MMR: Mass Market Retailers, June 24, 2019

MASS MARKET RETAILINGÕS MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN Rhonda Taylor Since Dollar General is a lowcost operator the groups that report to Taylor are mindful of the business implications of the functions she oversees As the company grows we continuously look for ways to work smarter and to help the business prioritize the work that needs to be done Taylor says For example we analyze whether the lawyers really need to review every hospitality contract regardless of amount or whether a relatively small investment in technology can allow us to do more with less Our speed of growth can be challenging at times but its also an exciting time to work at Dollar General talent management to be the biggest responsibility I have to the organization she says It starts with understanding the needs of the business recruiting top talent and cultivating and leveraging colleagues strengths while refining their opportunities Similarly Ive benefited from having both formal and informal mentors throughout my career and have approached those relationships with the respect and appreciation for the time I was being given by various leaders I understood that this was an incremental investment for my development As a result I consider it a privilege when asked to be a mentor for colleagues seeking personal and professional growth Tucci notes that along the way she has had many people who have helped and influenced her With regard to who influenced me well there are too many to name but I would say that there isnt a leader Ive encountered who hasnt influenced me in some capacity she says That said I grew up in this company in store operations and it was those leaders who started me on my path and ultimately helped define my trajectory Ive benefited from many and Im incredibly grateful for all of them Rhonda Taylor Executive VP General Counsel Dollar General GOODLETTSVILLE Tenn Each day serving as Dollar General Corp s executive vice president and general counsel presents Rhonda Taylor with opportunities to have an impact on a number of the business functions she oversees which include the legal team internal audit global compliance risk management and government and public affairs While her comprehensive responsibilities today are not part of the legal career she initially envisioned when she enrolled in law school she finds her professional purpose through each days difference and challenges I wouldnt trade my career path or experiences that have led me to serve as general counsel Taylor says Taylors journey to her current role began at an early age with a seemingly indescribable passion for the legal field Taylor says she cannot pinpoint why she was drawn to the legal profession but explains it instead as something she just knew she wanted to be part of from an early age We have no other lawyers in my family but I knew that practicing law was something I wanted to do from an early age Taylor says That passion led her to Bir mingham Southern College where she graduated magna cum laude and then to earn her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992 Taylor joined Dollar General in 2000 as an employment attorney following eight years in private practice labor and employment firms She was promoted to senior employment attorney in 2001 and to deputy counsel in Serving others informs every company decision 2004 Six years later Taylor was named vice president and assistant general counsel and transitioned from a more specialized employment attorney role to the broader role of general counsel in 2013 This successful transition is my proudest professional accomplishment and has afforded me the opportunity to be more directly involved in the business which I really enjoy Taylor explains Her legal career progression isnt the only aspect of her experience at Dollar General that has evolved over time When Taylor first joined Dollar General the company operated approximately 4000 stores and posted around 4 billion in sales Over the past nearly two decades Taylor has firsthand witnessed the companys growth to more than 15500 stores accounting for 256 billion in sales as of spring 2019 Throughout Dollar Generals growth and the subsequent changes associated with the ever changing retail landscape Taylor reflects that the companys steadfast dedication to its mission of Serving Others has not changed since the company was founded 80 years ago in 1939 To Taylor it reflects her view that the strongest organizations are those that have a clearly stated and understood purpose Our commitment to staying true to our mission has not wavered despite Dollar Generals enormous and quick expansion Taylor explains These two words inform virtually every decision that we make provide a lens through which we can and do judge our actions and are the foundation for our unique action oriented culture We move fast but deliberately and with a data oriented testand learn approach that keeps our customer at the center of everything we do Cia Tucci VP Inventory Management CVS Health Taylors focus on Dollar Generals service oriented mission expands far beyond the business with a passionate focus on serving as a mentor and on the teams she oversees Taylor says her best days are those that involve the accomplishments and successes of her colleagues at the company It makes me so happy when their contributions are rewarded whether through promotions or some other form of recognition she says Mindful of her position as a woman in the executive ranks Taylor says mentoring and talent development are extremely important to her and that she is a mentor to several individuals from other areas of the company No one succeeds alone Taylor adds Weve all had individuals support and encourage us along the way It is important to me that I pay this forward by helping to support and encourage others particularly women to create and seize opportunities for their own development And I often tell my mentees that I have hit the jackpot with them Taylor stresses that one common thread remains Dollar Generals ability to serve as a positive force in the lives of its customers and employees WOONSOCKET R I Not many people can say theyve spent their entire career with one organization but Cia Tucci can Tucci vice president of inventory management at CVS Health began her journey at the drug chain in high school I just celebrated 32 years with the company and my journey at CVS Health makes me proud she remarks I started in the stores and worked through various levels geographies departments and roles Ive enjoyed an expansive career filled with many highs the most noteworthy being pivotal moments as vice president of store brands where I led the team that launched our CVS Health brand removed chemicals of concern from over 600 beauty and personal care items and elevated our quality assurance program which created best in class standards within the industry She adds that recent highlights and accomplishments in supply chain include decreasing backroom inventory while maintaining customer satisfaction and at the same time being a part of a new leadership team that created a unifying culture within all disciplines of supply chain Finally I wouldnt be able to talk about any of these highlights if it werent for the pride I have for the people Ive worked with and led over the years many of whom have advanced to senior positions in the company Tucci says a key responsibility in her current role includes the governance of one of the largest assets the company owns inventory While I have many financial deliverables to the organization the most important is the ability to ensure our patients receive their medications and our customers receive their product when and where they want it she remarks This includes managing the buying planning and allocation of over 80 billion of both our pharmacy and frontend products across the enterprise Ive always been driven by the responsibility of delivering results making a tangible impact on the companys performance and while the success of that is without a doubt fulfilling my satisfaction has primarily come from leading and developing the talent on my team Ive been fortunate to work with passionate and committed colleagues and their engagement and professional growth are my joy We spend a lot of time working to ensure that we have the front store and pharmacy products our customers and patients want and need while optimizing our inventory investment Cia Tucci Tucci explains that CVS Health is a health care innovation company whose purpose is helping people on their path to better health One of the best parts of our purpose is that it is tangible and accessible to anyone regardless of role level or location within the company she says My team and I have a clear connection to serving our customers and patients through the work we do every day While everyones path to better health is different it all begins with the medications and products our customers and patients are purchasing here My team is responsible for ensuring that those medications and products are accessible when our customers and patients want and need them Looking back she says her early positions working with customers in the store helped influence her later leadership positions at CVS Health The foundation of my professional journey at CVS Health is a big part of my success today she says I learned early on that customer satisfaction is paramount to our success I started in this company serving customers Every position Ive held since then only continues to build on that responsibility As Ive moved throughout the company and held roles of increasing scope Ive always maintained the connection to serving our customers The learning was in understanding that my ability to impact the patient customer was related to the work I lead with our vendor partners our distribution centers and stores and other corporate colleagues Because of this I bring a mindset and perspective that helps the team connect the work they do directly to our patients and customers through our over 200000 store and distribution center colleagues Tucci explains that mentors and mentoring programs are crucial to helping develop the talent of the companys young professionals especially women I consider 62 MMR June 24 2019