When a wildfire raced through Grayling, Michigan last year, Family Fare manager Tammy Sluck sprang into action mode. She provided meals and water to responders, later receiving a commendation letter from the local fire marshal and the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

This store director is used to acting quickly as situations emerge and sometimes escalate. Not all situations are as dramatic as a wildfire, but they do impact business. For instance, her store is located in a busy tourist town, which means that traffic and demand are a lot different in July than in January and she must plan accordingly. This Family Fare is also located near a National Guard base, which hosts summer training programs that also drive up traffic to her location. The National Guard has come to view Tammy as a valuable resource, turning to her when one of their caterers for a children’s camp canceled at the last minute; she and her team were able to provide 2,100 lunches over three days.

Her quick thinking and generosity of spirit have allowed Tammy to effectively manage this store in other ways. For instance, she quickly integrated SpartanNash's in-house cut fruit and vegetable program, which provides healthy, convenient options to consumers, and subsequently drove higher sales and turned her store into a training program example for other locations in the region.

Constantly cultivating loyalty through action, she organized an annual Thanksgiving dinner for local troops and veterans last year, feeding more than 1,000 people. Tammy also supported the community during the holiday season by baking cookies and delivering 5,000 of the treats to community members in need, using her own vacation time to do so. She has inspired employees to donate their own time and talent, increasing enthusiastic volunteerism among her staff.

Her gestures extend to her staff, too, as she sets high standards for both individuals and teams. As a way to help crew members stay focused, she created an associate committee to be the voice of all associates and launched another internal audit committee to bolster the store's internal audit score. Both of those groups have been effective, netting positive audit stores and driving up customer satisfaction scores well over initial goals.

Along the way, Tammy has helped other locations within the organization, too. She regularly visits stores in the region and works with their teams to determine areas of need and create an environment of trust. Her mentorship extends to new store directors, as she assists with their final training and helps form a network of store leaders who feel comfortable asking her and each other for advice.

Ultimately, her store’s performance mirrors the dynamic nature of its leader. The Family Fare in Grayling has achieved year-over-year growth and, under her watch, become a preferred store in the community.