Each year, the Donald G. Fisher Award is given to outstanding Store Managers across our brands who demonstrate leadership, customer care, and giving back to their communities. And at Gap brand, we’re honored to be able to recognize and celebrate not one, not two…but four exemplary individuals around the globe as the 2019 Fisher Award winners!
Read on to learn more about what makes them exceptional leaders (and hear from some of them directly)!
Angela Pettit – Gap Factory for North America, Las Americas
Angela is a passionate leader and motivates and inspires her team by setting clear goals and expectations. And it has paid off! The Las Americas store consistently drives some the district’s top results. The team’s energy is infectious, and you can feel it from the moment you walk into the store. And that inspiration and energy doesn’t stop in store! Angela embraces and promotes community involvement and believes in giving back to the community.
What gets you energized to come to work every day?
Angela: I'm lucky I get to work with a very talented team that takes so much pride in the work they do. Because of that, work is fun and collaborative! We challenge each other to do better every single day.
Delia “Willie” Moreno – Gap Specialty for North America, South Coast Plaza
Willie’s legacy is well known across the brand, as she has led change and exemplified growth over her 20 years with the company. Her curiosity and passion have allowed her to see beyond the obstacle at hand, deliver on objectives, and inspire many along the way. Her commitment to moving this brand forward through delivering an exceptional service experience and cultivating a culture grounded in education and communication has resulted in her store achieving the #1 Net Promoter Score (how our customers grade us on their experience) in the region year-to-date!
What advice do you have for others looking to grow into a leadership position?
Willie: My advice is love what you do. Make it a priority to build talent and create positive experiences for everyone. Talent building is the most important skill a leader can have to be successful. I have made it a point to surround myself with great talent in any new store I've worked in.
Mathieu Fournier – Gap Europe, France Val d’Europe
Mathieu is a leader who is not afraid to take a risk when he believes it’s right for the customer. He did just that when he changed the layout of his store based on the customers who were coming in and what they were shopping for (Logo!), dedicating half of the store’s space to the top-selling category. Mathieu pushed hard to get the assortment changed – moving Logo front and center and creating dedicated windows. And it worked! As a result, he and the team, delivered incredible store results and welcomed a lot of new (and happy!) customers.
Here’s what Debbie Edwards, GM of Europe, had to say on exactly why Mathieu was so deserving of this prestigious award:
“Mathieu is a true leader. He puts the customer first in every decision he makes, his business results are outstanding, and his team is highly engaged and empowered to go above and beyond every day. He has the mantra of ‘fewer, bigger, better’ and has turned around the business in his store."
Taisuke Hama – Gap Japan, Kobe Sannomiya
Taisuke is the type of GM who leads with his heart. He transferred from the Gotemba Gap Outlet store to Sannomiya, which was having some challenges in operations and causing business to be tough. However, with Taisuke’s unparalleled growth mindset and empathy, he executed several new initiatives, including collaborations with local partners and influencers, and successfully improved store traffic. He also made a considerable positive impact on his store team, as well as the entire Japan Field team in the process!
Here’s what Taisuke’s District Manager, Shinichiro Saito, had to say about his influence:
“We’re using his successful community-based actions as examples to how we review the brand's overall operation. With Taisuke’s help, we’re also starting to explore cross-industry collaborations to improve the customers’ shopping experience.”
Interested in joining our Gap store team? Apply today!