia and then was promoted to Store Manager in Greenville. One year ago, as a result of a career growth opportunity, I became Manager of the Daniel Island Publix store.
Where are you from originally?
I’m from Columbia, SC. I’m part of a large family, one of nineteen siblings.
What brought you to the Charleston area? How long have you lived here?
I moved to Charleston one year ago when I became Manager of the Daniel Island Store.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Working with my team and helping each team member realize his or her potential by pushing them to the next level. It’s exciting for them - and me - to see what they’re capable of achieving.
How do you motivate yourself to keep going through a difficult day?
I stop to reflect on how grateful I am for all that I have, including my family, my career and all the possibilities that are available to me.
Do you celebrate Christmas? If so, how do you celebrate it?
My whole family will be coming down to celebrate at my mother’s in Lugoff, a small town outside of Columbia. Christmas season is a time of giving.
How will you be giving to others this year?
My baby sister has Down’s Syndrome and cancer. She’s going to be at MUSC for several weeks undergoing a bone marrow transplant. I’m really looking forward to going to visit her next week. And, of course, I’m going to do my part to encourage our associates to donate to our in-store toy drive, an opportunity for us to share a little bit of Christmas with young patients at MUSC Children’s Hospital. Publix has always been involved with different charities like United Way and March of Dimes and the Daniel Island store is consistently a top fundraiser, thanks to the dedication of our team. Although Daniel Island Publix has the fewest associates among the Charleston area stores, we nevertheless came in first place this year for our support of United Way, with a total contribution of $43,394.00. The store is also currently promoting Food for All (through 12/23/16) in support of the Lowcountry Food Bank, a campaign that welcomes contributions from customers as well as associates. Thanks to the generous support of our customers in the Daniel Island community and the enthusiasm of our store associates, last month we raised $16,022.00 during our Thanksgiving Food for Sharing drive which also benefits the Lowcountry Food Bank. I couldn’t be prouder of my team.