PARTING WORDS

November 4th Was Election Day

Jim Lee, LPC Executive Editor

Today was Election Day, and I voted for all of my favorites. Some of my choices won while others did not, but it is what it is. The results are in and we all move on to 2015. And so it is at the magazine as well—we move on to 2015. There are some exciting plans ahead for us and our readership.

I have a really cool job. I get to work with all of my favorites. As such, if there was an LP election I would be voting for all those executives, LP professionals, and solution providers who support the magazine. Here is a big “thank you” and shout out to all of our readers and those who contributed. Here is my vote for some of my favorite features and people who appeared in the 2014 magazine editions.

I vote for Bob DiLonardo, who authored the two-part series on “EAS and Source Tagging: 20-Plus Years of Innovation.” Bob has been our number one contributor to the magazine since beginning in 2001. Part One appeared in January, and Part Two in the March issue of the print magazine. It is a great chronicle of the evolution of EAS and a tribute to the people, vendors, and retailers who made this technology possible.

I vote for Karl Langhorst and the executive LP staff at Kroger for giving us an inside look at how they’ve built a program that values high standards, teamwork, internal growth, and alignment with the business of retail. This was a special visit for Jack Trlica and myself—sitting face-to-face with the team leaders and hearing them speak about their initiatives and the pride they have in their work. See the January edition.

I vote for Claude Verville, VP of LP for Lowe’s, who shared the story of “Aligning Loss Prevention with the Customer Experience.” This story in the March issue tells of a reorganization that established two chief officer positions—the chief customer officer and the chief operations officer—that were put in place to ensure that everything strategically done at Lowe’s is designed around the customer experience. As a side note to this powerful interview, Verville insisted that we showcase his staff rather than allowing us to include any photos of him.

I vote for Rosamaria Sostilio, who gave us a look at 25 years at Saks Fifth Avenue and her evolution in asset protection. From technology to cross-training to diversity of thought to spirit committee to a passion for this business and the people in it, read and enjoy the story again in the May issue.

I vote for Jay Fogg, SVP of operations at Bloomingdales, who was an exceptional moderator at the RILA LP conference. Fogg’s relaxed, confident, probing style was fun to witness as he allowed Bob Oberosler from Rite Aid, Libby Rabun of Auto Zone, and Mark Stinde from 7-Eleven to speak about their passion for asset protection.

I vote for Read Hayes and our conversation with him in the July issue. It is a grand visit and a look inside ten years of LPRC. The mission was “informed engagement and actionable output,” which is professor speak for “what do you want to know, and how would you use it.” Our interview with him, “From Store Detective to Research Scientist,” is yet another example of how so many executives in this business started at the entry level.

I vote for “The Evolution of the LP Professional” feature article that appeared in September. This is a peek into what many believe we will look like in the future. The contributors for this piece were retailers, LP leaders, and vendor executives. Read about how being “relevant” is no longer good enough. The role of LP is essential to enhancing the profitability of our companies.

I vote for Brigadier General Becky Halstead, a woman of many firsts. Our interview in that same September issue is entitled “The First Person You Must Lead Is You.” Reading her book, speaking with her, and having her talk to our editorial board was very special. If you are ever looking for a true definition of integrity and examples therein, here is the person to go to.

Lastly, and I’m sure most importantly, I vote for Steve Woodland (see page 71). While many of you may not know of Steve, I am proud to say that I did. Steve was an LP executive for more than 25 years. He passed suddenly at far too young of an age. The families at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s knew him well, and mourn our shared loss. He was a big man with an even bigger heart. We miss you Woodland.