In this role, she aims to keep Sam’s Club ahead of the curve through member obsessed and data driven strategies. She and her team are focused on identifying, developing and growing revenue streams such as membership income, eCommerce, MAP (retail ads business) and financial services, while doubling-down on convenience as the differentiator for members.
Before joining Sam’s Club, Diana began her career at Walmart 19 years ago as a replenishment trainee in consumables. During her time in replenishment, she partnered with supply chain closely to create new inventory flow methods. She has also led various merchandising teams, which enabled her to develop a deep understanding of omni merchandising and product development across multiple areas in general merchandise and consumables. Additionally, she has led operations for a Walmart U.S. Business Unit where she oversaw five regions across 12 states, including some 750 Supercenters and 225,000 associates.
Sam’s Club is one of the world’s leading retailers, offering members great deals, value and convenience through omnichannel shopping experiences designed to make their lives easier. We operate 600 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, grounded in strong local business values and community support. With over 40 years of innovation, we are growing fast, aiming to open more clubs and boost our online shopping – all with the bold ambition to double our business in the next decade. We stay focused on growth by listening to what our members want and need. Today, that includes a focus on digital engagement, enhancing membership value proposition and offering curated items including Members Mark, Sam’s Club’s private brand.
Within our business, I’m excited about the growth opportunities in eCommerce and our retail advertising business, known as the Sam’s Club Member Access Platform (MAP).
Our members are busy individuals who value time savings as well as convenient shopping and fulfillment options such as Scan & Go, Delivery from Club and Curbside Pickup. We recently launched a new omnichannel value proposition for our members based on their feedback. This includes a path to free services for all our members, such as free delivery from the club for Plus members and free curbside pickup for Club members. This change is incredibly exciting for us and our members!
Retail media advertising is also transformative due to its first-party data, proximity to purchase and potential for partnerships. At MAP, we continuously seek innovative ways to enable advertisers to meet our members where they shop and browse. By leveraging our unmatched first-party data from Sam’s Club’s membership model, we can inform advertising campaigns to deliver an omnichannel, member-additive ads experience. This improves results for marketers and unlocks new revenue streams for Sam’s Club. With visibility into virtually every transaction, MAP can attribute in-club sales to digital impressions, even search, providing advertisers with a true understanding of their performance and impact.
Retail is an ever-changing industry, which is one of the reasons I love it so much. As newer generations begin their shopping journeys, they interact with retail in fresh and innovative ways. Our digital engagement and convenience offerings are resonating with Millennials, Gen Z and consumer cohorts new to the club channel. We are leveraging and integrating AI to make the shopping experience more seamless for both our members and associates. This year, we’ve eliminated 53M tasks for associates and are on track to eliminate 100M by the end of the year, freeing up their time to focus on interacting with members. I view Gen AI as a valuable teammate, enhancing the experiences of both my team and our members. I expect that this will enable another chapter in changing consumer behaviors.
Success is a matter of perspective; it means different things to different people. For me, the 7Cs form the foundation of my approach to success, both personally and for my team. These principles are being customer-focused, maintaining curiosity, staying competitive, showing commitment, fostering collaboration, communicating clearly and demonstrating care. In retail, caring is particularly important because it’s fundamentally a people business. When we prioritize the well-being of our people, they, in turn, take care of the business.
I would say my mom is my role model. She is the kindest and happiest person I’ve ever met, and I’ve learned so much from her. She managed to have a successful career while raising two daughters and encouraging us to follow our own dreams. Her adaptability is remarkable; she juggled multiple responsibilities and always knew when to call in resources. I find myself emulating many of her qualities, just in a different context. In many situations, I reflect on how my mom would have handled things. I hope people have half the positive experiences with me that they do with her because she is the eternal optimist and they always leave better than they arrived after spending time with her.
My daily morning workout – it clears my head!
One big trend I’m excited about in 2024 is the rise of personalization and AI in driving online shopping activity. Additionally, immersive experiences within eCommerce are picking up. With our shoppers becoming younger, including Gen Z and Millenials, I think this trend is going to become more popular in the industry.
