Nick started at Shaw’s in 2020 as an assistant in the bakery department. Prior to this position, he worked part-time at Wild Oats in Brunswick. His primary responsibilities at Wild Oats were picking parsley and zesting oranges, working 4 hours per week. Since joining Shaw’s, under Gerry’s mentorship, Nick has been viewed as an important bakery staff member with the same responsibilities and performance expectations as anyone else.
Due to Nick’s skill development, he has grown into working three days a week, 12 hours, with the potential for more hours in the future. What’s more impressive is that Nick has expanded his skill set to many different products within the bakery, as well as prep and maintenance responsibilities. Nick recently celebrated his two-year anniversary.
None of these accomplishments would have been possible without Gerry. His dedication to Nick’s development is unparalleled. Gerry provides on-the-job coaching, with a careful eye on efficiency and confidence, while also being a touchstone to discuss Nick’s successes and challenges. Gerry is fair, compassionate, and always has the best for his client and their families in mind. His communication skills are excellent, and as a family, we always know what the short-term and long-term goals are. Gerry is not only a great mentor because of these qualities but also because he, himself, is willing to revise and grow as the clients (or families’) needs dictate. A true coach or mentor can also self-evaluate to ensure they are providing the right path for their client; Gerry consistently does this. He asks for feedback and revises his approach or plans to ensure he, himself, is performing at the best of his abilities to assist his client. He is an amazing coach and mentor.
In closing, we are so grateful to have Gerry working with Nick and to have him in our lives. His impact far exceeds our expectations. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.
