Each year, AEO honors one associate who has achieved significant accomplishments, personifies our values and who has left an indelible impact on our company and people. Over the next several weeks we will spotlight the top three finalists for the 2020 AEO ICON.
In March 2020 nearly all retailers were faced with uncertainty as a result of store closures and shipping disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the level of change to overcome such an industry disruption would normally take 1-2 years, to course correct, AEO knew it had 5 months to answer this challenge to be ready for peak volumes. The Supply Chain team had a powerful response to this challenge, largely due to the swift action by AEO ICON nominee and Sr. Program Manager – Supply Chain Strategy, Val.
Val quickly pivoted to deploy necessary initiatives to help keep the AEO supply chain moving. First, she facilitated the strategy, execution and launch of four fulfillment hubs that closed the capacity gap created by the surge in online demand as a result of the pandemic, allowing AEO to deliver a strong 2020 holiday season for our customers. Val also led the charge in navigating pandemic shipping challenges by negotiating carrier contracts that ultimately resulted in AEO obtaining the necessary capacity to support peak business!
No matter what it took, Val’s willingness and dedication to our supply chain and AEO knew no boundaries in 2020. Congrats on your nomination for AEO ICON, Val!
