LORI’S 2024 ‘ MAKE YOU R M A R K ’ AWARD WINNERS
Since its inception in 2023, Lori’s highly coveted “Make Your Mark” Award has positively impacted our company. The award serves as a spotlight, illuminating our mission to be a trusted place for joy and support when others need it most. The award honors team members who give their all in fulfilling that mission, which in turn, motivates everyone at Lori’s to follow their winning approach to excellence.
Recipients are nominated by our hospital Partners and employees, Lori’s field leaders, and patients and visitors for making a positive difference in the lives of everyone they meet. Nominees are recognized for going above and beyond for their Guests in a variety of ways:
for providing a clean, beautiful setting where people can take a needed a break
for being a mentor and role model to their coworkers and Lori’s team members at other locations
for reaching out to those in need with caring words or a generous gesture or thoughtful gift for going out of their way to help Guests take advantage of special deals/savings for taking part in hospital initiatives, activities and fundraising efforts
“Our winners exemplify who we want to be as a company, in their ability to leave lasting impressions on everyone they meet.”
- Jeff Gloor, President
for being the one place they can count on to receive a warm greeting and a smile or hug
for providing a well-organized array of quality products at great prices, and knowing exactly where to find them
for being able to remember Guests’ faces, names, their stories, and their needs and personal preferences
JANUARY
Liz Kanter, 9 Years Store 434 Asst. Manager
Mercy West Hospital Cincinnati, Ohio
Liz Kanter was recognized for her energetic, warm personality and impeccable sales skills: “Liz goes out of her way to make you feel special and to get to know you personally... Hospital employees seek her out. She helps guests pick the perfect item. She is well loved by the employees in this hospital.”
Each month a new Team Member receives recognition on our company website and on social media, along with the personalized Glass Heart Award statue, plus 2 extra PTO days, a local hotel stay, dinner, movie tickets and more. Winners have been surprised with a visit from Lori’s leaders, who personally delivered the awards and prizes.
The Make Your Mark award is an icon of Lori’s commitment to empowering teams to love and do right by their Guests, Partners and each other. Join us in congratulating this year’s very deserving winners. READ THEIR FULL STORIES on our website (see below).
TO NOMINATE A LORI’S TEAM MEMBER from your hospital for the Make Your Mark Award, click on the News tab on our website at lorisgifts.com
FEBRUARY
Jim Gray, 1 1/2 Years Store 15 Manager
Medical City Ft. Worth Ft. Worth, Texas
Jim Gray has celebrity status at Medical Center Ft. Worth. When he is gone for just a few minutes, hospital staff and guests ask where he is, if he’s alright, and when he’ll be back. A customer’s husband (a patient) said Jim was such a comfort to the man’s wife during his stay, he couldn’t thank him enough.
MARCH
Yvonne Leonard, 14 Years Store 454 Manager
Grand Strand Medical Center
Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina
Yvonne Leonard received numerous accolades for her strong leadership and compassion. “She’s a team player and travels throughout the market sharing her expertise and mentoring new and newly promoted team members. Yvonne truly loves her job and the hospital employees at Grand Strand Medical Center.”
MAY
Sandra Hambright, 10 Years Store 345 Manager Houston Methodist West Houston, Texas
APRIL
Arlene Bubrow, 11 Years Store 557 Manager
St. Peter’s University Hospital New Brunswick, New Jersey
Arlene Bubrow is recognized for embodying Lori’s Vision, Mission, and Values every single day. Her Supervisor said, “Every time I visit her store, hospital employees, including members of administration, share with me their adoration of Arlene and tell me how wonderful she is and what a great job she does.”
Sandra Hambright is noted for consistently bringing innovative ideas to the table, contributing to the creativity and effectiveness of our campaigns. One standout quality is her tireless drive to be the very best. She approaches every task with enthusiasm, seeking to meet expectations and exceed them.
JULY
Bebe Landa, 16 Years Store 232 Manager
Sutter Health Medical Center Sacramento, California
JUNE
Diane Ferrucci, 3 Years Store 188 Manager Yale New Haven Hospital New Haven, Connecticut
Diane Ferrucci is known as a caring, kind, funny and passionate person. No matter how hectic things get, she always keeps a level head and happy demeanor, and remains customer-focused. Anyone who interacts with her walks away with a smile on their face, feeling cared for and confident to face the day.
Bebe Landa is customer service personified. She consistently surprises visitors by remembering them, what’s going on in their lives, and what they like and dislike. She goes the extra mile to deliver exactly what each visitor needs, and she has trained her team to also treat customers with the utmost care.
AUGUST
Samantha Groves, 8 Years Store 443 Manager
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Houston, Texas
Samantha Groves is described as an amazing human who is “conscientious, kind, willing to extend herself to meet the needs of internal and external customers.” Nominators also said, “She is always brainstorming ways in which she can elevate the guest experience in her store while keeping brand standards in mind.”
Lori’s held its 2024 company Leadership Conference September 4-6 in downtown Dallas at the Virgin Hotel. Attendees were welcomed into a medieval-themed meeting space with knights and castles, and received canvas gift bags loaded with gifts and goodies, courtesy of Lori’s Support Center staff and our generous vendors. Participants were treated to a Vendor Expo dinner, and the highlight of the summit, a night of feasting and jousting at Dallas’ famed Medieval Times.
This year’s “Quest for Success” theme focused on habits and qualities that distinguish good leaders from champions who never cease in the quest to make a positive difference in the lives of others. The keynote address and workshops focused on carrying out Lori’s mission — to be a trusted place for joy and support when people need it most — by consistently upholding honorable practices and an unwavering commitment to excellence in customer care. Lori’s executives and team leaders fellowshipped, celebrated business victories, discussed best practices, and constructed new goals and a solid plan for achieving our Quest for Success in the upcoming months.
The 2024 winners of the prestigious Make Your Mark Award were specially honored at the event (see pages 4-5). Each recipient enjoyed VIP treatment and a day of guided tours of famous Dallas landmarks including the Sixth Floor Museum, Reunion Tower, and Warren Park. View more photos on the News page at www.lorisgifts.com.
Andrew
Andrew Dutka Andrew Dutka is our newest Lori’s DM, hired in September to cover the greater New York area. He is a highly experienced professional with 35 years of work in retail sales and 20 years as a District Manager. He has held various managerial positions in renowned companies including Bed, Bath & Beyond, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gap, Swarovski, and Solstice Sunglasses. Andrew brings his strengths in driving results, multiunit management, and business analysis to Lori’s. He is a high performance team builder, and is exceptional in leadership roles and as a talent coach.
Andrew enjoys health/fitness, golf, the beach, and reading (especially James Patterson). His most memorable travel experience was going to Italy. Andrew is married with two children, who are both in the medical field. His daughter is an ER nurse and his son is a Speech Therapist for kids with Autism.
Dan Kuehn came to Lori’s with over 20 years of retail experience from prior roles with Borders Book and Music and Dicks Sporting Goods. His role as a DM began with stores in DC and Virginia, and now includes Baltimore and Pennsylvania. Dan was drawn to Lori’s small-company feel, though the company is the nation’s leader in hospital gift shops. He is proud that Lori’s is a growing company, saying, “We continue to add stores every year as hospitals learn about what we can offer them.”
What Dan truly enjoys about Loris is its people. He said, “I get to work with Store Managers that have been with Lori’s for over 25 years. They love working with the Hospital staff, and often know exactly what items will be of interest to them.” Dan loves that his team is very compassionate. Customers are often in the store for a gift for a loved one in the hospital, or perhaps for the birth of a new family member, and his team is always ready to try and find the perfect gift for them.
Sue Mansour is our Lori’s District Manager for District 130, which encompasses close to 20 stores throughout the Cleveland and Pittsburgh areas. Before joining Lori’s in December of 2023, Sue served as Regional Manager for Duty Free Americas with complete oversight of mid-Atlantic states consisting of Baltimore, Washington DC, New York, New Jersey and Detroit, for a total of 27 locations.
When asked what she values as a Lori’s team member and District Manager, Sue said, “I love the emotional experience Loris Gifts offers to our guests, but more than anything, to our employees.” Sue said she greatly admires the way the company understands and inspires the in-store G.U.E.S.T experience, and she believes that how guests as well as employees are affectionately treated is a vital part of making our gift shops and the complete Lori’s experience so extraordinary.
Valerie Mollick joined District Managers team 2015, after more than in the retail industry, in big-box environments.
“Lori’s Gifts offered me and exciting experience; has been the most satisfying position in my career,”
What Valerie loves about guests! She said, “It is and delight to serve our hospital patients, and their is truly retail with a heart.” loves her talented store members who share the helping others and making heart of the hospital.
Dutka
Valerie Mollick
Dan Kuehn
Sue Mansour
joined the Lori’s Gifts team in September of 20 years of working in both boutique and me a completely new experience; my current role satisfying and rewarding said Valerie.
about Lori’s Gifts are our an absolute privilege our Healthcare Heroes, their visitors -- this heart.” Secondly, she store managers and team the same passion for making our gift shops the
Tim Murphy graduated from the U Wisconsin-Whitewater with a Business Degree with an emphasis in Management. After graduating, Tim started at Foot Locker, and held various Management positions. He was promoted to District Manager in 2006, and ran the Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky market. He was promoted to the Wisconsin/Iowa market in 2016. In August 2022, he started as a District Manager with Lori’s Gifts, covering Wisconsin, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and the Memphis area. Tim is also part owner of the Green Bay Packers!
Tim loves working with Lori’s Gifts and feels that we serve a purpose in our hospitals, whether it’s for the employees, the patients, or visitors. He said, “My team is so passionate about what they do each and every day.” Tim said he is also impressed with the Lori’s Love program, saying, “We have made so many peoples’ days. There have been laughs, hugs, and tears. I love it!”
Kari Perez
Kari Perez joined Lori’s Gifts as a Store Manager in September 2022 after many years with Torrid. During her time as a Store Manager, Kari took on various stretch roles to help throughout the Region. In October 2023, Kari was promoted to DM of the New England District.
Kari says she can truly stand behind the Lori’s Gifts Vision, because Lori’s has shown that it is a trusted place for joy and support when people need it most. She stated, “I have never seen a company care so much about their customers as well as their employees. I feel confident going to work every day knowing I can make a difference and have all of Lori’s standing with me.”
Kari and her husband of 12 years, Daniel, have four children: Jessica 30, twins Aris and Xander 21, and Jason 20. She also has an 8 month old chinchilla named Parkour!
CeCe Santiago first served with Lori’s Gifts as a Sales Associate in 2017. In her seven years with the company, she said she has had the opportunity to learn and grow each year. CeCe was promoted to Store Manager in 2019, and then recently promoted to District Manager in April of 2023.
CeCe said that she is grateful for the opportunities she has been given and said she wouldn’t have been able to thrive so well her position if she didn’t strongly believe in Lori’s Vision. CeCe says, “I’m very grateful for my team leaders as well as my team. Together we strive to continue to be a trusted place for joy and support when people need it most.” She continued, saying, “I also love how our Team makes the Lori’s experience such a welcoming, exciting, and personal experience. I am truly grateful to be part of Lori’s Gifts.”
Tim Murphy
CeCe Santiago
Michelle Anderson
Michelle Anderson celebrates over 4 years with Lori’s, bringing 32 years of retail experience to her role as East Region District Manager. She served as Harris Teeter’s first African-American Category Manager, and was District Manager for Cato Corp. in all divisions including Cato, Versona, and It’s Fashion. Michelle says operating stores for Cato at its headquarters in Charlotte, NC offered her opportunities to work with all levels of leadership, including CEO John Cato. She learned and delivered the expectation of having the best store presentation at all times.
Michelle was excited to join Lori’s at the launch of Mi9, which she believes has transformed our organization with inventory management. She says, “I love working here because we are a TEAM. We hear one another and we make necessary steps to improve each and every day. Team NC, SC and KY are the BEST team day in and day out!”
Jennifer Dowd joined Lori’s Gifts in July 2018 following a 22 year retail career with Bath & Body Works and Dollar General in Dallas. She joined us as a District Manager for Dallas stores, and over the past 4 years has expanded her district to include Ft. Worth, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Nebraska.
Jennifer has built a family of stores in 5 states that pride themselves on teamwork. She stated, “Each member is focused on being an active participant in the success of our district, our company and most importantly, the hospitals we serve.”
Jennifer loves introducing people to the unique experience that is Lori’s. Whether it’s a potential new team member, a hospital visitor, or a healthcare hero new to Lori’s, Jennifer takes great pride in bringing them into the Gift Shop to meet her team. She said, “I will never stop being amazed at the connections made in our stores!”
Tina Felton is currently the District Manager of all Lori’s Gifts locations in Florida. She has been Team Lori’s for 9 years, starting her journey as a Store Manager in Orlando in 2013.
Tina has grown in many areas as a retail professional during her tenure, and believes in being the best at anything put before her. She loves working with Lori’s talented, creative individuals who also share her passion for customer service.
Goss served as the Cato Corporation’s
covering Atlanta, Tennessee 17 years before coming the position rewarding, saying, develop employees through them move forward in different company was very challenging every minute.”
To our hospital partners, Tina says, “Thank you for letting us show you how special it is to have a Lori’s gift shop in your facility and for allowing our family to join yours. We enjoy every minute of it!”
To future partners, Tina says, “What makes us different is our people and our ability to passionately serve in an ever-changing environment. We simply love what we do!”
Marissa came to Lori’s in says it is a company set retailers. She loves that creative, to be more personal have fun, and that Lori’s the first company she has recognizes each employee’s constantly producing ways others. Marissa says, “My part of keeping the Loris their time, effort and hard Loris way. It’s so good to
Marissa
Jennifer Dowd
Tina Felton
Marissa
Fashion/Metro
as a District Manager for Fashion/Metro Division Tennessee and Alabama for to Lori’s. She found saying, “Being able to through training and see different roles in the challenging but worth it
Rohn LaCoria joined us in September with over 20 years of retail/ hospitality experience, including Gap Inc., Hallmark, Restoration Hardware and Four Seasons. Leaning into his HR background, Rohn leads with a “people first” mentality. He understands how vital quality, high performance team members are to the success of a store, district and company. Rohn will oversee SoCal, NV and AZ.
Rohn recognizes that Lori’s is known for stellar results, and looks forward to connecting with the team and partnering with them to continue to deliver outstanding results. Rohn said, “Loving Lori’s is easy when you lead with a heart. Connecting retail items to the hospital staff and guests is organic and genuine; however, building relationships is where loyalty and success live.” Rohn said the expectation to truly connect with all consumers entering the gift shop excites him, along with knowing we have so much to be thankful for in this community and so many ways and reasons to give back.
Renni Little
in January 2020, and apart from any other Lori’s allows her to be personal with guests, to gives back. Lori’s is has been with that truly employee’s gifts and talents, ways to acknowledge “My team is a tremendous Loris dream alive. They put hard work into keeping the to see and be a part of.”
