We had the opportunity to get an exclusive interview with Sharon Lasure, the Regional Price Coordinator for Food Lion, who shares her journey from starting as a part-time cashier in 1994 to her current role. She expresses her love for being in the store, interacting with customers, and the sense of community she’s found. Sharon highlights the importance of being valued by the company and the opportunities for growth and community involvement.
She discusses her role in community outreach programs like the Children’s Aid Society and Maryland Food Bank, emphasizing the impact these initiatives have on the local community. Winning her 30-year award was a proud moment, motivating her to continue serving both as an employee and a community member.
Sharon encourages passion for the job, serving customers, and the community. She sees her legacy as sharing knowledge and fostering passion in others, particularly new RPCs. She values the recognition and support provided by Food Lion, emphasizing the opportunities for personal and professional growth within the company. Read the Press Release here
How has your role at Food Lion evolved over the years?
Sharon.. I originally started with Food Lion in 1994 as a part-time cashier hired for the office. Eventually, I worked my way into the office became a bookkeeper, and then eventually became a customer service manager, and from there I ended up going into loss prevention just for a very short time doing check recovery, and then eventually came back into the stores which I truly love being in the store, love being around the customers and the other associates.
I was born and raised in Charles County Maryland I graduated from Lackey High School and worked up in DC for a brief time I ended up coming to Food Lion in 1994 eventually I ended up meeting my husband who was the brother to one of the associates here in the store that I knew for years and I have been with Food Lion for a little over 30 years now and it’s just been an awesome Journey.
Looking back on your 30 years at Food Lion, what inspired you to stay with the company for so long?
Sharon.. One of the things that inspired me to stay with the company for this long is the associates that I’ve worked with over the years and the customers. At some of the different stores that I’ve been to, the customers become like family to you and they come in every day and you just get to know them and have a report with them. You can’t wait to see them come in, you can’t wait for them to come and tell you about their families and it’s just one of the things that inspired me to stay so long it’s with the customers.
For the company itself, it gives value to me as an employee. They listen to me, they’re concerned about what I need, and they’re really concerned about Mrs Johnson, by making sure Mrs. Johnson has everything that she needs. I think that is a great value. As far as what Food Lion stands for my role here has evolved I have been given great opportunities to move throughout the company to meet new people and to do different things.
How do you believe your work at Food Lion made an impact on the community?
Sharon.. I guess this role here is giving me a chance to tone, to get my core value belief of making sure that I treat people the way that I want to be treated. I believe one of the things that made a positive impact for store 1184 is that not only do we partner with Children’s Ade Society. We also do Maryland food bank and through that, we reach the community in a way maybe most stores couldn’t because we partner with both of those organizations to get more involved with the community. Through The Children’s Day Society, we help put 250 bags together everything’s giving for our community we also adopt a family every year for Christmas and that’s just one of the things that we reach out to do within our community.
Share a particularly proud moment or achievement from your time at Food Lion?
Sharon.. One of the proudest moments I’ve had is when I won my 30-year award. From 1994 to 2024 I won my 30-year award which was a great honor to be selected to go to our home office, to be apart of that. Just being able to know that I have been with the company for so long and I’m grateful and thankful for the opportunities that I’ve had throughout my 30 years.
This award has made me want to strive to be the best that I can be. Not only as an employee but as a member of the community. Making sure that I reach out to each and every customer that comes through the door, and treat them the way that I would want to be treated. I love the fact that we have interactions with our customers, and we know them by their first name, we know their families, and that just makes coming to work a complete Joy.
What advice would you give to new employees starting at Food Lion to succeed and thrive in their careers?
Sharon.. I would tell anybody that’s wanting to start with Food Lion to be passionate about their job be passionate about customers be passionate about just serving their community because at the end of the day that can bring you so much joy and the one thing I can say with Food Lion, you can go as far as you want to go the opportunities are unlimited.
What do you think sets Food Lion apart as an employer that fosters long-term employee dedication and loyalty?
Sharon.. I am truly passionate about teaching new RPCs when they come in. I know a lot of times they get overwhelmed, but like I tell them, it’s it will come in time you just have to be patient. I love the fact that I get to go to other stores and train other people on how to do this job. hopefully, they will take the passion that I have and they return it to their own passion.
With this company you are able to go as far as you want it is a true blessing and a true honor to have a company recognize all of us not only by year but by name. They called everybody’s name, they gave us awards, and they treated us like we were valued. We know that we are valued and it was a complete honor.
As you reflect on your 30 years at Food Lion, what legacy or impact do you hope to leave behind?
Sharon.. What I would love for my legacy to be, is to know that when I share my knowledge with somebody else they would take that knowledge and they will share it with somebody else and they would get the same enjoyment that I’ve had for the last 30 years. Read the Press Release here
