Verizon’s Post

As we round out the last 3 days of Black History Month, I will be sharing the stories of the Lowes Region 4 Black Store Manager Council, their journey, what Black History Month and the BSMC means to them. These stories are often of excellence, resilience and are OUR "history in the making". We would appreciate if you shared them with your store associates and leaders. Introducing Michael Butler, Store Manager of Columbus, IN Store #1516 I have been in retail for over 33 years. I started my retail career in Champaign, Illinois. My retail career has allowed me to travel around the country and live in places that I would not look for on a map normally. While in college, I worked for a tech company that taught me my business acumen, created a love for big sales and introduced me to my mentor Jody Johnson. She was my first GM that encouraged me to be my authentic self. She gave me advice on life and how to create a solid career path. Her approach of taking care of her associates before anything has always resonated with me and has become my blueprint for success. It has helped me created some strong leaders in my retail career. I could never match her enthusiasm and energy (I truly try), she is the reason I love what I do today. I have been with Lowes for three years now at store 1516, in Columbus, Indiana. I plan to retire with Lowes. What does Black History Month mean to me? Both my parents were born in the 1940’s and lived through times of gross inequality. My dad’s father was a sharecropper in Mississippi with 13 children. He was a hard worker and did the unthinkable in those times; he purchased the land he was working and was able to give it to his children. My mom was biracial. Her dad a white minister in Dayton, Ohio in the 40’s. The stories of their journeys from birth to where this country is today is amazing. We have truly come a long way in equality and still have a long way to go. What does the BSMC mean to me? Before I came to Lowes, I had a job offer to be a district manager for a Fortune 50 company. They were so confident I would accept the role they parked my company car in front of my home. They also knew that I was interviewing with Lowes. During my final interview with the RVP at the time, he discussed the BSMC (it had just started and had 10 strong managers) and what they were doing in Detroit and Indiana was impactful. I canceled my other job offer and started with Lowes with pride. I wanted to work for a company that was aware of what was going on in the world and wanted help change it. The BSMC is my opportunity to do just that." Region 4 Black Store Manager Council Charles M. Reasonova Chad Doescher Portia Barnes Keith Jackson Rickey Ward Beverly Peguese James Jackson Adrian Davis Charles Schrzan Emanuel Garland Henry (Hank) Moultry Jr LaShonda Hawk Darran Duncan Abidemi Afolabi Dee Hawkins Jarade Henderson Anthony Jones Briana Daugherty Bryain Haynes Joe Jackson Maurice Morris Bobby Scott

WE ARE OFFICIALLY SIX MONTHS IN!! It feels like just yesterday when I embarked on my journey as a Graduate at Adcock Ingram. I am truly amazed by the overwhelming support, the invaluable skills I have acquired, and the vast amount of knowledge I have gained in such a remarkably short period of time. #graduateprogramme #workplacehappiness #growthanddevelopment

Each February we celebrate Black History Month, which serves as a dedicated time to understand, reflect, and amplify accomplishments and contributions to American culture and advancement over the years. We are excited to celebrate, honor, and share the stories of Black Registered Apprentices and recognize their contribution to our workplaces. See the comments below to learn more about how Registered Apprenticeship Programs support black workers and advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) for all workers.  #ApprenticeshipUSA #BlackHistoryMonth #Workforce #RegisteredApprenticeship 

Exciting news! 🎉 Our coalition partner, Walmart, is removing college degree requirements from many corporate roles, opening up applications to those who have the necessary skills for the position—further building on the skills-first hiring movement across the country. The retailer joins a growing list of companies that have ushered in the wave of skills-first hiring practices. Others, like IBM and Accenture, have all reduced the number of jobs that require degrees, as well as 13 states that have removed unnecessary degree requirements for state government jobs. Announcements like this inspire us to work even harder to connect one million Black talent without four-year degrees to family-sustaining careers within ten years. Read more from Forbes here: https://bit.ly/3rw1fxL 

What’s next for you? (Hint: There’s no wrong answer) Earn a degree. Transfer to a 4-year institution. Start your career. Level up your work skills. Get the promotion. Discover something new. When you start at Hartnell, you get to decide. #HartnellCollege #HartnellDegree #AcademicSuccess #CareerReady #FutureFocused

UT is truly home for Eric (’03, ’04) and Tyra (’04) Haag, two CCI alumni who have established high-level careers at their alma mater and still tailgate at every single Vols home game. Learn more about the Power T couple this Homecoming week!

Hundreds of PMs and as many questions, so I will answer some here. No, I won't reveal who asked what. And, if you asked me one of these, it is 100% fine! I am NOT passing judgement. #1. You have had quite a career, why prison work to transportation? I graduated in 2002 and I saw the state was hiring prison employees in various roles, so I took the test and scored a 99, which put me at the top of the list. Served on Hostage Negotiations, was FBI trained. Participated in gang identification which meant I collected Intel to help identify leaders and get them housed in the right places. Was a wild 10 years, took partial retirement with full medical and a stipend. Focused on my own business for a few years while I did my grad degree, then was recruited to Lowe's due to my leadership background. Fell in love with the speed, problem solving, change management, and money involved when moving freight. Here I am. #2- You are telling us not to pitch, what else can we do? I am trying to answer that with my posts. Hey, if blindly pitching a copy paste email works for you, keep doing it! I am not being paid to post, and you are, in no means, obligated to read or agree. #3- Do you like the Panthers? Nope. I don't watch pro sports and I don't have live TV. I have never been a watcher of sports, always been a doer. If I sit, there is a book in my hand or I am writing or playing my drums. #4- Do you golf? Nope. Tried in college, never really liked it. I like smashing golf balls at Top Golf now and then, But I am not good at all. #5- Do you have kids? Yes. 19 year old son who is currently driving a forklift full time at Lowe's and is taking classes. Loves to hike and rock climb and is a free spirit. 16 year old daughter who is ranked 3rd in a class of 550+, knows calculus like I know exercise, and wants to go to medical school. 2-13 year old twin sons who are also in accelerated classes, and are gym rats and absolute savages on the wrestling and jiu-jitsu mats. I am married to the love of my life who is a Lead Teller at a bank. #6- Do you want to run in races? No. I run inside like a hamster with my ear pods in. I have zero ambition to run outside. ZERO. #7- Do you do jiu-jitsu? No, I played football throughout school, and I was a competitive powerlifter and strongman. Now I am old. #8- What drives you? My family, my friends, my faith. I came from a broken home, so being the best dad and husband on the planet first. When it comes to my professional life, being a change manager. Driving process changes, creating solutions that save millions, thinking outside the box and flipping the paradigm. #9- Can I run your freight? 65% of you get it. The other 35% are pitching me. Using the SAME methods. My email is easy to find, and I have done quite a bit of dragging and dropping since starting this! Read my background: I am a tough nut to crack. I read people for a living in a hostile environment for 10 years. Bring your A game...

"Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not." A breakdown of how 10,000 Black Interns built the fastest growing pipeline of Black talent in the UK. Addressing significant underrepresentation and systemic inequality in the corporate landscape. This is a speculative observation from an external perspective. A lot of value can be derived from the charity's meteoric growth to inform talent acquisition, employer branding and DEI strategies. TL;DR: → Start small then iterate → Leverage personal brands → Bring on allies for credibility → Implement good governance → Media coverage for amplification → Modern marketing via social media → Make top leadership hire to drive mission → Address lateral issues i.e. 10,000 Able Interns → Solid operational infrastructure + team effort I spent a lengthy Midlands train journey putting this together. So a like would be nice, comments are welcomed and a repost if you are feeling generous. Mentions: Dawid Konotey-Ahulu, Michael Barrington-Hibbert, Wol Kolade, Jonathan Sorrell, Jacob Nomafo, Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell, Sami Dar

HBCUs saved my career before it even started. Graduating high school with an impressive 5.5 GPA, I thought the world was at my feet. Little did I know, the path to greatness wasn't a straight line, but a winding journey. After just one semester at Bethune-Cookman, I found myself teetering on the edge of flunking out. It was a wake-up call. The illusion of having it all crashed, but in the wreckage, I tapped into my HBCU Community. In the midst of my struggle, two pillars emerged: Drs. Mowatt and Yahya. These Black male educators became more than mentors; they were beacons of wisdom, guiding me through the storm. Their support was my compass, steering me back on course. Surrounded by daily displays of Black excellence, I learned a vital lesson – my journey needn't mirror anyone else's. It was a revelation that reshaped my mindset. Life, as I realized, is 10% what happens and a staggering 90% how you respond. Failing early and often became my mantra, a stepping stone rather than a stumbling block. This newfound resilience propelled me not only to graduate with a bachelor's degree but two master's degrees as well. To my fellow high achievers and perfectionists: Embrace your mistakes; grace starts with yourself. HBCUs aren't just institutions; they are transformative spaces where challenges morph into triumphs, and dreams find wings. #HBCUJourney #BlackExcellence #TriumphOverAdversity #iseeyouhbcu #bethunecookman #blackmaleeducators

#ICYMI: Walmart is highlighted in this recent NPR article along with other major employers for partnering with colleges to award credit for workplace training programs, paving the way for workers to earn college degrees faster and at lower costs. Walmart has over a dozen short-form certificates and 25 training courses — in tech, leadership, digital operations — that translate to credit at partner universities. The car-service chain Jiffy Lube has its own college credit program, too. These programs will benefit the employer, higher ed institutions, and employee-learners as Amber Garrison Duncan, C-BEN Executive VP & COO adds, “For adults who feel like they weren’t college material, what we are able to do is say, "You are. And you’re doing college-level work already." We’re thrilled to see companies like Walmart and McDonald’s take such significant strides in the skills-based movement. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dfZ3Zfv8