I have been very lucky in both roles to be a part of a great team of Partners.
Let’s start with your H-E-B story — what brought you to H-E-B?
When considering my next career move, I started thinking of what the next company needed to have – strong company culture, and a commitment to growth and driving change. As you know, H-E-B checks those first two boxes easily. When I joined H-E-B in 2020 as the VP of Systems, we were in the middle of our Digital transformation, and I quickly understood the growth and change we were experiencing on the digital front — that checked the third box for me. I was intrigued. Ultimately, that’s what brought me to H-E-B and what’s keeping me here!
What has your journey been like over these past three years?
It was undoubtedly very interesting to work for a company like H-E-B, which is incredibly relationship-driven, and start my career on Zoom because I started during the pandemic. The team of Partners I joined welcomed and supported me as I was learning the retail industry and, more importantly, H-E-B. I served as the VP of Systems for over a year before stepping in as the interim Chief Information Security Officer. After about a year as interim, I officially moved into my new role in February 2023. I have been very lucky in both roles to be a part of a great team of Partners.
Tell us a little more about your role as Chief Information Security Officer?
Right now, our team is focused on building and maturing our security posture through better visibility, enhanced capabilities, and risk reduction to protect and defend H-E-B on the Digital front. It’s an exciting place to be, but there’s also more risk involved than ever before. We’re focused on identifying, measuring, and reducing risk in our environments and enabling our Partners with the tools they need to defend against a cyber event.
We hear a lot about cybersecurity. Why is that so important at H-E-B?
Retail and healthcare are prime targets for cyber exploitation because of the nature of the business. H-E-B operates in both of these industries – from shopping for groceries to refilling prescriptions — we have critical data to protect from bad actors. We’re focused on defining what secure looks like in this online world, measuring how we’re doing in light of that definition, and proactively preparing our response in the event of a cyber-attack so we can minimize the impact to the company, our Partners, and our customers. While this isn’t a new muscle for us, it’s something we’ve had to stretch and use more frequently as everything continues moving online, especially post-pandemic. H-E-B is experiencing so much growth right now, so it’s an exciting place to be.
What is your favorite part of your job?
The leadership aspect is my favorite part. As a leader, I’m committed to supporting and mentoring my team so they have what they need to do what they do best. It’s important for me to remove roadblocks and ensure their success not only in their work but with their career goals. When our Partners are successful, that is where I find fulfillment.
I’m also energized to be a part of maturing and developing our security posture. Some nights I’ll be reading an article about cybersecurity, and I’ll think to myself “Are we thinking this through properly? What are our biggest risks? Are we doing all we can to make sure we’re safe from cyber threats?” These risks can be unpredictable, so the challenge is trying to predict where these bad actors may attempt to attack or exploit us. I’m never bored with my work, and I love a challenge!
How do you feel your contributions are valued?
We’re kind of like an electrician — when the lights are out, everyone knows. But when the lights are on, they’re just on. My hope is that people see the value in this role knowing that just like H-E-B has dedicated security for stores and facilities, there’s also a team dedicated to keeping Partner and customer data safe online. It’s not foolproof, there’s still risk, but what’s most important is being prepared to respond and minimize damage to the company and brand. We’re constantly thinking through scenarios, working to safeguard potential vulnerabilities, and hosting tabletops with leaders so they are prepared in case of an attack. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
What do you foresee for the future of Digital transformation?
It’s bigger than digital transformation. Digital must grow to support how customers are shopping – meeting them where they are – in a safe and secure way. For us, it’s going to be how we can support that change and exceed our customers’ expectations, especially when we cater to a variety of shoppers across the state.
What advice would you give others about working for H-E-B?
H-E-B is an amazing company, and I am so happy to be here. After 3 years, I am still amazed at how we treat our Partners and how focused we are on our communities. Each and every person really does matter here and you feel it every day!
From a Digital perspective, you’d be surprised at just how much technology is involved in getting a can of green beans on the shelf — I know I was. There’s so much exciting tech, so much knowledge and skill, and of course the culture is incredible. Give H-E-B a chance and you may just find an incredibly fulfilling, never-boring career here.
