Milwaukee Market Director in Training Finds Career and Belonging at Meijer

Lynda Farris was in high school when she held her first job at a Meijer in Grand Rapids, Mich., working as a team member in the Pet and Garden department. She quickly found herself aligned with the Meijer culture and values and transferred to one of the Kalamazoo-area stores, while attending Western Michigan University.

"After graduating with my bachelor's, I intended to go to law school, but my dad got sick, so I continued to work at Meijer, while I was helping the family," Lynda said. "Meijer cared about me and my family. They were flexible with scheduling, and I was able to transfer to a different store for school, which allowed me to maintain employment through college."

Fast forward 24 years and Lynda remains at Meijer, continuing her love for learning by embracing various roles, from Grocery Team Leader to Store Director, and most recently, serving as the Highland, Ind. Meijer Store Director. Today, she is the Market Director-in-Training in the Greater Milwaukee area and is pursuing her Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an HR focus.

"I didn't consider working in business operations or business administration, but I loved working with Meijer and the leadership in grocery," Lynda said.

Some of her favorite moments at Meijer have been interactions with company Co-Founder Fred Meijer and his wife, Lena, recalling their personal connection and engagement with customers and team members.

In addition to her role at Meijer, Lynda has served on the Board of Directors for the United Way Northwest Indiana.

"Meijer has always had a long, impactful and beneficial relationship with United Way, so I was able to incorporate the Meijer vision of enriching the lives in the communities we serve," she said.

Now entering her new role in a new community, Lynda looks forward to being part of the Milwaukee community and partnering with local organizations to demonstrate the retailer's support for its team members.

"I can align my values with the cultures and values of Meijer," Lynda said. "There is a greater why to what we do, and it's something I'm very proud of."