Ken works at the CHEF’STORE in Eureka, CA. This location is known to come with some unique challenges, and in his Houston’s tenure, Ken has demonstrated that he is the ideal person for the role.

The Eureka store is a bit more remote than many others Houston’s services, and it is also located in an area of California that is subject to some unpredictable natural events, such as earthquakes.

Merchandising Manager Jaime Alaniz expressed his appreciation for Ken’s ability to uphold Houston’s standards under these conditions.

“I am appreciative to have a merchandiser like Ken who can work autonomously in a remote territory with little need for supervision,” said Jaime. “His reliability is highly valued.”

Jaime noted how Ken approaches the job as his own personal business. He recognizes areas for growth, creating opportunities for more product backstock, displays, or additional shelf space for more popular items.

“Ken asks questions frequently to ensure the job is being done correctly and is constantly looking to better his performance,” Jaime said. “He consistently makes himself readily available for the store’s needs and their customers.”

Ken’s mindset of responsibility and taking personal ownership over his duties has helped build a foundation of trust within the Houston’s Merchandising Department, as well as partnership to  CHEF’STORE leadership.

“Every time I visit, the CHEF’STORE staff expresses to me that they can count on him to do what is needed for them and their customers,” Jaime said. “He always makes himself readily available for both store staff and to help customers, beyond our Houston’s products. He understands that he is an extension of the store, and his performance supports this.”

The Eureka CHEF’STORE recently had an earthquake, which resulted in damage to a lot of products, including Houston’s items.

“You can imagine how much cleanup was needed,” Jaime noted. “The store was grateful to Ken for helping in the cleanup ­– he even bought his own high-powered vacuum to help with the cleaning.”

Ken continues to demonstrate his skills as a supportive member on the Merchandising Team.

“Ken is always ready to take on the job with a positive attitude,” Jaime said. “He continues to impress me with his work ethic on every store visit.”

Congratulations, Ken! This recognition is well earned.

Runners up for the quarter include J.C. King (First Runner Up) and Asia Huska (Second Runner Up).

Read about our other recently recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.

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For these attributes and more, Reuben has earned recognition as the Merchandising Employee of the Quarter for Q4.

According to Merchandising Manager Scott Sauls, Reuben is a great ambassador for Houston’s Core Values. Notably, Reuben is adept at connecting with customers and coworkers, and presents a strong sense of integrity through his work.

“From showing up consistently early to conversing with customers and managers in a polite and respectful manner, Reuben has proven to be a valuable and revered asset to our team,” said Scott.

Reuben has also demonstrated his keen ability to adapt to changes, and has suggested ideas for improvements in the opportunities he notices.

“Reuben has helped expand the Lotus Energy section in one of his stores, by informing the manager more about the product and its movement in Northern stores,” Scott said. “Reuben also suggested a prime location next to Torani syrups and smoothie mixes, which is where it is set now.”

“With the help of product knowledge, POS (point of sale material), and store support, our goal is to catch up to Northern stores in Lotus sales, and Reuben is doing his part,” Scott added.

Scott notes that another of Reuben’s most valuable attributes to the team is his reliability.

“I know I can always count on Reuben whatever the task,” he said. “He always shows up early, ready to work – Reuben’s reliability translates to his work ethic and consistency with his quality of work.”

It’s evident that Reuben brings a unique brand of professionalism and dedication to the workplace.

“His polite and respectful manners probably come from his upbringing or from his time in the military,” Scott said. “Regardless of where they come from, Reuben is a unique addition to Houston’s that I’m proud to have on my team.”

Congratulations, Reuben. This recognition is well-deserved!

Runners up for the quarter include Gannon Beale (First Runner Up) and Rhianna Peterson (Second Runner Up).

Read more about our other recently recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.

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For his dedication and contributions, Donald has been recognized as Merchandising Employee of the Quarter for Q3.

Donald works in the Redding, CA region, and covers the US Foods CHEF’STOREs in the area.

Through the past quarter, Donald has gone above and beyond to help with coverage for additional store locations outside his normal schedule and extra workload when needed. Merchandising Manager Jaime Alaniz has noted that Donald’s flexibility has been a valued asset.

“Over the past few months my territory has been shorthanded,” Jaime said. “Donald has been a supportive member in helping me cover the stores.”

Jaime also noted that Donald keeps a positive outlook through any changes or extra coverage that may come up.

“His support is highly valued and appreciated,” said Jaime.

In addition to being motivated and maintaining a willing attitude, Donald also keeps an eye out for ways to improve on a continual basis.

“Donald recognizes areas for growth, creating opportunities for more product backstock, displays, or additional shelf space for our more popular items,” Jaime said. “Donald asks questions frequently to ensure the job is being done correctly and is constantly looking to better his performance. He consistently makes himself readily available for the store needs and their customers.”

Jaime also shared that whenever he visits one of the Redding area stores, the CHEF’STORE manager or employees are quick to let him know how great of a job Donald is doing, and that his dedication to the job is appreciated.

“He has built a great working relationship with the store and customers,” Jaime added. “Donald has been an excellent addition to the team, is well liked, respected, and considered a part of the CHEF’STORE team – not just part of the Houston’s team.”

With his flexibility, positive attitude, and mindset of continually striving to improve his abilities, Donald has certainly earned the trust of the stores he services, as well as the trust of the managers within Houston’s Merchandising Department.

“Any tasks Donald is asked to accomplish, I am confident they will be completed,” said Jaime.

Congratulations, Donald. This recognition is well deserved!

Runners up for the quarter include Lisa Craig (First Runner Up), and Briana Lawrence (Second Runner Up).

Read more about our recently recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.

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Houston’s Merchandising Department enthusiastically welcomed Kip back to the team in January 2021. Fun fact: he had worked a previous stint with the company. Currently, Kip works as a parttime merchandiser in Warrenton, OR, which is on the Oregon coast near the city of Astoria.

According to Merchandising Manager Bob Baldwin, the Warrenton CHEF’STORE location can be particularly challenging due to the amount of customer requests for products, as well as seasonal sales volume within that store. Bob noted that successfully merchandising this location takes a great deal of projecting the correct amount of product needed for the next order, especially with only one delivery per week.

Kip has risen to meet those challenges, and has performed his duties well – all while maintaining a positive, professional, and friendly demeanor in connecting with store associates and customers alike.

“He has stepped up this quarter in many ways,” said Bob. “He has adjusted his schedule multiple times during the quarter to work around delivery day changes and delays. The dedication and willingness to step up and do what it takes to get the job done means a lot to me and to the store management.”

Another example of Kip’s dedication can be seen in working alongside the store manager to strategically increase inventory levels on coffee syrups proactively to fulfill the potential demand.

“The CHEF’STORE manager trusted Kip to order the right amount of top selling items without overloading the store,” Bob said. “Kip did an excellent job on his projections.”

Kip grew up in the Warrenton area, and perhaps this level of familiarity gives him an advantage when projecting and building orders. It has been noted that Kip personally knows many of the customers who shop in the Warrenton store.

“He always makes a point to converse with customers whether it’s to help them find a product in the section he’s working in or even just to help them get an item down from the top shelf,” Bob said.

Thank you for your continued hard work and diligence, Kip – and congratulations. This recognition is well deserved!

Runners up for the quarter include Jo Irwin (First Runner Up) and Ken Branson (Second Runner Up).

Read about our other recently recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.

The post Merchandising Employee of the Quarter Q2: Kip Johnson appeared first on Houston's Blog.

With Random Acts of Kindness Day occurring on February 17, we asked the Houston’s Community to highlight acts of kindness, helpfulness, and goodwill seen around the office, in the warehouses, in stores, on the road, and out in the field.

Though it’s well established that kindness is woven into the fabric of our working environment here at Houston’s and HTrans – shining a brighter spotlight on the examples of people who go above and beyond can only serve as an extra positive reminder of the great environment we all create here together.

Here are some examples the Houston’s Community shared:

The Accounting Team and HR Team – for helping with holiday payrolls at the end of 2022. Stepping up with kindness helped through some stress.

The person who brought in the office fish!

Parisa Elahian – for being a saint and letting me use her assigned parking spot, before the change to open parking.

Whitley Turner – for taking responsibility for feeding “Huey,” the office fish. It’s above and beyond what she is asked to do, and her name is one of the most frequently seen on the “Who Fed Huey” chart.

Virg Cuff – for purchasing a coat this winter for a person in need of one.

Jenna Jay – for being patient with my training skills!

Tom DeGhetto – I noticed he went out of his way to assist another team member in bringing heavy, cumbersome items from downstairs to the upstairs workspace. Your kind gesture didn’t go unseen!

Jenny Johnston – I commented on her purse the other day, and a few days later she brought in her spare and gave it to me. Jenny, you’re too sweet and I appreciate you.

Austin Parrish– He sent me a cookie gift card for all the hard work I’ve been doing. It was MUCH appreciated! Thanks Austin!

Read more about the Houston’s Community on the Houston’s Blog.

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Greg gives us a window into his experiences over the past 50 years:

I was hired on January 7, 1973, and when I started with Houston’s I worked as a delivery truck driver and warehouse worker. My beginning wage was $2.30 per hour ($15.00 in 2023 dollars) and we were paid once each month.

At that time in Houston’s history, I was one of six employees: John Houston, his mother Esther, John’s brother in-law Jim, order desk Don, and warehouse worker Larry. And, no, this wasn’t my first job; I previously worked at an auto parts and gasoline store for three years.

In 1973, Houston’s was located at 823 SW Front Ave in Portland, which was an 8,000 sq. ft. building. It moved later that year to 2200 N Interstate Ave which was 40,000 sq. ft.

Then, in 1983, we moved to 3939 SE 26th Ave and that building was, to us, state-of-the-art with high ceilings and actual loading docks. The next move was in 1999 to our existing building in Wilsonville where we saw it developed from bare ground to a beautiful fully stocked warehouse with a future in automation.

After driving the delivery truck and working in the warehouse, I moved to inside sales along with daily invoicing of the orders. I wore a lot of hats back then, and since I was basically the only person who could use a typewriter, I was chosen to type all the pages in our catalog along with creating monthly flyers.

Later, I began assisting with purchasing which before that time only John and Jim were doing the ordering. Looking back, I truly enjoyed purchasing products; however, since I got to know our customers so well over the phone and at trade shows, I knew I had a calling in outside sales. I was promoted to Sales Manager, and we began hiring outside salespeople in other states.

As the company grew into new regions, John Houston gave me the option to further my career in sales or to focus my efforts on Cash & Carry (known as CHEF’STOREs today). While managing a sales team was exhilarating, the best memories I have are my time calling on the Cash & Carry accounts.

There were 13 United Grocers Cash & Carry stores back then, and they were purchasing limited bar supplies and glassware from Houston’s. In 1984, I worked with United Grocers putting a line of porcelain white china to all the stores, and it was a hit.

At that time, their smallwares and kitchen supply section was barren – with the products still in boxes sitting on pallets in front of the shelves. Through my relationship with the store managers, and performing well in other areas, they decided they wanted to order these items from Houston’s.

Breaking ground at the Wilsonville site in 1998. L to R: Greg Dann, John Houston, and Steve Hoch

I talked it up with John, and we brought in hundreds of smallwares items such utensils, knives, and pots & pans. I was excited to see these items sell!

We delivered the products to the stores; but the same thing would happen that I had seen before – the product would just sit there in boxes. I can remember putting the load on the shelves myself at one of the Portland locations, and by the time I was done stocking that day they had sold everything I put out!

The light went on, and we quickly hired an area salesperson/merchandiser to assist. Our sales skyrocketed because of our ability to help the customer where they needed it most, hence the creation of our Merchandising Department.

The most enjoyable job for me to do was performing a complete reset of an existing Cash & Carry store, then make it look like new. Also, high on the list was going into the new locations with just bare pegboard and shelving where you and your team get to decide the flow and placement of our products. Now those were fun times!

Many of this longtime team are still with us here at Houston’s. People such as Bob Baldwin and Robin Phillips really put in the hours in the beginning to help Houston’s succeed, and it’s great to see that we have new employees who continue forward with such quality of work.

It takes a lot of effort by everyone to make this program work, and I’m proud of the leadership team today.

We can do many things other companies cannot do because we adapt to what the needs are of our customers. We listen and look to improve. That is what makes our company great.

I really like the direction where the company is currently going! Thanks to all of you that are pulling on the same end of the rope.

Read about our other valued team members on the Houston’s Blog.

The post 50 Years with Houston’s: Greg Dann appeared first on Houston's Blog.

This past quarter, Torrey has been called upon to take on a new schedule with an increased workload, and he has risen to the occasion and beyond.

“Torrey has quickly become one of our most dependable merchandisers,” said Austin Parrish, Merchandising Manager. “When he started, he began with merchandising 573 and 578 for us, but has since transitioned to handling the two busier Spokane-area URM Cash and Carry stores.”

In addition to transitioning to this new situation, Torrey has also stepped up to help cover duties at other stores, as well as assist with vacation coverage. And he does it all with a smile on his face.

“No matter what gets thrown Torrey’s way, he always handles it in the most positive and upbeat manner,” Austin said.

Whether he encounters transportation delays, scheduling changes, extra work shifts, or vacation coverage scenarios, Torrey consistently maintains his professional and good-natured demeanor.

“His positive spirit always helps make everyone else’s day around him a little bit better,” said Austin.

Though Austin noted that Torrey didn’t have much merchandising experience when he first started with Houston’s, he has grown into his role and developed his skills.

One area that stands out is his ability to build relationships with employees and management personnel within the US Foods CHEF’STOREs and URM stores. In addition to creating those connections, Torrey also makes an effort to build relationships with the end customers who shop in the stores.

“Whenever I enter one of his stores, customers always ask where he is and can’t say enough nice things about him and his level of service,” Austin noted. “He exemplifies what we look for in a Houston’s Merchandiser and it shows how valuable he is to the stores he works in.”

Congratulations Torrey – this recognition is well deserved!

Runners up for the quarter are Mike Jensen (First Runner Up) and Nena Wooderson (Second Runner Up).

Read more about our other recently recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.

The post Merchandising Employee of the Quarter Q4: Torrey Casper appeared first on Houston's Blog.

One of the hallmarks of Houston’s Merchandising Department is providing top level service to our foodservice warehouse store partners and end users alike. Mike represents Houston’s well and takes initiative to achieve these goals.

A valued member of the team, one of his most important contributions this past quarter has been his adaptability.

“Mike has worked tirelessly this quarter covering several stores throughout Central California due to open positions,” said Scott Sauls, Merchandising Manager. “He often works two or more stores each day helping to keep our customers’ shelves fully stocked, which he does with a smile.”

Mike remains flexible to take on more responsibility at a moment’s notice, while staying positive and continuing to work hard without hesitation. Though his schedule has been more erratic this past quarter, he greets the challenge with a can-do attitude.

“Mike is always up for the challenge of filling in wherever needed,” Scott said. “His ability to pivot while keeping an extremely positive attitude exhibits his dedication to Houston’s and our customers.”

Continuing to deepen his product knowledge is another of Mike’s keys to finding success and creating connections. As Scott put it: he has become an expert on the items we warehouse and those we supply to our store partners. He has built very strong relationships with our customers, as well as end users – they often know Mike by name.

By using his gift of positivity, Mike consistently represents Houston’s with the utmost professionalism and integrity.

“He holds himself to a high standard, making sure to complete all tasks to the best of his ability,” Scott added. “It is a pleasure knowing I can count on Mike to represent Houston’s professionally without fail.”

Congratulations, Mike, this recognition is well-earned!

Runners up for the quarter include Roy Bracken (First Runner Up) and Briana Wagner (Second Runner Up).

Read about our other recently recognized team members on the Houston’s Blog.

The post Merchandising Employee of the Quarter Q3: Mike Fieber appeared first on Houston's Blog.

Since the time he came on board with Houston’s in 2019, Virgil has been crucial to the success of the Boise-area foodservice warehouse stores, and it’s clear he is extremely passionate about his work. He starts each day at 4:30 AM, allowing some time to get a few tasks completed before the store opens so he is free to focus on two key aspects of his role: stocking and customer service.

Throughout the past quarter, Virgil has stepped up on multiple occasions to help cover his colleagues’ schedule in addition to his own responsibilities. While this resulted in longer work weeks for himself, he maintained his positive attitude and performed at the same exceptional level of service he always provides.

In addition to being a team player, Virgil is also adept at identifying opportunities and seizing an advantage or improvement.

“Virgil recently expanded a syrup section by an incredible 64 linear feet to eliminate out-of-stocks, and greatly increase the holding power,” said Jon Saari, Merchandising Manager.

“This was quite the project to take on by himself, which involved relocating the existing product to another location entirely to accommodate the needed space. Great work, Virg!”

As a previous CHEF’STORE manager and Kerry Foods employee, Virgil has vast experience he can draw upon to perform his duties at a high level.

Virgil has always put the customer first, which is a trait he developed through his longevity within the wholesale grocery industry. He continually looks for new opportunities that would work to benefit the stores he services, such as sourcing items for customers, recommending ideas for product resets, and suggesting new products to add.

He has familiarized himself with all the products Houston’s stocks, so he can be ready to help a customer find what they are looking for.

“Virgil has earned the managers’ trust to get it done right,” said Jon Saari. “It takes time to build confidence with store managers, and he has done an exceptional job doing this.”

Virgil’s dedication is also evident through knowing regular customers by name and fostering connections and friendships with many of the store associates.

Outside of work, Virgil enjoys spending time with his wife, Liz. He is an avid Boise State Broncos fan and identifies the Dallas Cowboys as his favorite NFL team. One of his main hobbies is woodworking.

Congratulations, Virgil; this recognition is well-deserved!

Read about our other recently recognized employees.

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Since the day he joined the Houston’s Merchandising Department back in 2004, JC has been known for his can-do attitude and optimistic outlook. In the past year JC has helped train three new merchandisers. Each of them has mentioned how helpful and positive JC is.

JC is also a hardworking, solution-oriented individual. He has been known to work a 12-hour day with a smile on his face the whole time. He always volunteers to help whenever anyone on the team is shorthanded.

Whatever the challenge, he acknowledges it and moves forward. One observer shared a perfect example:

“There is a line of Monin (brand) products that has not been hosted in the foodservice warehouse stores that Houston’s services. JC worked with the accounts, hand wrote tags, made case slots for the products, and keeps them stocked on a regular basis.  The customers went from, why can’t I get this? to you guys have everything I need.”

These impactful qualities and abilities have always been central to JC’s character, truly leading by example the Houston’s message of “People, not just products.”

Houston’s holds the four Core Values of Identify Challenges as Opportunities for Growth, Create Connections, Operate with Integrity, and Be the Change.

In addition to identifying challenges as opportunities for growth, those that work closely with JC have noticed the other ways in which he embodies our Core Values.

He is able to create connections by forming a personal relationship with our customers. He has seen them outside of work, asks about their families, and he even does a Final Four bracket every year that many of the customers look forward to and participate in – even people who don’t ordinarily follow basketball.

For years, JC has wanted to integrate technology more with the merchandisers. He eagerly embraces change. Before the department was officially issued tablets, he was a proponent of having such tools at hand.

Outside of work, JC loves all Colorado sports teams and has a fondness for craft beer. He also speaks for social equality for all, and cares very much for the environment. He believes in treating all people with respect and kindness.

Congratulations on your award, JC!

Read about the other Houston’s Q3 Employees of the Quarter:

Wilsonville: Parisa Elahian 

KC: Juline Stolberg

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