Walgreens launches women’s group with NEW support

Members of the Women of Walgreens planning committee welcomed NEW members
and officers to their launch event August 4, 2009. More photos

A crowd of 150 employees were on hand as Walgreens launched its new Women of Walgreens group August 4 at the company’s headquarters in Deerfield, Ill. Julie Taylor, Walgreens implementation project manager in WHS Clinical Services and the chair of the Women of Walgreens, welcomed the crowd by saying, “Our mission is to create a place where Walgreens employees, customers and business partners can share experiences, ideas and strategies to engage, educate and empower women.” WOW is one of eight new Walgreens business groups launched in the past 18 months.

Kermit Crawford, senior vice president of pharmacy and executive sponsor of WOW, said, “Women are entering the workforce in record numbers and they will play a key role in leading our company.” He pledged to be an advocate for the group, help develop initiatives, and bring the group’s ideas to the company’s executive team. “WOW can make a real difference, and it’s up to each individual to get involved, be a mentor or thoughtful mentee, expand their network, and learn best practices to reapply at Walgreens,” Crawford said. “A diverse talent workforce will be our competitive advantage as we flex to meet the changing needs of our female shoppers.”

NEW President Alison Kenney Paul, a partner at Deloitte, explained how the Network’s programs and resources could help Walgreens employees build new skills, learn best practices and expand their influence within the company and the industry.

Networking advice

Paul introduced a panel comprised of Walgreens executives and Network guests: Kim Feil, vice president and chief marketing officer at Walgreens; Sharon Holubek-Bank, director of shopper insights at Johnson & Johnson; Catherine Lindner, divisional vice president at Walgreens; Kelly Muno, HR manager at Procter & Gamble; and Cheryl Pearson-McNeil, senior vice president at The Nielsen Company.

Panelists provided examples of how networking has helped them personally and professionally. Holubek-Bank explained how she combined the personal and professional by networking with a professional running association to help her launch a new product while preparing to run a marathon herself. Feil said executives should practice networking and said, “Effective networking is a process of give-and-take that builds over time. It’s important for you to know what you want to learn and to have a well thought out plan of how you will achieve your goals.” Muno said, “The world is getting smaller due to technology, and you cannot overestimate the impact of personal connections and what a chance encounter might lead to.”

McNeil-Pearson said, “I’m a shy person, so when I go to a networking event, I look for someone who is standing alone and just walk up and introduce myself. Everyone is nervous at these events and a friendly greeting can start the conversation.” She also cautioned not to focus just on the most senior leader in the room, but to approach others with a sincere spirit of learning and sharing. “I’ve created a personal spreadsheet that lists the contacts I want to make both within and outside of my company,” said McNeal-Pearson. “Then I track my progress on a quarterly basis.” 

Lindner said external networking could be very helpful on both a personal and professional level. “I reached out to my contacts at P&G to get advice and ideas on how to re-enter the workforce after the birth of a first child. Women need options so they know they can manage both career and family, and my discussions with P&G contacts gave me valuable advice, support and the confidence to return to the workplace.” On a professional note, Lindner added, “When I moved into my marketing role, I reached out to supplier contacts to learn how other retailers were setting up their marketing departments. I received valuable advice and ideas that helped me set the foundation for this new department.”

Paul facilitated the panel discussion and took questions from the audience. She summed up the program and shared her own networking advice. “Always ask open-ended questions and here are three of my favorites: Where was your last vacation?  How did you get started in this industry?  What’s your role in your company?”

George Powell, operations support specialist for Walgreens Health Services, and Shena Beamon, a specialist for Walgreens Employee Relations, made concluding remarks. They asked everyone in the audience to get involved and to practice the networking tips they learned. They also thanked the WOW Planning Committee, Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson for his commitment to the Walgreens Business Groups, and Tomás Rivera for his support of Walgreens diversity and inclusion efforts, including the Business Resource Groups. Rivera said, “I’m proud of the WOW Business Group and what its members have achieved in a very short time. Diversity is working at Walgreens, and this effort will position us as an employer of choice as we continue to attract and retain the best talent in the industry.” Paul and each of the panelists received a bronze paperweight with a message of appreciation from WOW.