VeronicaConway Hughston

Curriculum Vitae

 215 694 8535 (C)

Professional Experience

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Spring 2012-Current

Training and Development Graduate Student Assistant – Outreach

  • Synthesize key principles of Jim Collins management philosophy books into training modules.
  • Incorporate training modules into appropriate media delivery including online instruction.
  • Develop project, communication, execution, and assessment plan.
  • Assist in redesigning new employee orientation.
  • Recruit, select, train, and evaluate facilitators.

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Fall 2011-Current

Graduate Student Assistant – Alumni Ambassador Program

  • Help create and administer a newly developed alumni program for the Penn State World Campus.
  • Recruit alum to serve as volunteer Ambassadors.
  • Develop program structure, processes, and procedures.
  • Represent the Alumni Ambassador program at University functions.
  • Evaluate the program for areas of strength and improvement.

Luxottica – Washington, DC Metro Area, and State College, PA 2010-2011 LensCrafters - Regional Director of Operations

  • Achieved: 107% Profit and 103% Customer Growth. 99.9% Sales to Plan.
  • Stabilized the region by recruiting, selecting, and hiring brand right talent:
  • Recruited and hired five General Managers; two are succession planned to fill future Regional Director of Operations w/in 12-24 months.
  • Promoted 1 General Manager and six second level managers.
  • Provided strategic leadership to 20 salaried Managers, 60 hourly Managers, and 300 hourly associates.

The Children’s Place – Western Tennessee, Northern/Central Mississippi, Eastern Arkansas2007 - present

District Sales Manager
  • 2009 Successes: currently delivering $750,000 surplus to planned to district (11 stores) sales while effectively managing payroll and shrink. Ranked in the Top Ten in the Chain of 88 Districts; 950+ stores.
  • Ranked #1 in the chain on YTD comparable sales.
  • Ranked #2 in the chain on YTD planned sales.
  • Ranked #7 in the chain on YTD customer conversion bp improvement.
  • Stabilized the turnover rate by successfully identifying top talent and developing a bench of talent for future opportunities.
  • Provide strategic leadership and direction to ensure stores consistently drive sales, leverage payroll, and deliver The Children’s Place brand to internal and external customers.
  • Develop talent at the store level (Senior Store Managers, Assistant Store Managers, Store Leads, and backfill) through effective performance management practices.
  • Consistently conduct store visits to uphold visual standards by providing support and direction to management teams.
  • Directly manage 11 salaried Managers, indirectly 33 hourly Managers and 275 hourly part time associates.

Target Corporation – York, PA and Cordova, and Collierville, TN2003 - 2007

Store Team Leader (Store Manager) 2005 - 2007

  • Achieved 10% mature store sales each yearduring my leadership; achieving the highest mature store salesawardamong peer group. The closest peer achieved 6%.
  • Successfully promoted four salaried Assistant Managers; the goal was one per year.
  • Earned Golden Contribution (operating one of the most profitable stores in the company).
  • Selected to interview Governor Phil Bredesen on behalf of Target on national television due to excellent communication skills, energetic personality, and ability to deliver a brand message.
  • Effectively represented Target on college campuses throughout the mid-south to increase our college hires from 10% to 80% within one year; the company goal is currently 70%.
  • Successfully opened and closed Target stores.
  • Directly managed 9 salaried Executive Team Leaders, 40 hourly Team Leaders and Specialists, 10 College interns, and 135 part time team members with a total volume of $27 million.

Executive Team Leader (Assistant Store Manager) – Guest Services2003 - 2005

  • Successfully increased Target Visa credit card conversions from 30% to 95%.
  • Reduced Guest Service expenses by 40%.
  • Served as peer training manager for other Assistant Managers.
  • Managed 10 hourly Team Leaders and Specialists and 45 team members.

Armstrong World Industries, Lancaster, PA2002 – 2003

Human Resource Generalist – Organizational Development Focus

  • Developed the global employee opinion survey strategy including survey re-design, distribution, data compilation, results analysis, communication plan, and action plan.
  • Co-developed, with IT department, a skills inventory system to track employee technical skills and proficiency levels.
  • Championed and sponsored process improvement, Six Sigma, sessions.
  • Re-developed college talent acquisition and management program.

The PennsylvaniaStateUniversity, University Park, PA2001

Education, Development, and Training Specialist

  • Selected training methods and classroom materials as a result of internal client consultation.
  • Developed training and job aide documentation.
  • Revised and re-implemented statewide mentoring program.
  • Developed and implemented comprehensive plan to evaluate statewide orientation system, including new staff orientation, web-based modules and orientation checklist.

Pathmark Stores, Inc., Carteret, NJ1998 – 2000

Program Development Specialist

  • Facilitated shelf-training programs such as Development Dimensions International, Inc. (DDI) offerings.
  • Directed Assistant Store Manager training program for 40 full-time associates.
  • Conducted one on one 360 feedback sessions.
  • Consulted with internal clients, conducting needs analysis and drafting proposals to address areas identified for development.

Nike, Inc., Beaverton, OR1997

Intern – Product Development Subject Matter Analyst

  • Served as subject matter analyst to Footwear Product Development Team to create a training process and content for new Product Developers.
  • Conducted needs assessments with subject matter experts and related shareholders.

Principal Partner – Lighthouse Consulting

  • Continued work from internship as an outside consultant to the Footwear Product Development Team.
  • Served as Lead Train the Trainer and Course Designer for P.L.A.Y (Participate in the Lives of America’s Youth).

New Holland North America, Inc., New Holland, PA1995 – 1997

Human Resources Associate1996 – 1997

  • Served as the Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Officer for three plants located in Nebraska and Pennsylvania.
  • Designed, developed and delivered various training programs.
  • Served as a recruiter, collaborating with Manager of Recruitment.
  • Worked with partners to research, screen, and interview and select the best-qualified candidates.

Buyer Analyst

  • Sourced parts from global suppliers for the used parts division.
  • Lead buyer for: Bearings, Bushings, and Whole goods.
  • College Campus Liaison and Lead Recruiter.

The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA1994

Human Resource Generalist/Clerk

  • Wrote job descriptions based on job duties, qualifications, and comparative data.

Research

Current Work in Progress:

Using concept maps as a learning aid in cultural identification of self in engineering seminars.

Developing a pilot study: Measuring team cognition in virtual engineering student teams.

Articles and Publications

Hughston, V. C. (2012). Ethical Dilemmas of Student Teams.

Kim, T. and Hughston, V. C. (2012) The Diffusion of Changes in Organizations: Proposing an Organization-specific Diffusion Model.

Hughston, V. C. (2011) Re-Defining and Re-Structuring Teams in Engineering Curriculum Reform: Why Interdisciplinary Teams are of Great Importance.

Teacher Experiences

2012

Co-Instructional Designer – Working Close Apart: Web 2.0 Tools and Applications.

Guest Lecturer –Engineering 497 International Leadership of Enterprise and Development (ILEAD). Topic: Improving student virtual team effectiveness.

Invited Speaker – Undergraduate Teaching Research Engineering Experience (UTree). Topic: Minimize challenges of working in student teams.

In Kind Professional Services

2012-2016 A Presidentially appointed member of The Pennsylvania State University Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity.

2012 -2013 Graduate Member of the Learning and Performance Systems Diversity Committee

2011 – Served as Referee for Milking the Rhinos

2011 – Served on Career Services panel geared to answer undergraduate student questions about graduate student life.

2007 - Present Professional Mentoring to two emerging leaders in the retail operations field. Services include, but are not limited to career counseling, conflict management, and competency development.

2010 - Present Executive Coaching to one of America’s leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Services include, but are not limited to skill remediation and competency development.

Served as a Judge at the 2007 National Collegiate Distributive Education Clubs of America competition for the Business Simulation event. Orlando, FL 2007.

Awards and Commendations

Received a written commendation from Tennessee Governor, Phil Bredesen, for co-hosting a live television show with him to launch the State’s first Tax Holiday. Awarded on April 14, 2006.

Develop Top Talent Award, Presented in a ceremony to Veronica C. Hughston at The Children’s Place National Sales Meeting. Awarded on March 1, 2008.

Featured in P. T. Kyper (Ed.) (2001) Pennsylvania’s Act 101: Profiles of Success to highlight the successes and benefits of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Equal Opportunity Act of 1971, eventually known as ACT 101.( Pp 112-113). West Chester University Press.

Education and Certifications

Doctoral student, Workforce Education and Development (2011- present)

Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA

Master of Education, Training and Development (1998)

Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA

Development Dimensions International, Inc. (1997)

Facilitator for DDI, Inc. Learning Systems

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Business Management(1994)

Pennsylvania State University – University Park, PA

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