A Heart for HR
Christy Banazek, Group VP of HR, chased H-E-B and then HR to land the job of her dreams by following her heart. She’s not from Texas originally, but she worked hard to get here so that she could drive the biggest difference in what matters most – the people.
What’s your H-E-B Story?
Four years before I accepted a job at H-E-B, I was interviewing with H-E-B and another company for supply chain roles that were within my experience. The other company made their job offer first, so I took that job — but I never forgot about H-E-B, and it stayed in the back of my mind as the place I was going to go next because it felt like the place I was meant to be.
A few years later, I was sitting in my Cincinnati office late one night when I got a call from someone asking if I knew anyone who wanted to move to Texas. My husband is a native Houstonian and has always wanted to move back and I remembered that job interview for H-E-B, so I said, “Okay, cut to the chase. Is this for H-E-B?”
They said yes, and I said, “SIGN ME UP!” and I was deplaning in San Antonio before I realized that I had no idea what job I was interviewing for! I didn’t care. It didn’t matter. I was just thrilled to have another opportunity to interview with H-E-B. This time, I was a little more patient with the process and when I was offered the job a few weeks later, we moved our family to San Antonio, and I’ve never looked back.
H-E-B’s values and sense of purpose as a company are things I personally identify with and though I was born in Oregon, I feel that I am a Texan where it matters most – in my heart.
So, what was the actual job you interviewed for?
It was at the PDC (Perishable Distributions Center), and it was an unforgettable experience. The team was incredible, and I learned so much in the three and a half years I was there.
Why did you leave the PDC?
I went to a company leadership meeting where I heard Tina James speak and it was incredibly compelling. Her vision for HR at H-E-B was to keep our people at the front and center of every business decision so that we could help as many people as possible. I was enamored. I knew that I wanted to be part of that mission. It didn’t matter that I had absolutely no experience in human resources, and uprooting my career was a risk, I knew that’s what I was meant to do. So, I followed my heart.
And, was it everything you thought it would be?
YES! The people are incredible – my favorite part of the PDC were the humans I interacted with every day, so I was blessed to find the same thing in my new role. My team is comprised of incredible people who complement each other, shore up my deficiencies, stand up to big challenges and deliver immense value to our mission and purpose. Every single day.
From the beginning, I knew my heart was in this kind of work. And it is such a blessing to be able to help as many people as we can. Not only do we have a direct impact on our Partners, but their families, too. And, since we employ so many Texans, when we help our people and their loved ones, we really drive great outcomes for the communities across the state. The challenge – which my team openly accepts – is that you have to meet people where they are. Not geographically, but in every other way. Texas has a lot of square miles and the people who populate it are as diverse as the landscape. We have almost 120,000 Store Partners who all come from different backgrounds and who bring different experiences, perspectives, and expectations to H-E-B. That’s a wonderful thing! Creating a space for everyone to thrive is exactly what I was looking for when I chose to chase H-E-B and then HR at H-E-B.
Bringing your true authentic self to work is something we hear a lot at H-E-B, how do you encourage others to live true to who they are and follow their heart?
Steve Harvey has a quote that I absolutely love and try to live by that says, “People’s opinion of you is none of your business, nor should you make it yours.” You can invest a ton of energy into trying to control or shape what others think of you, but it’s not only impossible, it’s draining and unproductive.
What I have learned and keep practicing daily is to be grounded in who I am and work to show up intentionally by controlling my attitude and my actions. I still get it wrong sometimes. It’s a lifelong journey, but I have found more success in being me than trying to be someone else. My advice to anyone and everyone that I’ve learned from so many incredible leaders is to get crystal clear on your personal values so when the need arises you can ground yourself, set clear boundaries, and live within your values. And, if you can, work for a company whose goals align with your personal values — then you’re winning!
What outcomes in your work do you feel are the most meaningful?
Seeing Partners who I have personally worked with, coached, or connected to career growth opportunities get to where they want to be is one of the greatest joys of my career.
That tells me that where I am spending my time is exactly where I’m needed.
What’s next for you?
Oftentimes I feel that focusing so much on “what’s next” can distract from the now. Every day we encounter moments that will grow and shape us if we’re open to them. For now, I’m focused on being 1% better today than I was yesterday, and so on. By doing this, an opportunity may come along to do something different, or it may not. Either way, I absolutely love what I do!
What’s been a memorable moment at H-E-B for you?
My most memorable and PROUD moment was the day we launched Ownership at H-E-B and the Partner Stock Program (PSP). Being around Partners when that was announced was incredible. I remember hearing Partners talk about how lifechanging it was, and how proud they were to work for a company who believed in them and supported them as Owners. Thinking back to that moment still gives me chills today.
What advice would you give others about working for H-E-B?
To work at H-E-B, you must have a genuine love for people, a heart of service for others, and a commitment to our purpose. If you have those qualities, we can teach the rest. We have world class development and training to teach people the skills they need to be successful here, but we can’t teach people to genuinely want to serve or help others. At the end of the day, we are a collection of ordinary people with a mission to fulfill the purpose of H-E-B —Texans helping Texans. As a result of this, ordinary people can do extraordinary things at H-E-B.
