Scott Ziter currently serves as the director of asset protection for Price Chopper, a supermarket chain based out of Schenectady, NY. He has been with the company since 2014. Ziter also serves as the chairman of the Food Marketing Institute’s asset protection council and on the board of advisors for the Loss Prevention Research Council and the National Anti-Organized Retail Crime Association.
In a feature article in the January-February 2017 issue of LP Magazine, Ziter speaks with Jim Lee, executive editor, about his career success and lessons learned. Ziter shares how, in the early days of his career, he spent 21 years with Stop & Shop, beginning as a store detective and rising through the ranks to earn a position as director of asset protection. According to Ziter, one of the best ways to get ahead in an asset protection career is through education and professional development. From the article:
I encourage asset protection teammates to be part of local organizations in their areas, whether it’s a food association or a retail coalition of one of the states where we operate. I believe cross-functional training is important. So for example, if operations is doing any type of training like a pre-holiday model store presentation, all asset protection teammates will attend in their assigned areas. I visit stores with my colleagues from other areas of the business, and I ask the same of my direct reports and their teams to be able to get a different perspective of a store walk.
I think there’s so much value that one can take from the education and professional development sessions at an event such as FMI, National Retail Federation, or Retail Industry Leaders Association.
I’ve pushed associates to take advantage of the company’s tuition reimbursement program as a college degree will definitely help someone advance in their career. One of the most important ways to help others grow and develop is to be the best mentor possible.
Read the full article, “From Supermarket Store Detective to Director,” or check out the other articles in the January-February 2017 issue of LP Magazine. Not yet subscribed? No problem – register here for free.