Top Women in Grocery 2021: Julie Grant, Director, Applications Development
Retail Business Services – the services company of Ahold Delhaize USA – is proud to announce that Julie Grant, Director of Applications Development, has been named to Progressive Grocer’s 2021 Top Women in Grocery list, which recognizes leadership, achievement and community involvement.
In her role, Julie oversees a team of 26 associates who provide IT support for the local brands’ merchandising applications.
Julie was one of four Retail Business Services women leaders recognized by Progressive Grocer for outstanding leadership capabilities and honorable achievements.
“I was surprised and honored,” she said. “I recently learned it was actually one of our vendor partners who nominated me, which is incredibly humbling.”
Julie joined Retail Business Services when the company launched three years ago but has worked for the local brands since 1984. During that time, she has been passionate about helping those around her achieve their career goals.
“The thing about my role that I think is really important is developing younger people and developing my team so they can grow their careers,” she said. “I try to make sure they can move up if they want to and to make sure they have the opportunities to do that.”
Julie herself knows how important those opportunities can be. As a working mother, she had a non-traditional career path.
“I actually started out in nursing school, but quickly realized it wasn’t for me,” she shared with a laugh.
She began working with the local brands as an entry-level accounting associate more than 30 years ago and worked her way up to her current role. And, while she studied Business Management at Regis College in Massachusetts, life got in the way and she was unable to complete her degree. Instead, she learned from the world’s best teachers: her supervisors and colleagues.
“I learned on the job and took every professional development course that was offered,” she said. “I’ve gotten great hands-on training throughout my career.”
For women just starting their career, Julie has a few words of advice:
“Continue to learn and to have confidence in your abilities and know that if you work hard, hopefully you’ll move forward,” she said. “Focus on trying to make inroads for yourself and your career. And, if you have kids, people like me prove that you can be a mother – a single mother – and still have a career. You can have a career and still have a family. You can balance it all. It can be challenging, but it can be done.”
Julie lives in Mansfield, Mass., and has three sons aged 18, 21 and 24. She is a member of Retail Business Services’ Women’s Business Resource Group (BRG) and volunteers for the Dana Farber Children’s Hospital and Jimmy Fund. She also enjoys volunteering at civic events put on at her children’s high school. In her spare time, Julie enjoys traveling, spending time on the beach, exercising and hiking – her newest hobby.