Home Grown Talent Joins Management
Tanya Foster in her newuniform as part of the Management Team at Fosters Food Fair IGA
By Lee Maragh
Tanya Foster is the latest native Caymanianto join the management team at Foster's Food Fair IGA. She wasappointed Assistant Store Manager at the Airport location recently.
Tanya's last name - Foster, bears an obvious resemblance to thestore's name. That is no surprise, as it was her father who startedthe Airport Store nineteen years ago. It is also fitting thattanya's appointment was in the same year in which Foster's FoodFair IGA was declared one of seven best retailers in over fourthousand IGA stores internationally, an unquestionable milestonein Foster's development.
Tanya earned her "Blue Shirt" (management dress at Foster's)by her training and her choice to be directly involved with customerservice, the declared top objective of Food Fair's operating policies.Her training began, not unlike that of younger Caymanians, withher leaving the Island in pursuit of higher education. She completedher BA degree at Johnson & Wales University for Culinary Artsin Providence, Rhode Island in 1997. On her return to Cayman,she joined the Hyatt hotel as a chef. There, while concentratingon food preparation, she garnered much insight into the operationsof a large entity with a focus on customer service. Her marriagein May 1998 to John Thistle, whom she met while in school abroad,further encouraged her to continue working and to be exposed topractical lessons at her work place.
In 1999, she was ready to take on the challenge of Food Fair,which in her mind ideally combined food with service in a winningrecipe. It was regarded as a challenge because Tanya knew thatin spite of her name and connections she would have to earn herposition on merit. When she started with Food Fair in May, shewas immediately placed on an intensive training program. Thisprogram involved working shifts in numerous positions in all departmentsthrough out the three stores. She helped prepare bread for baking,as well as cleaned pans and baged finished products. She cut andwrapped meat and seafood, packed Produce bins and shelves, movedfruits from cool rooms, served dinners at the hot case as wellas food preparation in the Deli kitchen and sandwich counter.She stocked grocery shelves, dusted and removed anything lessthan 100% presentable. She physically cleaned warehouse racks,mezzanines, floor, walls and shelves. She also spent time witheach department manager and learned ordering procedures involvinglocal and Foreign suppliers as well as how to schedule and monitorstaff to ensure operations continue regardless of circumstances.She rounded out her comprehensive training by working in the Wholesale,Warehouse, Receiving, Scanning, Accounting and Personnel departments.
With this additional practical hands-on experience, coupled withher formal education and friendly pleasing personality, storemanagement was a logical choice. She believes that having influencewith the store's cashiers and other front line servers to customershas advantages for both herself and Food Fair. Tanya will haveabundant opportunities to use her knowledge and training. Sheis confident that her detailed knowledge will result in benefitsfor all customers whether they are at the Airport Store or anyother store to which she may be assigned.
Tanya will be working with and have as a resource store managerWinston Miller, a literal icon at the Airport store. However,her appointment is clear recognition of her own capabilities.She occupies the same position that the founder David Foster himselfhandled for many years from Food Fair's inception. When askedabout the importance of store management, David Foster said "Goodand courteous store management is crucial as cashiers and otherfront end staff are the first and last to be seen by customers.Impressions last an eternity so we must make them good."